AFL-CIO members participate in an anti-FTAA march that ended at N.E. 3rd Street and Biscayne Boulevard. CANDACE BARBOT/HERALD STAFF
Large forces of Miami-Dade police officers broke up a few, small protests this evening and made dozens of arrests. In at least one case, the arrests appeared to come as demonstrators were peacefully dispersing on their own.
The new actions -- all on a relatively small scale -- flared near the county court complex and the medical complexes around Northwest 14th Street and Northwest 12th Avenue. Police reported 62 new arrests.
On the whole, though, tranquility largely returned to Miami streets today.
A major demonstration scheduled for midday fizzled and only a few dozen protesters participated in other actions. Law enforcement actions diminished throughout the city, with far fewer police in evidence.
Traffic flowed smoothly, though several streets and exits from I-95 remained closed. Metrorail and Metromover service ran on time, but the Metrorail Earlington Heights station and the Metromover Bayfront Park, Knight Center and Riverwalk stations were still closed.
At one point during this evening's action, several dozen protesters blocked NW 14th Street in a standoff with riot-equipped Miami-Dade police.
The protesters yelled: ``Put your weapons down!''
One said: ``I'm going to tell you, we will not tolerate a police state.''
Then, finally moved to the sidewalk, turned away from the police and began walking in small groups and individually in the other direction.
As they did, a Herald reporter heard shots and smelled pepper gas, and a police spokeswoman confirmed that a small amount of pepper gas was fired. Then, a squad of Miami-Dade police approached from that direction, herded them together and began arresting them.
Protesters yelled: ``Shame! Shame!''
Asked for an explanation, Miami-Dade Police Sgt. Dennis Morales said undercover police agents had earlier reported that some protesters had picked up rocks.
''We informed leaders to disperse or they would be arrested,'' Morales said. ``They were not dispersing.''
Told that live pictures from news helicopters appeared to show the group dispersing on its own, he said: ``They were becoming unruly.''
Several protest groups had planned additional demonstrations today, but the main event -- a march scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. from the Miami Arena -- evaporated.
Five thousand people had been expected; only three showed up, and they were outnumbered by reporters and photographers.
''This is ridiculous,'' said Rob Ward, 21, who joined two friends in the six-hour drive from Gainesville -- only to find the demonstration canceled on account of no demonstrators.
Protests earlier this week came during talks in Miami to create a Free Trade Area of the Americas. Opponents say a pact would damage the environment, encourage unbridled corporate power and intensify the transfer of well paid jobs in the United States to lower-paid workers in other countries.
At noon today, about 20 members of an anti-poverty group demonstrated one block west of the Miami Herald's downtown headquarters.
The Kensington Welfare Rights Union, a Philadelphia-based organization, said it wants the media to ``report that the real danger of this week's events are the jobs lost in this country and the exploitation of workers throughout the Americas.''
Police said they arrested 19 protesters overnight, bringing to at least 160 the number of people arrested in connection with protests against the free trade talks that concluded late Thursday in Miami.
Miami-Dade Police said 11 of the arrests came during a single incident at NW Fifth Avenue and 11th Street. Police said the group appeared suspicious and, when questioned by police, refused to provide identifications.
In another incident, police arrested five people in a car with Connecticut license tags allegedly finding spray cans, hockey sticks, other sticks, gas masks and hoods in the car.
All 19 of those arrested were charged with loitering or prowling, police said.
On Thursday, authorities reported at least 141 arrests during demonstrations that occasionally flared into confrontations. Most of those people were charged with trespassing, resisting officers, disorderly conduct or obstruction of justice, police said.
In the Brickell Avenue financial district and elsewhere, law enforcement operations began winding down.
The ''gamma-ray'' truck used to scan cargo vehicles entering downtown over the Brickell Avenue bridge closed up shop. Department of Agriculture law enforcement officers said they scanned 107 trucks, mostly delivering produce and parcels, during the week.
''No contraband, no weapons,'' said officer John Boatwright.
Herald staff writer Elinor J. Brecher, Susannah A. Nesmith and David Ovalle contributed to this report.
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