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WTO leftovers protest at Microsoft

Fifty march on Redmond campus; one arrested

Tuesday, February 8, 2000

By KRISTIN DIZON Mail Author
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

REDMOND -- WTO deja vu came to Microsoft yesterday as a group of about 50 marched on the software giant's campus to protest the company's practices.

One man was arrested for disorderly conduct after refusing to get out of a public street.

  Photo
  David Solnit of Direct Action Network leads chants aimed at Microsoft as about 50 protesters marched on the Microsoft campus in Redmond yesterday.
Scott Eklund/P-I
The three-hour march was organized by Seattle Direct Action Network, a coalition of advocacy groups. DAN was a major participant in protesting the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in November and early December.

Nearly half the Redmond Police Department turned out, including a 24-officer "demonstration management team" in riot gear. Ten squad cars also monitored the group.

Arrested was David Call of Shoreline, who identified himself to police as "Black Flag -- John Doe WTO" before officers found identification on him. Police also booked Call on suspicion of possessing drug paraphernalia after they allegedly found a pipe in his clothing.

Lt. R.S. Pence, who made the arrest, said the marchers didn't have a permit to be in a public street and that he had asked Call to move four times. Pence said the protesters were told they faced arrest if they occupied the public right of way or Microsoft property.

Counting plainclothes Microsoft security guards, there may have been a 1-1 ratio of police and security people to marchers.

"It's a completely overblown response," said Chas, who goes by a single name. "We just came out here to do some street theater."

Chas, a Seattle artist, was the puppeteer behind a large Bill Gates puppet that carried a sign that read, "We get poorer 'cause Gates gets richer." Others wore cardboard computer shells emblazoned "Microslaves."

Microsoft largely escaped the attention of protesters during the WTO conference, but yesterday some marchers called on Gates, a member of the WTO host committee, to pick up the still-mushrooming $12 million local government tab for costs of staging the event here.

Earlier, Microsoft had sent an e-mail message to its approximately 18,000 Puget Sound-area employees informing them of the demonstration. At times, employees watched the marchers.

WTO-like comments about the increasing dominance of corporate culture in American society were heard.

But there were other concerns as well. Some highlighted the plight of Microsoft's so-called "permatemps," who worked full time for up to a year but didn't receive the same compensation or benefits as regular employees.

Others said the dominant software company epitomizes the increasing concentration of wealth in a few hands.

A DAN news release said Gates' holdings alone are worth more than the combined wealth of half of all Americans.

Dan Leach, a Microsoft spokesman, said the company is proud of creating products that have made a positive difference in people's lives.

"We are certainly proud of the family-wage jobs that we've created over the years," Leach said. "We certainly respect anyone's right to express their views."

Several spoke of well-paid Microsoft employees' alleged role in inflating the local real estate market.

"Many people can't afford to live in the city we've lived in and loved for a long time because of all the money coming in," said Joyce Glasgow, a small business owner in Seattle. "People like me are being pushed out."

P-I reporter Kristin Dizon can be reached at 425-497-1660 or kristindizon@seattle-pi.com

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