The World Trade Organization barely began its ministerial meeting yesterday, with police firing tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters that paralyzed downtown Seattle. During the morning rush hour, Seattle’s main commercial district looked like a riot zone as hundreds of police officers wearing helmets and carrying wooden batons confronted thousands of protesters who sat down or locked arms in normally busy intersections in an effort to stop the trade meetings. At one point during the protest, police officers fired red pepper spray and used long wooden batons against demonstrators who had chained themselves together, laying across streets leading to the convention center in an effort to block delegates from the meeting. Police actions continued throughout the day. A state of emergency was declared at 7 p.m. yesterday as police forced protesters away from the downtown area.