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Ha Ha Ha! No little fence can keep us out! We set out to destroy the barricade and damn we sure did. At 10:30 the march headed towards the barricades. Long chain link fences that are hooked together to make cages and then chained together to form a barricade. We slowly trickled down to the line until there were thousands of us. When most were assembled the woman began to form a humane chain that ran the length of the fence. Facing them was a human chain of men. These were the buffers. The barricade runs the length of the road leading into the Hotel Zone where the WTO is meeting. This means there is a large treed median that separates the road. On the right side the majority mobilized. The Koreans marched in with thick massive rope. The woman on that front line then began to use wire cutters to dismantle the fence. After quite some time much of the fence was taken apart. Then the Koreans jumped up and began to tie the ropes on. Meanwhile we all lined up. I was part of a human chain that ran the length of the rope pullers. We kept people outside the area so the rope pullers could work. The Koreans would give the signal and with all there might people old, young, from Mexico, from Korea, from everywhere! With a heave and hoe the fence gave. Huge chunks were torn away. Before long a 20-30 foot opening had been made. The mangled wreckage of the fence was dragged away and people danced on it shouting, the people united will never be defeated! Remember what I said about dancing on the rubble of empire? Once the fence was down we all sat and two symbols of the WTO were burned, it was awesome. It was also at this time that we learned from a Campasino man who got up on the bullhorn that the developing nations had all signed a declaration opposing the US and EU policies and effectively shutting down the meeting! At this white flowers were given out and hundreds of us placed them in a bundle at the feet of the police line. We were able to come with in feet of the police, and one camasina woman came up to a young federal and tried to kiss him on the cheek. He scrunched up his face and tried to pull back. Some of the other officers looked nervous and some tried to stifle giggles. We marched back towards ground zero and passed a barricade the protesters had built out of dumpsters and street signs as well as tow full palm trees. It was a beautiful day and the weather was cooler then it had been. The vibe was of jubilation and determination. The street movement empowers people to take back control. The very people who suffer the most because of the WTO regain dignity and purpose. Many spoke of the international representation and cooperation. We can shut the WTO down and abolish the system that allows it to exist if we stand in solidarity with one another. I saw today that progress is being made. The movement for social justice is solidifying and becoming borderless. Poorer nations are standing up demanding equality. The lack of outright police violence gives us hope that we can reach that point when municipalities and there police forces refuse to protect the criminals of the super national organizations and instead support the actions of the protesters. It is not utopian it is the other world we talk of. The WTO, the IMF, the WB must all be abolished. The FTAA must be stopped, Plan Pueblo Panama, and Plan Columbia must be stopped. We will see to this, if we all join in! I don't care to see reform I care to see revolution! I will see you all in Miami in November! NO FTAA, FREE PEOPLE FROM FORCED TRADE! GLOBALIZE THE STRUGGLE GLOBALIZE THE HOPE!
