Dozens of activists took over an abandoned apartment building last night in one of the first major demonstrations against the World Trade Organization. About 10 p.m., about 60 people occupied a four-story building. Some boarded up windows and secured doors, while others worked on the plumbing and electrical systems. The group pledged to provide housing for as many as 300 WTO protesters and call attention to global poverty and the problems of Seattle’s homeless.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of street theater performers and protesters danced and chanted their way from Capitol Hill to the downtown shopping district. There were no injuries or arrests. All told, more than 50,000 protesters are expected to descend on Seattle for the World Trade Organization conference.

A group of anti-World Trade Organization activists wrapped a bogus four-page section around thousands of copies of yesterday’s Post-Intelligencer. In a written statement, the anonymous protesters said they took the action in order to waken wider public interest and concern about the WTO might be doing to our lives. The culture jammers closely imitated the Post-Intelligencer’s design, filling their section with stories on sweatshop labor, genetically engineered foods and tariffs on agricultural goods. The Post-Intelligencer editor and publisher J.D. Alexander did not take the parody lightly. “Readers have a trust with the paper,” Alexander said. “When, by whatever means, that trust is attacked, my concern is how to repair that breach.” He said he views the prank as done at the expense of the reader, as well as the Post-Intelligencer staff.

And there have been protests throughout the weekend. On Saturday, among the first people to get arrested were two protesters, two young women who unfurled a banner as they rappelled down to the highway. It was Highway I-5, that goes through Seattle. And they unfurled a banner that said, “Caution: Corporate Rule Ahead. Shut Down the WTO.” At least 150 supporters chanted and cheered during the action near the Denny Way overpass. They were led by a mock cheerleading squad of about half a dozen men and women who wore lipstick and red skirts and called themselves the Radical Cheerleaders. Democracy Now! was there.

Radical Cheerleaders: “Fair trade, not free trade! Fair trade, not free trade! Fair trade, not free trade!”

Protester: “Two women are dangling from ropes that are anchored up here. They’re hanging a banner on this freeway retaining wall. It says, “'Caution: Corporate Rule Ahead. Shut Down the WTO.'”

Lt. Whelan: “Lieutenant Whelan, Seattle Police.We have some individuals who are hanging over the — over the freeway, and we’re very concerned about the public safety issues. We shut down a main arterial like this through the city of Seattle. It’s used by a large number of emergency vehicles. And we try to stop — stop the freeway in these weather conditions, it’s very likely we could cause some serious accidents. So, we’re in — we’re also very concerned about the individuals on ropes. What their skill level is is in question. We have no idea what their skill level is. And rappelling, traditionally, is a very dangerous sport, so what we’d like to do is make sure everybody’s safe.”

Jeremy Scahill: “So, talk about what your daughter did today.”

Protester’s mother: “Oh, she’s — you’re going to make me cry if I talk about it. She’s out there hanging about it, scaring me to death, doing what she believes in. If she can inspire other people to look into the issues and take a stand, it’ll be spectacular.”

And that protest took place on Saturday, again, two women arrested. One of the young women, Lonnie Hudson, her brother, her twin brother, also was involved in a protest against the World Trade Organization in Paris at the same time.

The head of the World Trade Organization urged the world’s union leaders yesterday to view trade expansion as a tool to create jobs and boost economies. The role of organized labor in the creation of global trade rules promises to be one of the most controversial issues at this week’s WTO ministerial meeting. Unions from around the world are gathering in Seattle to press the trade body for more influence.
Tomorrow, there is a plan to shut down the city. There will be major marches, one led by the steelworkers’ union, one led by the AFL-CIO, in addition to protesters from all walks of life, and union workers around the city plan not to work.