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2 Detained for Flying Drones Over Macy's Parade; Putin Ready to Cooperate with American-Led Coalition; American Band Described Concert Massacre; Angry Protesters March Against Police Violence

Aired November 26, 2015 - 15:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:00:08] BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: We know the First Family is home. What's happening behind the scenes, just to make sure everyone is safe and secure.

TOM FUENTES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, I think they are pretty sure, Brooke, that they are safe and secure and were going to remain that way. But, you know, they have to find out who is this person? What was the motivation? Is it a lone nut that just wants to get his 15 minutes of fame or is it a coordinated situation where others may jump, or was it going to be a group that were going to make an assault on the building?

You know, it sounds like that's not the case, but they're going to be extra vigilant to make sure that's not the case, especially after the take on all the precautions. As Athena mentioned, all the prior incidents, you know, and they were elevating that fence from eight feet to 12 feet and putting in curled bars that are similar to Buckingham Palace in London.

And, you know, the idea was that that would really make it difficult to get over the top of it. But, you know, you have millions of tourists that come to look at the White House from the sidewalks around it. And they don't want to put, you know, a 50-foot barrier wall to block that off. So they are trying to combine the accessibility of being able to see the White House with keeping it secure. And it sounds like they apprehended this person immediately as what you would expect and what you would hope for.

BALDWIN: All right, Tom Fuentes, thank you.

Athena Jones, thank you.

Let's move along and talk about more news involving the biggest parade in America today. We file this one under as well. What you shouldn't do here. Between, you know, the big -- the big balloons and the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade, Hello Kitty and Spiderman, you might have miss this on TV this morning but you have these two people who were taken into custody for flying a drone alongside these balloons.

In fact, we have some pictures just in to us. You see this whole white speck? This is actually the drone itself. And, I mean, just think about it. In the wake of what happened in Paris, you know, fears are high. You know, security is on highest alert.

Renee Marsh is joining us more on this drone at the parade here in New York.

What happened? Who are these people?

RENE MARSH, CNN AVIATION AND GOVERNMENT REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're learning a little bit more about these two individuals, as you said, taken into custody, flying this drone over the parade this morning.

NYPD first noticed the drone. They then used their helicopter to track the two people who were operating it. That's where the photos are from. They're not releasing the names. But CNN has been told it was a father and a son. The father is 41 years old. He received a summons. And the son is 14 years old.

The question is, do they know the rules? Because the FAA has pretty clear rules for operating drones. They are not allowed to fly them above 400 feet. They have to be away from other aircraft, including police choppers. And you cannot fly them over large crowds. And that -- no dispute there, that was a large crowd.

Obviously, we've seen them flown over stadiums before. One is, you know, they come crashing down. They can cause some serious injuries to the people below. So there is a safety concern as well as the heightened security concern that you brought up there. So, that's what we know -- a father and son. And again, that father receiving a summons from NYPD.

BALDWIN: Not a way they want to spend their Thanksgiving, I am sure.

Rene Marsh, thank you for the update there out of New York.

Now to this, as world leaders are ramping up the fight against ISIS. French President Francois Hollande is in Moscow right now, meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. In fact, the two just held a joint news conference. Putin says it is important for the countries to work together against the terror group.

And CNN political analyst and "Bloomberg View" columnist, Josh Rogan, with me now.

So, Josh, Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for joining me here.

As we're just sort of now learning some of the headlines that are coming out of this meeting today, this first, how important is this? This face-to-face between Hollande and Putin, which by the way, this meeting was set long before what happened with regard to Russia's warplane being shot down over Turkey.

JOSH ROGAN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, this meeting couldn't come at a more crucial time for the French leadership, which is struggling not only to figure out what happened in the devastating attack on Paris only a couple of weeks ago, but to prevent further attacks from happening. The only way they can do that is by bringing together all of these countries to fight ISIS in one grand bargain, one grand coalition. But as the current dispute between Russia and Turkey shows, a grand coalition is impossible when all of the members of that coalition are working across purposes. Russia wants to fight the moderate rebels. Turkey wants to fight Assad. France wants to fight ISIS and Assad. And the U.S. only wants to fight ISIS. So until they can come to some agreement on that, there's no grand coalition that's going to come about anytime soon.

BALDWIN: OK, let me jump in because I've just been told in my ear -- this is just how quickly this information is coming down between this meeting between Hollande and Putin. So, two points, Josh. Roll with me.

Number one, that Putin has said that Assad's fate must be decided by the Syrians themselves and Hollande has said, you know, Assad has no place there in Syria. And we know, of course, what President Obama has said, would be echoing what Hollande said.

Number two, Putin has said he is ready to cooperate with the American- led coalition. Your response to both of those points?

[15:05:20] ROGAN: Right. Well, these are the longstanding Russian positions. When Putin says the Assad's fate must be determined by the Syrian people, what he is saying is that only through elections can Assad be deposed. That puts him on the opposite side of the equation from France and the United States, who believe that Assad must go first and not stand in elections. So that's not something new. That's what the Russians have been saying all along.

As for the second part, the bottom line here is that there is a process in Vienna led by John Kerry to come to a diplomatic agreement on the future of Syria. That process depends on Russia, Turkey, France, the United States all being on the same page. And there just is no way that you can say or argue, especially as the Turkish planes are shooting Russian planes out of the sky, that they're on the same page. Until that happens, those diplomatic negotiations are likely to stall.

BALDWIN: Josh Rogan, let me keep you with -- keep with me and let me bring in Becky Anderson, who is live in Turkey, who, you know, had this incredible interview with the president of Turkey, President Erdogan, who, Becky, I mean, you tell me. He's essentially saying, you know, if anyone is to apologize for taking this plane down, it's not the Turkish.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. And he described, once again, the circumstances of the downing of that Russian jet so far as Turkish officials are concerned. The jet was warned ten times. And then it incurred into Turkish Air Space for all of 17 seconds. And I did put it to him that a lot of people, including the Americans, have said that this is not an overreaction.

17 seconds is not an awfully long time, but he said, listen, you know, this plane was warned. It was warned ten times. It incurred into Turkish Air Space and Turkish military, according to the rules of military engagement, had a job to do.

And when I put it to him, as to whether he believed now knowing that this was a Turk -- a Russian jet because at the time they weren't sure. They just -- they had shot down an unidentified plane. But once they knew, it was Russian, I said, do you think that was a mistake? And ought you to apologize to the Russians? He said, no, it is not for us to apologize to the Russians. It is for them to apologize to us for flying a plane into our air space. And that is our sovereign air space and we have a right and a duty to protect that.

It was an interesting interview, Brooke, in that he was very defiant, but did want to make the point that he has said for the last 24 hours, 48 hours said to me again today and echoes what the U.S. president and the NATO head has said. You know, they want to de-escalate this situation as your guest rightly points out.

You know, the risk to what is already a very messy, very complicated situation on the ground. This is a proxy war. Lest us not forget in Syria, with so many sponsors, of so many stakeholders. It couldn't be a more difficult time for the Russia -- for the Turks to have shot down this plane.

I asked him whether he'd spoken to President Putin since this event. Sorry -- he said he hadn't and he'd asked Hollande -- President Hollande to ask Putin to actually get in contact with him. So I said, have you spoken? And he said no, we haven't.

You know, things are very difficult at this point and the Turkish- Russian relationship is an extremely important one. And they are diametrically opposed when it comes to President Assad.

Sorry, Brooke.

BALDWIN: That is -- no, no, no, it's precisely what I wanted to ask you of. I think it's fascinating that Hollande, rather Erdogan, wanted you to deliver this message to Putin via Hollande, and I don't know yet if Putin has spoken and if we have any reaction from him in this meeting with Hollande, whether or not, you know, anything has happened there.

I guess, Josh, finally to you, what -- you know, given all of this at play that Becky sort of outlined, what's to come of this? Will this de-escalate?

ROGAN: Well, hopefully, there won't be any more military clashes. But the situation between Russia and America's allies will continue. As the Obama administration looks at this situation, they're open to this Russian offer of cooperation against ISIS. Yet they see a gap between Russian actions and Russian statements.

When Russia started bombing in Syria, they didn't tell anybody. When they put a new base on NATO's southern border, they didn't tell anybody. When they started crashing into Turkish air space, they didn't tell anybody. So if Putin is serious about a coalition with the West against ISIS, we will see actions that indicate that he's serious. Until that happens, Turkey, France and the U.S. will remain skeptical and will have to act under the assumption that Putin is not doing what he says he's doing.

