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Hundreds again turn out to blame the police
Wednesday, December 15, 1999
By KERY MURAKAMI
After last week's eight-hour forum, some Seattle City Council members wondered whether a smaller crowd would turn out for another hearing on police actions during the World Trade Organization meeting.
No such luck.
Last night, more than 500 people filled a conference hall at the Seattle Center, where residents complained of misconduct by police, insisted that officers be held accountable for their actions, and demanded to know what chemicals were used to disperse demonstrators and neighborhood residents.
"I want to know who was responsible for pushing the protesters up on Capitol Hill twice, and tear-gassing innocent bystanders -- people coming out of bookstores, changing their tires, leading their lives," said Jamie Lutton, the owner of Twice Told Tales bookstore on Capitol Hill.
"Find out for me what man or woman thought that was a good idea . . . and I want their metaphorical head."
One group, calling itself the Raging Grannies, wore floral bonnets and sang a song to the tune of "When the Saints Go Marching In," in which it denounced the WTO.
Hours after the meeting began, Rudy McCoy grew frustrated as he waited to be the 196th speaker. He said more people would have come forward to support the police, but are afraid.
"There's a lot of other people I've talked to who believe the police should have restored order," he said, "but they're afraid if they came down here, they'd be shouted down or even attacked."
Some who addressed the City Council strayed off the subject, speaking on subjects from welfare reform to legalizing marijuana. But one thing was clear: Although nearly two weeks have passed since the city was left banged up and embarrassed, the passion over the WTO conference and the events surrounding it hasn't subsided.
The size of last night's crowd mirrored the one that showed up at the public hearing last week, when hundreds were turned away and had to listen to the proceedings on a loudspeaker outside.
More than 200 people signed up to speak last night. The meeting lasted more than seven hours, and Councilman Nick Licata promised a third public hearing, which will be held on a Saturday.
Mayor Paul Schell and his administration are under intense scrutiny for the way the city prepared for the WTO conference and clashed with protesters and city residents.
Last week, police Chief Norm Stamper announced he will retire, and on Monday, City Council members formed a WTO Accountability Committee to investigate what happened during the gathering.
The seven City Council members who attended last night's meeting, along with King County Councilman Larry Gossett, thought speakers might help them help focus the probe.
But they heard few specifics.
Echoing a frequently heard complaint, some demanded that police officers wear identification and name badges that are clearly visible.
Others wanted an accounting of what kinds of chemicals were used by police.
"I was gassed, and I was sick as a dog for four days," said George Bakan, editor of the Seattle Gay News. "There was something else in that gas."
Amnesty International, which last week called for an independent commission to investigate the use of force by police, suggested that an unauthorized neurotoxic chemical agent may have been used during the protests.
The mayor's office said that is not the case.
But for some, getting answers about what went wrong may not be enough.
"I want accountability, not healing and moving on," said Michele Grant.
Some in the crowd called for Schell to resign. Bakan called for an elected police commissioner.
"This sort of stuff has happened before, and it will again without a civilian-controlled police force," he said.
"Why do the police always push the rioters to Capitol Hill?" Bakan asked, "because that's here the pinkos and the radicals live and they think they can get away with it and nobody cares.
"But this is a new Capitol Hill . . . and a lot of people care."
Council members had hoped to get a more balanced perspective than last week's hearing, where nearly all of the speakers were critical of police.
In the first two hours of testimony, however, only one person, Don Post, took the side of police. Post said he volunteered at the WTO and met a number of delegates.
One man shouted, "They're criminals!"
But with the exception of a few catcalls, the audience allowed Post to finish.
"From where I stood, the police did a good job," he said.
P-I reporter Kery Murakami can be reached at 206-448-8029 or kerymurakami@seattle-pi.com
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