Miami Herald | By Susannah A. Nesmith, Elaine de Valle and Martin Merzer | Nov. 17, 2003
A work week like few in South Florida history began today with nothing more than modest traffic delays, a visible display of authority in Downtown Miami and only a hint of what might lie in store for the rest of the week.
Authorities reported no untoward incidents related to the international trade talks that are attracting thousands of participants and protesters to the area, but police confiscated at least four gas masks that might have been prepositioned by protesters.
Officers patrolling the downtown area for anything unusual said they found the gas masks inside a maroon nylon bag at the parking lot of the Miami Sun Hotel, 226 NE First Ave., in the area expected to experience demonstrations later this week.
Negotiators from 34 nations are in town until Friday, working toward an accord that would create a Free Trade Area of the Americas. They say open markets would spur economic development and raise living standards throughout the Americas.
Thousands of protesters also are in the region or believed to be heading this way. Ranging from retirees associated with the AFL-CIO to teen-aged anarchists, they say a hemispheric free trade zone would shift jobs away from the United States and exploit cheaper labor elsewhere.
Outside the Sun Hotel, a police spokesman said three people near the bag denied knowledge of the gas masks, which were seized as abandoned property. Police also spotted street hockey masks in a van belonging to one of the three.
''It's kind of odd that you find people from out of town coming down here with street hockey masks,'' said Miami Police Lt. David Magnusson.
Nearby, legal monitors aligned with protest groups and wearing green hats kept an eye on police actions.
Meanwhile, traffic flowed pretty much as usual - with a few exceptions where police did spot-checks of identification of motorists driving into the Downtown corridor. And a three-day march of about 200 opponents of the negotiations resumed in Broward County and reached Hallandale Beach by 2 p.m. Destination: Miami.
Miami police officers and Florida Highway Patrol officers directed traffic on most busy corners. Florida Marine Patrol boats and officers patrolled Biscayne Bay.
''We're here for high visibility,'' said Miami Police Lt. John Llodra, as he went over the day's plans with other officers at the corner of South Miami Avenue and SE 15th Road.
He said a full response team, with more than 40 officers, was in place in the Brickell area from condominium row near the entrance to Key Biscayne to the Brickell Bridge. Plain clothes and FHP officers supplemented the force, Llodra said.
''We're specifically monitoring the embassies and the financial district,'' Llodra said. ``We're not going to have any problems here. We're more concerned with the downtown core.''
Traffic was so tied up, however, that even by mid-morning it took 35 minutes to get from the Brickell corridor to the AmericanAirlines arena -- usually a ride that takes less than five minutes.
As motorists snaked through the streets of downtown Miami, the sidewalks seemed a better route: They were devoid of people. Shops and businesses were largely empty.
''It's not even worth it to stay open,'' said Carlos Martinez, owner of a jewelry shop on Southeast First Street that had not seen a single customer by noon. He said he would rethink opening the store Tuesday.
''It's very slow,'' said Kid Leitao, manager of the Office Market, 50 SE 3rd Ave. ``But it's a slow season and I can't afford not to stay open. I'll take my chances.''Miami Herald:
