As the threat of demonstrations increased, it was decided to hold registration at the Sheraton so that no one would get into the convention center without a badge. If you’ve attended conferences you know that the registration area is ground zero—you hit town, head there, get your badge and program, then relax and join the meeting. Somehow, State did nothing about registration beyond having the badges produced. No kiosks, no overhead signs, no staffing, nothing. Maybe they thought the host committee would provide all this, but we’d never been asked. That was their turf.
I was in the Sheraton lobby looking after my tour desk on Saturday morning, November 27. The questions flew: What time did registration open? Ten o’clock or noon—no one knew. Where was the signage? All we had were little cards on easels with tiny print in several languages. Which desk was for press? Delegates? NGOs? What where who?
To our horror, the badges had been stuffed into little boxes semi-alphabetized by country. Only a few bodies were there to hand them out. Worse yet, the WTO had mailed hundreds of applications to Washington, DC, just two days before, but by then the State staff were all in Seattle. All those people had to get credentialed all over again, and only Mario could do that. Lines of angry delegates and visitors snaked around the ballroom lobby and down the escalators. They were furious, and they blamed the Seattle hosts.
The only thing that saved the day for me was a pilot named Dan Schwartz, whom I had met just two months earlier. I called from the Sheraton and said, I need you down here right now. In a suit. He showed up 20 minutes later with a colleague and I parked them atop the escalator to direct traffic and ask irate attendees to return later when registration was less busy. He was steadfast, courteous, and calm.
Finally we local hosts commandeered the badges, by then in a huge jumble, and sat on a meeting room floor sorting them into piles from A to Z by country. A photographer snapped pictures and new badges were hastily cranked out for all those who had to be recredentialed. Top trade officials from around the world had to wait for their badges.
It was the worst experience of my 27 years in the convention business. I heard that the State Department person in charge of registration was over at the Westin crying.
PATRICIA DAVIS
President, Washington Council on International Trade
The hosting was carried out very well. Hundreds of people were involved. There was an aide for each delegate, planned events, a great reception, and all that was highly appreciated by the delegates and the WTO in Geneva. They appreciated being escorted around, and they got to their meetings. And all that never got credibility in the papers.
KATHY SCHWARTZ
Convention and Visitors Bureau
To add to the mayhem, there wasn’t even a schedule or program—nothing for attendees, press, or NGOs. The WTO was so wracked with political conflict that it had not been able to agree on an agenda. People came to registration to find out what was happening and left empty-handed. The turmoil outside mirrored the state of the WTO itself.
Meanwhile, the turtle lovers were parading around and the tension was building. By Sunday evening, registration had calmed down and we were becoming increasingly apprehensive about what was happening on the streets.
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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!