People are protesting the Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit seminar, attended by police intelligence agents from around the country and Homeland Security head Tom Ridge. It is closed to the public.

Seattle police yesterday attacked protesters with non-lethal weapons yesterday. The people were protesting a five-day Law Enforcement Intelligence Unit seminar titled “Criminal Intelligence and the War on Terrorism.”

Police sprayed protesters with rubber bullets and pepper spray. A Seattle-Post Intelligencer photographer was hit by a rubber bullet, and an Associated Press photographer was doused with pepper spray.

12 people were arrested.

The LEIU is a group of intelligence agents from police departments around the country. This year, for the first time, federal intelligence personnel are participating. Homeland Security head Tom Ridge is scheduled to address the conference. They are also meeting with corporations like Boeing and Microsoft.

The conference is closed to the public.

• Mark Taylor Canfield, independent journalist who witnessed police violence at a protest against the LEIU.