Union members passed out fliers, activists painted banners and special police platoons mobilized as Miami began the countdown to the free trade summit expected to bring tens of thousands of demonstrators to the streets this week.
With the Free Trade Area of the Americas meeting set for Thursday and Friday, the city is playing a dual role: welcoming trade ministers from 34 countries, along with hundreds of their aides, while coping with a week of demonstrations.
Police have been preparing for months -- training, purchasing new equipment, even playing mock war games. Now, as protest events begin, they say they're ready.
''This is maybe like Normandy on June 4 or June 3 -- you know something is going to happen, but you don't know what,'' said Miami police Lt. Dave Magnusson, commander of a roving team that started patrolling Friday. ``When D-Day approaches, we're going to defend the area.''
They've prepared for the worst, but authorities acknowledge that most demonstrations are likely to be peaceful. Most activists, including mainstream groups like the Sierra Club and the AFL-CIO, say they are committed to nonviolence.
But with the memory of riots in Seattle during the 1999 World Trade Organization meeting, city leaders aren't taking chances.
At least two schools have canceled classes for the week, and the civil and federal courthouses will close. Air and water traffic around the summit site -- the Hotel Inter-Continental in downtown Miami -- will be restricted during the meeting, and some businesses will relocate temporarily or shut their doors.
At Shutts & Bowen LLP, a law firm in offices adjacent to the Inter-Continental, employees packed up files Friday. A little more than 100 employees will work from the firm's Fort Lauderdale office while the remainder do business on laptops at home.
''Although the firm is very supportive of the FTAA . . . the safety of our employees is of paramount interest to us, and we want to be able to serve our clients without interruption,'' said chief operating officer Richard Kerley. ``It's precautionary.''
There were more signs of preventive measures throughout Miami's downtown streets, where most protests are planned. Bank of America will close its four downtown banking centers, and the U.S. Postal Service planned to close its postal store in the Wachovia tower, 200 S. Biscayne Blvd., for the week.
MAIL BOXES REMOVED
The postal service also will temporarily remove some mail collection boxes downtown because of security concerns, but deliveries to downtown addresses will continue, postal officials say.
For other businesses, decisions on whether to stay or go will be made on the fly.
''We're going to play it by ear,'' said Brian Tannebaum, managing partner of Planas & Weiss, who has told the seven employees in his law firm to come in early but not to risk their safety. ``We're not going to close if we don't have to. I'm afraid that as the week goes on, things are going to deteriorate.''
Burdines and the Seybold Building, which houses dozens of independent jewelers, are among the businesses that intend to continue operating as usual. Wachovia planned to keep its downtown offices open to serve customers.
Fred Frost, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO, sought to reassure downtown business owners that one of the largest events -- a protest march expected to draw 20,000 -- will not force them to shutter their doors. The union passed out fliers during the weekend emphasizing the peaceful nature of Thursday's march, which he said would include 20 busloads of retirees.
''We're for working people. We want them to make a living,'' he said. ``We love our city. This is where we live.''
In northern Broward County today, a ''People's March for Global Justice'' is scheduled to begin its three-day trek to downtown Miami.
40-AGENCY CONTINGENT
The marchers will be greeted by more than 40 local, state and federal agencies that are contributing officers to the FTAA effort. Police won't say much about the specifics of their plan but say they're prepared to defend the types of targets violent protesters have attacked in other cities -- the summit site, the port, major intersections and highways, multinational corporations.
Police also have plans to deal with tactics protesters have used before. For example, special ''cut teams'' are ready to break apart the so-called sleeping dragons, devices demonstrators use to lock their arms together and block traffic.
Authorities say one of the favored tactics of violent protesters is to scream obscenities at police or throw things at them, hoping police will overrespond and attack.
Police have trained specifically for that.
''They can say what they want,'' Magnusson said. ``I've been called worse things. But I will not allow my people to be battered. . . . My officers have to remain professional for the greater good of the Constitution.''
Herald staff writers Lisa Arthur, Matthew I. Pinzur and Elaine Walker contributed to this report.
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