The World Trade Organization (WTO) conference in November 1999 brought trade ministers from around the world to Seattle to discuss issues of deregulation in international trade. Activists who opposed these policies gathered in Seattle to protest in what became known as the “battle in Seattle.” Posters in MOHAI’s collection from the protests outline the specific policies these groups were opposing. Explore a selection of these posters below, and more photos and artifacts from the protests in our online collection.
/ December 10, 2024
"World Trade Organization: What Are They Trading Away?" poster, 1999
This poster from the Direct Action Network (DAN) objected to the WTO’s ruling that US law to protect sea turtles in shrimp fishing was an “invalid restriction” to free trade. The poster features an abstracted image of a sea turtle and explains that the Endangered Species Act included a provision requiring countries that import shrimp to the US to use “Turtle Exclusionary Devices” on their nets to drastically reduce sea turtle mortality.
The turtle costumes worn by hundreds of marchers at the protest were a response to this WTO decision.
"Resist the WTO" poster, 1999
Protest groups also created posters like this which took issue with corporate agriculture, including the use of Bovine growth hormone in dairy cows, lack of crop diversity and price of proprietary seeds, and genetic engineering in farming. The poster text calls on people to join the WTO protests to “Resist the WTO” and specifically to “Resist the Corporate Biopirates.” Blurbs around a globe image at center address these concerns.
"World Trade Organization: What Are They Trading Away?" poster, 1999
This poster, also created by DAN, was critical of the WTO agreements that limited global rules on patents, copyrights, and trademarks, which would have helped developing countries manufacture generic drugs to treat diseases like HIV.
An image of the African continent is overlaid with the text “90% of people with HIV worldwide have no access to lifesaving drugs.” The poster also includes information about a Nonviolent Direct Action at Victor Steinbrueck Park and a Labor March at Memorial Stadium on November 30, 1999.