1999 WTO Ministerial protests ("Battle of Seattle")

The World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference was held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center from November 30 to December 3, 1999. Large protests and direct actions outside the convention center escalated into street clashes between demonstrators and police, widely labeled the "Battle of Seattle." The unrest resulted in mass arrests (over 600 reported by local authorities), significant property damage in downtown Seattle, and drew national attention to the global justice movement.