Mobility, the Media, and the Suppression of Dissent: Analysis of the 2003 Miami FTAA Protests

Author:

*  Colleen Mihal (University of Colorado)

Abstract:

The Miami Model of protest control, developed for the Free Trade Area of the Americas protests in 2003 is the subject of this essay because it is part of a trend towards increasingly militaristic control of global justice movement (GJM) protests and the suppression of civil rights, such as peaceful assembly, free speech, and press freedom. Utilizing geographer Tim Cresswell's (2006) concept of mobility, this paper argues that mobility and space are essential to understanding protest and media rights. The dynamic productions of mobility in Miami are explored through archival research and textual analysis of first-hand accounts, media reports, online footage, film, legal briefs, and official investigative reports from the protests.