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Tear gas and pepper spray saturated city streets. Hundreds of riot gear clad cops fired bean bag bullets, rubber bullets and paint balls at peaceful demonstrators. Others were beaten with batons and pepper sprayed. Hundreds were arrested. A state of emergency and curfew were imposed. Parts of Seattle looked like war zones.
In 2003, similar violence targeted Miami nonviolent protests against the Free Trade Act of the Americas (FTAA). Thousands of militarized police filled city streets. More than 40 law enforcement agencies were involved.
Streets were cleared lawlessly. Hundreds were arrested, including journalists and legal observers. Red squad police surveillance and infiltration were used. Congress provided funding.
CCR and others filed lawsuits. In Killmon v. City of Miami-Dade, et al a major settlement was reached. Nonetheless, the "Miami Model" and its Seattle predecessor became prototypes for future crackdowns like those ongoing now.
In today's America, anything can be criminalized, including protests for environmental and animal rights. CCR called the 2006 Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (ACTA) "unconstitutionally vague and overbroad in violation of the First and Fifth Amendments." It criminalized legal politically motivated actions.
"Green Scare" entered the vocabulary earlier. First used in 2002, it referred to legal and extralegal government actions against animal liberation and environmental activists.
The ghost of COINTELPRO returned, including intensive surveillance of political activists, false arrests, and police brutality. What the 1974 Senate Church Committee condemned, Patriot Act and other legislative measures restored.
In 2009, police cracked down hard against Pittsburgh G20 protesters. For two days, the city was on lockdown. Dozens of University of Pittsburgh students were arrested. Police used batons, pepper spray, beanbags, OC gas (similar to tear gas), sound cannons, and rubber bullets.
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