Naomi Klein: Anti-Globalization: We have a voice! We can be heard! We just have to march down the streets screaming until they acknowledge us! The WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999

The World Trade Organization is an institution that governs and negotiates the world’s trade and investment rules, currently 135 countries are members.

Anti-globalization activists made headlines around the world in November 1999 when activists forced the Seattle World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference to end early due to poor organization and controversial management of the large street protests.

The Activist Goal: Shutting down the WTO meetings by barricading the Seattle Convention Trade Center by placing their bodies and debris between the WTO delegates and the building.

In 1999 the World Trade Organization was set to convene for the Ministerial Conference in Seattle Washington, for what was supposed to be three days of negotiating, in an attempt to launch a new round of trade negotiations. They were intended to further open the markets and deregulate international trade around the world. The negotiations were directed towards controversial areas such as agriculture, services, and intellectual property which lead to the opposition of thousands of protesters representing labor organizations, environmental groups, farmers and many others. Most governments around the world and leading multi-national corporations along with virtually all of Washington state’s political and business leaders supported the WTO and free trade. They argued that it benefited society by promoting economic growth, however international and local

labour unions, environmental groups and other activists increasingly opposed it. They condemned the WTO for favouring corporate interests over social and environmental concerns.

"When protesters shout about the evils of globalization, most are not calling for a return to narrow nationalism but for the borders of globalization to be expanded, for trade to be linked to labour rights, environmental protection and democracy." -Naomi Klein

In the early mornings of November 30, 1999 several hundred activists arrived in the deserted streets near the convention center and began to take control of key intersections. Over the next few hours, a number of marchers began to converge on the area from all different directions. As the day continued more protesters arrived, and their control of the intersections, plus the sheer number of protesters in the area was successful in preventing the delegates from leaving their hotels and from entering convention center.

The crowds proved difficult for the police and drastic action was taken, the police department fired pepper spray and tear gas canisters, they used stun grenades and rubber bullets in an attempt to reopen the streets and allow the WTO delegates to pass through. This proved ineffective. Eventually the National Guard was called out in an effort to help quell the masses.

In December protesters from all around the United States and the planet had converged on Seattle, successfully hindering the WTO Ministerial Conference. Downtown Seattle was shut down for days and the WTO delegates were unable to reach any agreements or further advance their policies.

This protests marked a place in history and an unprecedented alliance emerged between organized labour, environmentalists, farmers and independent alternative media to resist global corporate rule.