When FTAA (Free Trade Area of the Americas)
protesters arrived in Miami for the trade talks, police prepared for the
worst in order to avoid the violence and chaos that had occurred in Seattle
during a previous FTAA gathering. The police were determined to defend their
city while protesters were determined to defend their cause-putting an end
to the FTAA. However, the large numbers of unruly demonstrators never made
it to Miami. Police, eager to quell the smallest disturbance before it
escalated, roamed the streets in large numbers playing cat and mouse with
protesters. Many were arrested and detained. Critics argued that the Magic
City had become a police state. City officials praised the police because
they had prevented millions of dollars in property damage and had kept order
in the streets.
