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CNN Live Saturday

Leaders at G8 Summit Address Protests

Aired July 21, 2001 - 16:08   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DONNA KELLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Now more about the G8 summit that's going on in Genoa, Italy; it does wrap up tomorrow.

And our John King can bring us up to date on what's been accomplished, or at least talked about so far -- John.

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Donna, the leaders having dinner tonight. A bit of a defensive tone because of the protests and the demonstrations out in the street. Some organizers of those demonstrations had urged that the summit be called off after the death yesterday in the streets of Genoa of one demonstrator during clashes with the police. The leaders voiced regret for that death, but refused to call off the summit.

And as they met today, a bit of defensive tone to it, as they leaders insisted they were addressing many of the concerns being voiced outside of the security perimeter by those demonstrators in the streets. The leaders, for example, saying they had raised more than $1 billion for a new global fund to combat AIDS. They said they were promising to do more to relieve the debts of poor or developing nations. And even as they promised a new round of global trade talks that, indeed, would help the richest countries, they promised to keep an eye out for poorer countries as well.

That defensive tone in notice as President Bush, outside of the official summit, met face to face with the French President Jacques Chirac. Both man asked about the demonstrations in the street, including the death yesterday of that one demonstrator. Mr. Bush voicing regret for the loss of life, but he took a tough tone against the demonstrations. Mr. Chirac, on the other hand, said perhaps the leaders should do a better job of listening.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm very concerned about the violence. It's a tragic loss of life that occurred. It's also tragic that many police officers have been hurt, men and women who are trying to protect democratically elected leaders and our necessary right to be able to discuss our common problems. I -- in Washington, D.C., Mr. President, I said as clearly as I could, and I'll say it here again: Those who claim to represent the voices of the poor aren't doing so.

(END VIDEO CLIP) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACQUES CHIRAC, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Obviously, we have all been traumatized by the events. I shall not give any judgment, except to say that the -- we elected leaders of our countries have to consider the problems that have brought tens of thousands of our compatriots, mainly from European countries to demonstrate; to demonstrate their concern, to demonstrate their wish to change.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: The leaders taking into account those demonstrations as they consider whether any changes should be made for future international gatherings, including next year's G8 meeting, scheduled to take place in Canada. Important to note, the leaders meeting inside an elaborate security portfolio here, far away from the demonstrators, but not even within earshot of any of the shooting of tear gas by the police, say, for example.

But as the meetings went on out in the streets, the demonstrations as well by the tens of thousands. Mostly peaceful demonstrations; the demonstrators voicing their views against world trade. But, again, some clashes with police as well today.

And out there in the streets with the demonstrators for a second day in a row, CNN's Alessio Vinci.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN BELGRADE BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): World leaders meeting in Genoa say they respect the will of the people to demonstrate peacefully. And this is what the majority of the protesters here came to do.

Some 150,000 of them marched under the generic banner of anti- globalization. Some of them still visibly angry at the police a day after one young extremist was killed by an officer. As the march proceeded, disagreement among the protesters, with the more moderate ones trying hold back those who were provoking security forces. A group of a few thousand extremists broke away and moved towards police barricades. A few moments later, they began throwing rocks and bottles. Police responded with a volley of tear gas.

Security forces held their line, avoiding the kind of hand-to- hand combat experienced the day before. As the peaceful protesters marched on, many condemned the violence.

PAOLA PARMIGIANI, DEMONSTRATOR (through translator): Our demonstration is absolutely peaceful. We have something to say, and the right to say it. We do not want to hurt anyone. It was only a small group that was looking for a fight; they came to provoke the police.

VINCI: The damage was extensive. Several cars were overturned and burned. Stores were attacked, windows smashed; firemen intervened to put out fires.

Police managed to arrest some of the protesters believed to be responsible for the clashes. More than 200 people were injured, including a policeman. As the more peaceful protesters returned to their camps at the end of the march, some decided to return home, unhappy about the violence that took center stage. Others rested on the shore, maybe reflecting on these past two days of protest.

(on camera): Most protesters say they disapprove of violence, but they also admit that they hope that these kind of incidents would encourage world leaders to reconsider whether economic or political summits behind barricades are a good idea after all.

Alessio Vinci, CNN, Genoa, Italy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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