The mobs of protesters clashing with police clad in riot gear and body armor in Miami on Thursday reminded Tom Summers of the Vietnam War demonstrations of the late 1960s.
"Not since then have I seen anything like this," said Summers, the president of the North Central Florida Central Labor Council who joined about 50 local residents for a road trip to Miami to protest a free trade agreement that many believe would threaten jobs and domestically grown crops, ignore ongoing human rights violations and soften environmental regulations.
About 200 people on four buses from North Florida headed to Bayfront Park in Miami for Thursday's protest rally. Individuals represented various labor and union groups and civil rights organizations. Some University of Florida students and faculty made the trek as well.
The buses left well before dawn, arriving just after 10 a.m., only blocks away from the hotel where leaders from numerous nations continued to hash out the details of an agreement that would open up markets among 34 countries spanning the Americas and the Caribbean.
Summers - who spoke by cell phone Thursday in the midst of chants from the expansive crowds - said sharpshooters speckled downtown Miami's skyline and crowd-control specialists flanked the thousands from around the country gathered for the event.
"They have put so much emphasis on security," Summers said. "There are no cars out here but police vehicles. It looks like the whole area has been closed down to business. It's deserted except for this sea of people."
From his vantage point, Summers said he could see waves of banners with messages scrolled on them like "Teamsters Support Fair Trade" and "No Way FTAA," which stands for Free Trade Area of the Americas.
The local buses were expected to return to the area late Thursday night.
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