Wed, 03 Dec 2003 13:12:03 GMT

New state, same as old but worse.. The Miami Model… ["What is the Miami Model? It is several things: extremely violent
police response to nonviolent demonstrators, embedded reporters behind police lines - and arresting and harassing "non-embedded" journalists...(and) mass arrests and an arsenal of "non-lethal" weapons.]
…represents the next step in the criminalization and repression of dissent that is occurring in the United States right now.” It is part of the newly emerging “Technologies of political control” (1.1m PDF) which are rapidly consuming American democracy from within. This is more than crowd control. This is the new Information Warfare. Oh – and thinking of protesting? – The FBI would like your name, please. (more inside)

The scene was a “massive police state,” – John Sweeney, President
of the United Steelworkers of America. At the Miami protest against provisions in the “Free Trade of the Americas Act”, the massive police presence was paid for by $8.5 million from the 87 billion dollar “War on Terror” bill passed by Congress. 30 to 90 busloads of retirees were blocked from the protest by police, and Amnesty International has called for an investigation into allegations of widespread police brutality – over 100 protestors were injured. (some photos and some more, courtesy of Leif Utne) Bonus – Watch Miami police use a tazer on a peaceful protestor. (Quicktime/Video 14M) [MetaFilter]