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CNN Live At Daybreak

New Year's Celebrations Security

Aired December 31, 2003 - 07:04   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Unprecedented security measures will be in place at this year's major public New Year's celebrations. The biggest anti-terror effort in New York City history will be in place tonight when three-quarters of a million people are expected to pack into Times Square for the biggest party of them all.
Maria Hinojosa is there for us already.

Hey -- Maria. Good morning.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, you know, there's only one way to describe the feeling on New York City streets right now: It is hopping! New York City is filled with tourists. New Yorkers are out en masse.

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg said leave the worrying about security to the professionals. And from the feeling on the street, it seems that people are doing just that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HINOJOSA (voice-over): Imagine getting this guy's job...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy new year!

HINOJOSA: ... the official tester of New York City's 2,000 pounds of confetti. You've got to make sure it's up to snuff, because this year the party is going to be big.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: The hotels are full. People have come to New York City in a way they haven't in a long time. And I'd love to tell you we are totally back, but if we aren't, we're certainly going in the right direction.

HINOJOSA: If overcrowding were the only thing the city had to worry about, this year's new year comes once again during a high terror alert.

COMMISSIONER RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: We know that New York remains at the top of the terrorist target list, and therefore we have to remain vigilant.

HINOJOSA: That means magnetometer checks of every Times Square reveler, backpack checks and special ground and air checks of city landmarks and more.

RAY: Counter-sniper teams will be deployed on rooftops and in several buildings overlooking Times Square.

HINOJOSA: But getting back to the party and tradition. The famous crystal ball, first dropped in 1907, will be launched this year by Mayor Bloomberg and the city's special guest, former Iraq POW Specialist Shoshana Johnson -- another reminder that this night of partying is happening in times of war.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, a note for those people who are here in New York City for the party: As of 4:00, Times Square traffic closes down, and that's when you can come in and start getting into position. But, once you're in position in these places, you cannot leave. If you leave, even to go to the washroom, you lose your spot. So get ready -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: So, if you come at 4:00, then you only have eight hours to stand in your spot before the ball drops. That's fun. That will be good.

A quick question for you about security measures. We heard in your spot Ray Kelly talking a little bit about some of the measures that the revelers will be able to see. What are some of the sort of invisible things that are happening behind the scenes?

HINOJOSA: You know what? That's the most interesting thing, Soledad. Again, you do see a lot more police presence right now in New York City, but perhaps -- and this is what the mayor says -- what's most important is what you don't see. There are counter- terrorist snipers all around this area that we can't see. There will be people, police officers, undercover officers, but we don't know how many, if it's in the hundreds or in the thousands. Some of those will be carrying radiation detectors that you cannot see.

So, there's really a sense of protection that's visible, but perhaps what we can't see is what people should be most concerned about -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Maria Hinojosa for us this morning. Hey, happy new year to you if I don't get to talk to you before the new year comes.

HINOJOSA: Happy new year to you, too.

O'BRIEN: And have a good time tonight.

HINOJOSA: You, too.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired December 31, 2003 - 07:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Unprecedented security measures will be in place at this year's major public New Year's celebrations. The biggest anti-terror effort in New York City history will be in place tonight when three-quarters of a million people are expected to pack into Times Square for the biggest party of them all.
Maria Hinojosa is there for us already.

Hey -- Maria. Good morning.

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, you know, there's only one way to describe the feeling on New York City streets right now: It is hopping! New York City is filled with tourists. New Yorkers are out en masse.

Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg said leave the worrying about security to the professionals. And from the feeling on the street, it seems that people are doing just that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HINOJOSA (voice-over): Imagine getting this guy's job...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Happy new year!

HINOJOSA: ... the official tester of New York City's 2,000 pounds of confetti. You've got to make sure it's up to snuff, because this year the party is going to be big.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: The hotels are full. People have come to New York City in a way they haven't in a long time. And I'd love to tell you we are totally back, but if we aren't, we're certainly going in the right direction.

HINOJOSA: If overcrowding were the only thing the city had to worry about, this year's new year comes once again during a high terror alert.

COMMISSIONER RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT: We know that New York remains at the top of the terrorist target list, and therefore we have to remain vigilant.

HINOJOSA: That means magnetometer checks of every Times Square reveler, backpack checks and special ground and air checks of city landmarks and more.

RAY: Counter-sniper teams will be deployed on rooftops and in several buildings overlooking Times Square.

HINOJOSA: But getting back to the party and tradition. The famous crystal ball, first dropped in 1907, will be launched this year by Mayor Bloomberg and the city's special guest, former Iraq POW Specialist Shoshana Johnson -- another reminder that this night of partying is happening in times of war.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now, a note for those people who are here in New York City for the party: As of 4:00, Times Square traffic closes down, and that's when you can come in and start getting into position. But, once you're in position in these places, you cannot leave. If you leave, even to go to the washroom, you lose your spot. So get ready -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: So, if you come at 4:00, then you only have eight hours to stand in your spot before the ball drops. That's fun. That will be good.

A quick question for you about security measures. We heard in your spot Ray Kelly talking a little bit about some of the measures that the revelers will be able to see. What are some of the sort of invisible things that are happening behind the scenes?

HINOJOSA: You know what? That's the most interesting thing, Soledad. Again, you do see a lot more police presence right now in New York City, but perhaps -- and this is what the mayor says -- what's most important is what you don't see. There are counter- terrorist snipers all around this area that we can't see. There will be people, police officers, undercover officers, but we don't know how many, if it's in the hundreds or in the thousands. Some of those will be carrying radiation detectors that you cannot see.

So, there's really a sense of protection that's visible, but perhaps what we can't see is what people should be most concerned about -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Maria Hinojosa for us this morning. Hey, happy new year to you if I don't get to talk to you before the new year comes.

HINOJOSA: Happy new year to you, too.

O'BRIEN: And have a good time tonight.

HINOJOSA: You, too.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.