Miami model

The Miami model is a term used to describe the tactics employed by law enforcement agencies during demonstrations in Miami, Florida relating to the negotiations for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) trade agreement in November 2003. Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathy Fernandez Rundle responded to allegations of police brutality saying "The police were very professional, very controlled... I think we have a model here for the rest of the world to emulate in the future when these sort of events take place."^[1] Further allegations and complaints were met with assurances by authorities that police had acted 'according to plan'. Political activists continue to use the term to refer to a framework of similar tactics used by law enforcement in subsequent events, including trade meetings and political conventions.

Features

This term refers to the distinctive features of crowd control technique used in Miami, which included large scale pre-emptive arrests, heavily armed sometimes unidentifiable law enforcement, the collection of intelligence from protesters, and the "embedding" of corporate media with the police.^[2] Additionally, areas that are to be the site of a major event are given large federal grants to purchase materials for security. Thus, police may be unfamiliar with the use of the new equipment they have been given and rural police brought in to the city may be somewhat unfamiliar with crowd control tactics in general. Protestors and activists allege some of the following^[3] as further tactics belonging to the Miami model:

• Establishment of joint, unified, multi-agency command/control network.
• Mass purchase of surveillance equipment, riot gear and other supplies.
• Training of local law enforcement in "crowd control tactics" and less lethal weapons.
• Public relations, "information warfare", newspeak/spin:
  • "terrorists/violent protesters coming" vs "well trained officers".
  • "event meaningful target for terrorism."
  • "police will protect the right to protest."
  • "anarchists and criminal elements", dramatic Seattle WTO or London imagery.
  • display of confiscated "weapons" prove malintent.
  • "unpermitted protests can continue" due to police good will.
  • independent media targeted, cameras, video confiscated.
• Pro-event/anti-demonstrator promotional tools developed/used in community.
• Reluctant officials, civic groups pressured to comply with plan by Secret Service/DHS.
• Locations strategically valuable to protesters reserved by law enforcement.
• Plans to secure public buildings and strategic private businesses complete.
• Anti-protest ordinances and other legal hurdles to prevent lawful assembly begin.
• State of Emergency declared or Executive Order signed to allow military policing.
• Surveillance and disruption of protest organizers begins.
• Attempts to divide protest groups and organizers begins in media and meetings.
• Court system tied up: regular business delayed during protest; assist mass arrests.
• Mass detention facilities identified and prepped for use.
• Civic groups and clubs employed to support law enforcement activities.
• March and event permits denied or delayed; delay tactics.
• Police/military collaborate with media, i.e. embedded reporters, etc.
• Street level surveillance increases on organizers and demonstrators.
• Public training drills and mass show of force.
• Sporadic harassment, detention and arrest of demonstrators traveling in area.
• Disruption of organizing/assembly/housing/media spaces. Possible preemptive arrest.
• Command Center operational; large undercover teams begin reporting
• Militarized "hard zone" and limited access "soft zone" created with fences, barricades.
• Area wide surveillance video, including 3-D video systems operational.
• Field forces (riot police, bike police, checkpoints, etc.) put into place.
• Day of protest: assembly blocked, obstructed, redirected.
• Use of less-lethal weapons - projectiles, chemical weapons, electric weapons, sound devices etc.
• Streets cleared using force; protesters pursued; more mass arrest.
• Jail solidarity events allowed to protest for few hours, then cleared.

Miami protests

Miami Activist Defense and National Lawyers Guild filed a federal lawsuit against the City, the Mayor, Police Chief Timoney, Homeland Defense Secretary Ridge, and Attorney General Ashcroft for rampant abuse of the constitution.

Among the groups which organized against the FTAA were the Green Bloc, United for Peace and Justice, Root Cause, several AFL-CIO affiliated unions, Midwest Unrest, Pittsburgh Organizing Group, Food Not Bombs and many others.

Film

The Miami Model is also the title of a documentary film, produced by Indymedia, about the FTAA, the police action in Miami, and political organizing led by people of color in the Miami area.^[1]

See also

• 2004 Republican National Convention protest activity
• 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado
• 2008 Republican National Convention in Saint Paul, Minnesota

References

1. ^ ^{a b} The Miami Model : an indymedia production (archived).
2. ^ "Infamous ‘Miami Model’ of Protest Clampdown, Coming to a Town Near You", The NewStandard (archived).
3. ^ *Miami Model characteristics (as applied in Pittsburgh)

External links

• Watch The Miami Model film on archive.org
• The Miami Model DVD an Indymedia documentary
• Picture Gallery