THE AFTERMATH
NORM STAMPER
On Saturday, really the final day, I informed the deputy mayor I would be resigning as police chief, to de-politicize the debriefing, the critiquing, the hand-wringing, and teeth-gnashing over the events of that week.
I left on February 19. The next day I started growing my beard and writing.
Stamper now lives on Orcas Island and works with LEAP, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, to reform drug laws.
DAVE REICHERT
I ended up firing one deputy for the pepper—spray incident [spraying two women in a car videotaping the Capitol Hill melee on Tuesday night]. For that and kicking—now described as “tripping over”—a woman with a first-aid cross on her arm who was a member of one of the peaceful protest groups. We conducted an investigation, and in my mind it was clear his conduct was not acceptable.
An arbitrator directed me to hire him back because the evidence wasn’t clear that there was misconduct. I appealed it through courts, the judge found the same, and I had to hire him back.
Otherwise, I have tremendous respect for the officers’ restraint and professionalism in dealing with overwhelming odds and a violent, chaotic situation.
Reichert is now a U.S. congressman representing the Eastside.
VINNY O’BRIEN
It comes up a lot as you travel, when people find out you were one of the organizers of the WTO. A lot of people today still want to hear about it. You can see the attention focused on world trade, how it has slipped just this year. The need to have worker rights and human rights as part of the discussion was just clearly poured in concrete in Seattle.
I had to leave everything I wore that day in Seattle, there was just so much tear gas on your clothes. That’s how close we were, rubbing elbows.
O’Brien is now organizing director of Unite Here, which represents immigrant, service, and hospitality workers.
KATE JONCAS
As a community I think we did ourselves proud. It was a very difficult event and I think we came through it in pretty good spirits. Everyone from the newspapers to the parking garages to the businesses donated time and help to make it a good holiday season.
One thing I learned, which is good for any business: I came into the office and I was a totally useless CEO. I couldn’t take messages off the phone. As a result we and a lot of other businesses developed emergency plans.
Joncas remains president of the Downtown Seattle Association.
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Published: November 2009
Lots of insight in this entertaining story. Good job Eric and team!
You captured the inside story better than most other story I’ve seen. Pretty good ten years after the fact!
Maybe readers will be moved to learn more about how corporate dominated globalism is negatively affecting all of our lives. The corporate dominated WTO is still promoting its agenda of profits over people. These policies are largely responsible for the current global economic crisis that is still unfolding.
Fortunately, a growing world-wide grassroots movement is still at work promoting sustainable economics, democracy, and justice. That movement expressed itself in Seattle ten years ago, however imperfectly. Whether we acknowledge it or not, we are all in debt to a relatively small group of people who worked together to change the trajectory of history.
Great work, thanks.
600 people were arrested and jailed during WTO; how many were convicted?
zbz
“we are all in debt to a relatively small group of people”
yes, yes you are — to the same globalist financiers who funded the protestors through foundations only so they could be hung out to dry afterwards as the globalization juggernaut became further insulated. See Soros, George: Open Society.
Good reporting!
I was in the streets that entire week, and the only violence I personally witnessed was from the police. I encourage everyone who cares about what really happened in Seattle that week to read David and Rebecca Solnit’s book which is just days from being released: “The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle”. David was one of many early visionaries in making this event such a huge success.
I’m also thrilled that the ex-police-chief ended up working for the reform of marijuana laws. The existing laws are a disgrace in this so-called democratic society.
Thanks again, Eric Scigliano!
I was in the streets that entire week, and the only violence I personally witnessed was from the police. I encourage everyone who cares about what really happened in Seattle that week to read David and Rebecca Solnit’s book which is just days from being released: “The Battle of the Story of the Battle of Seattle”. David was one of many early visionaries in making this event such a huge success.
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Got some great information here. I think that if more people thought about it that way, theyd have a better time understanding the issue. Your view is definitely something Id like to see more of. Thanks for this blog. Its fantastic and so is what youve got to say.You make a great point.
More than 20 years and we are in the same point, maybe worst in term of unequality of tradings between reach & poors. The crisis haven’t changed the rules…
I’ve seen. Pretty good ten years after the fact!