[15:10:18] BALDWIN: Skepticism noted. Although, again, Putin has just said he is ready to cooperate with this American-led coalition.

Josh Rogan with the perspective and Becky Anderson with the big interview there in Turkey. Thanks to both of you.

Meantime, British Prime Minister David Cameron says it is time for the U.K. to join the fight against ISIS in Syria like they've already done in Iraq. He made a direct appeal to lawmakers today. This big push comes three days after the prime minister met with the French President Francois Hollande. He says after the terror attacks in Paris, the time for Britain to act is right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: We shouldn't be content with outsourcing our security to our allies.

AUDIENCE: Yes.

CAMERON: If we believe that action can help protect us, then with our allies, we should be part of that action, not standing aside from it.

AUDIENCE: Yes.

CAMERON: And from this moral point, comes a fundamental question. If we won't act now, when our friend and ally, France, has been struck in this way, then our allies in the world can be forgiven for asking, if not now, when?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was David Cameron. Back, though, in France. We've been in Paris and we've been talking these last couple of days, but also now that the fears of extremists, the fears of radicalization in the transit system and Paris' airports. Well, now, we're learning that dozens of workers have made questionable trips to Syria. We have those details for you -- next.

Also ahead for the very first time, we're hearing from the band that was on stage, that American band on stage at the Bataclan two Friday nights ago, when the massacre happened. You will hear their emotional accounts.

And new protest including this face-to-face confrontation between a protester and an officer in Chicago over the shooting death of an African-American teenager. The dramatic moments. How they have played out in this city, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:16:18] BALDWIN: If you are hopping on a plane and still racing to make it to Turkey dinner tonight, you may want to leave now, because airports across the country are stepping screening in the wake of new terror fears. But could the real threat at airports actually be coming from within.

Security officials, specifically in Paris, are forced to examine the possibility that its own workers with access to planes and baggage may be radicalized.

So let's go straight to Paris, to my colleague, Martin Savidge.

And, you know, what we're talking specifically Paris here, what are you hearing about this potential for radicalization for years there?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Brooke, good to see you again. CNN since the beginning of this week has been focusing and really looking at what has been a growing concern. And that is the possibility of radical Islamists somehow infiltrating the transportation system.

Now, of course, for most Americans, their concerns would be to the airport here. CDG, the international airport, Charles De Gaulle, because they either fly through it or when they come to Paris, they come here and arrive at it. And there's a number of very disturbing reports that CNN has uncovered.

Today, for example, a source tells CNN that all the way back to 2004, French officials have been concerned about the possibility that you had Islamic radicals that were somehow working at the airport. Now ISIS didn't exist back then, but you did have something called al Qaeda. So, clearly, that's been a long-running concern.

Now comes additional information that since 2012 about 100 or more members of the transportation industry in this country have made trips to Syria. The civil war in Syria began in 2011. So, people weren't traveling, let's say, for family purposes. At least you wouldn't expect. So that's a worry.

And then we also have found that since January, at least 50 members of employees out of the airport have been denied special access to the ramps because, again, it's feared that they may have become radicalized.

So over and over, the airport has this very common theme. But it isn't just planes. Now they find the train system, the subway system may be even the buses. All of that is a really, really concerning trend.

Brooke?

BALDWIN: it is. I was in CDG this morning. And I'll tell you there, the security is fierce.

Martin Savidge in Paris tonight. Thank you, Marty.

Meantime, members of the band "Eagles of Death Metal," that American band, are talking for the first time since the tragic, tragic night. It was Friday November 13th there in Paris. That was the band who was on stage there at that concert hall at the Bataclan when those gunman just stormed in and opened fire on the crowd, leaving 89 people dead.

During an incredibly emotional interview, the band talks about wanting to play at that venue again and reliving the terrifying moments when those gunman just stormed in and started shooting.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHAWN LONDON, SOUND ENGINEER, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL: These kids were having a blast. They were having a great time. I mean, the smiles and the dancing. And the singing along with each song, it was such, you know, it's heartfelt. And then out of nowhere, I just heard these, what I thought were firecrackers directly behind me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So they were shooting from behind you.

