The WTO/99 protests, filmed by those who were there

Twenty-six years ago, this week over 40,000 people came to Seattle to protest at the World Trade Organization's ministerial conference.

Labor organizers, farmers, and environmental groups planned and executed peaceful action against what many saw as anti-democratic elements of the WTO, and the profound risks from the unfettered expansion of global trade. 

At events from Memorial Stadium to the waterfront and marches in downtown Seattle, advocates for the global south joined arms with American steelworkers, decrying the outsourcing of jobs. 

Ultimately, the “Battle of Seattle” pushed trade policy to the front page. 

But for many, the enduring memories from that week in Seattle are the clouds of tear gas deployed by police and broken windows at downtown businesses. 

A new documentary called WTO/99 tries to capture the events on the ground as they happened. It’s composed entirely of archival footage. And it highlights the way narratives around power and protest are shaped by media images.  

GUEST: Ian Bell, director, WTO/99

RELATED LINKS:

• Soundside's conversation with DW Gibson, author of "One Week to Change the World," about the WTO protests
• Where to watch WTO/99

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