LONDON: Correct. So they came in the door. Instantly walked in and just started blasting. There were two of them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Random or --

LONDON: Random. And that's instantly -- people started dropping to the ground, injuries, death, you know -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fear.

LONDON: and then also running -- there's nowhere to go. So they basically ran into me, towards me and jumped down below my console. And I was still standing up and I can see the gunman and he looked right at me and he shot at me and he missed. And he hit my console and buttons went flying everywhere. Like the console got caught the shot and that's when I went instantly down on the ground and we all just huddled.

And I think he thought I probably got hit because I went down so quickly. And everybody else around me was injured. There was blood all over. He stayed there and continued to shoot and shoot and slaughter and just scream at the top of his lungs, Allahu Akbar. And that's when I instantly knew what was going on.

JESSE HUGHES, VOCALIST, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL: A great reason why so many were killed is because so many people wouldn't leave their friends. So -- and so many people put themselves in front of people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're stuck doing this.

JOSHUA HOMME, CO-FOUNDER AND DRUMMER, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone's name that didn't make it that we have so far.

HOMME: You're stuck writing down names and you don't know why like I'm writing these down. You know, I'm writing these down and I'm thinking, man, it's hard to even believe. I just wanted to write it down just to see, for God sake, like their parents -- I wish I could talk to their parents.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you tell them?

HOMME: I don't know. I don't know what the right thing to say is. Sorry.

I think this is like such a delicate situation. It's so unfortunate. I sort of just want to get down on my knees, you know, and just say whatever you need.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.

HOMME: Because there's nothing I can really say because words just fail to like grasp the thing. And that's OK, too, you know. It's OK that there aren't words for that. Maybe there shouldn't be.

HUGHES: I cannot wait to get back to Paris. I cannot wait to play. I want to come back. I want to be the first band to play in the Bataclan when it opens back up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?

HUGHES: Because I was there when it went silent for a minute.

Our friends went there to see rock 'n' roll and died. I'm going to go back there and live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Wow! The band plans to finish its tour. Members say they are grateful for their fans and for all the love and support they have been getting.

Coming up next, emotions running high in Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PROTESTER AND POLICE OFFICER TALKING

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: This, as new video emerges of the police shooting of that African-American teenager, protest now threatening to disrupt tomorrow Black Friday. Plans in the city, we'll have a live report for you.

Also, more on our breaking news. The White House on lockdown at the moment after someone tried to jump the fence. We'll take you there live. You're watching CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[15:27:05] BALDWIN: Let's go to Chicago here. Night number two of protest on the streets there ending with four arrests. Hundreds of demonstrators took over downtown streets late Wednesday condemning the killing by police last year of the 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The officer, Jason Van Dyke, no longer on the force, now charged with first-degree murder. As you know, he is being held without bond. But here's what we have now. This new dash cam video of this police pursuit. This is from the patrol car that the former officer was actually riding in. The car following McDonald who you'll see moments before that deadly encounter. But the tension between police and protesters is palpable in the city.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(CHANTING)

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Ain't no justice in this town!

Ain't no justice in this town!

Ain't no justice in this town!

We got to go!

Shut it down!

We got to go!

Shut it down!

We got to go!

Shut it down!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are not OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are not OK.

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: 16 shots! 16 shots! 16 shots! 16 shots! 16 shots!

(CHANTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Don't shoot!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Don't shoot!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Don't shoot!

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: The whole damn system is guilty as hell.

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: The whole world is watching! The whole world is watching.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep moving! Keep moving! Keep moving!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Let's go now to Chicago, to a much quieter scene at the moment. Rosa Flores is there on beautiful Michigan Avenue.

Tell me, though, when we talked last hour, these protesters have plans for Black Friday?

ROSA FLORES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, just to provide some context, Brooke, about the video that we just saw about these protesters, at the height of this protest, there was about 200 people. And we were walking behind them with our cameras. They are going up and down Michigan Avenue.

And I wanted to show this anecdote, because I think it really shows some of the peaceful conversations between police officers and the protesters. I walked for a few blocks behind two young protesters. They were in their teens. They were talking with a police officer. They were laughing. You know, they were -- I couldn't exactly hear what they were saying, but then I got a little closer when they say goodbye.