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Crowds Swell In Washington, D.C.; Protests Across L.A; Thousands Protest In Los Angeles; Nationwide Protests A Crisis Test For Trump; A.G. Bill Barr Distancing Himself From Tear-Gassing Protesters Outside St. John's; San Francisco Protesters March Across Golden Gate Bridge. Aired 5-6p ET

Aired June 06, 2020 - 17:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is breaking news.

ANA CABRERA, CNN ANCHOR: You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera in New York. Thank you for being here. Large crowds are coming together all over the country on this 12th straight day of protests in America. We have seen thousands of people converge in the nation's capital, where officials had been bracing for the biggest protest they've seen yet.

In Atlanta, in New York City, we are seeing huge turnouts as well, with marches spanning several city blocks. The nationwide movement swelling in response to the death of George Floyd. The unarmed black man who died after being pinned to the ground by a police officer with a knee to his neck for nearly nine minutes.

As protesters gather demanding justice and equality and an end to racism and police violence, George Floyd's family is gathering today in grief and in song. They're saying good-bye to him at a memorial service in the state where he was born, North Carolina.

We are monitoring all of this across the country, and we will take you to several of the marches, demonstrations, over the next hour. Let's start in Washington, D.C., where several big marches are underway throughout the nation's capital. Today's huge turnout, by the way, coming a day after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser commissioned the words, Black Lives Matter, to be painted in giant bold, yellow letters on the street right near the White House. The letters you can see so big. This is a message from a satellite image.

Today, those streets are packed with protesters, and CNN's Boris Sanchez and Alex Marquardt are among them. Let's start with Boris. What's it like right now, Boris?

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Ana. Yes, I'm just a few blocks away from the intersection where Alex is, the recently-named Black Lives Matter Plaza. I'll get out of the way, so you can see the elevated perspective. That's the White House behind me. And you can just see an ocean of people.

There have been more demonstrators today than I have seen in any of the previous days of protests and demonstration. And this is very serious. I've spoken to a number of protesters that are very passionate. And I asked one of them, an organizer from Freedom Fighters D.C., who started a huge group and led the demonstration throughout the capital today, with a tweet she sent out just nine days ago.

And I was curious about how she would reconcile the idea of social distancing, the dangers of protesting like this, and large numbers during the era of COVID. She told me that as a black woman, she doesn't feel safe in this country with or without COVID. She said she was willing to die for the cause. Listen to more of what Philomena told me now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILOMENA WANKENGE, BOARD MEMBER, FREEDOM FIGHTERS D.C.: It sounds extreme and it might sound dramatic to people. But, as a black person, every day that I wake up, I could die. Especially as a black woman dealing with sexism and racism, I'm combatting double the trouble.

So, I tell everyone, every time we do protests, if you're not willing to risk your life for this, then you shouldn't be out here. Because, at the end of the day, I don't care if I lose my life, if that means my nieces and my nephews won't have to deal with someone invalidating them because of the color of their skin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: Yes, and even with the seriousness and the weight of the feeling that's out on the street, here where we are, it almost feels like a block party. Because, I want to show you, further down the street from here, all the folks that are here going down blocks and blocks. There are food trucks. There are ice cream trucks.

And one important thing I want to show you, Ana, the Missouri National Guard is here. You see they have a Hum-V. They're talking to a lot of the demonstrators. Many of them have come over and taken pictures with them. They've got some photographs. They're engaging in a dialogue.

One of these service members actually told me, it's been a great day. That he's had a great time. The people have come to offer him water and ice cream. So, even with the seriousness of the argument that we're hearing on the street, the voices that we're hearing on the street, there are moments of Connection, moments of respect, moments of genuine dialogue -- Ana.

CABRERA: And that is progress from what we've seen in days past. We know that those National Guard members you showed us, Boris, are among 4,500 plus that are in D.C. alone from 10 different states.

Let me turn to Alex Marquardt on the scene in Washington as well for us. I know, Alex, you've been stationed near Lafayette Park which has been central to the D.C. protests the last several days. What are you seeing and hearing there?

ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: The Past several days and nights, Ana, and the reason they've been gathering here is because this is as close as they can actually get to the White House.

We are now a week into -- more than a week into these protests in Washington, D.C. And these were the biggest ones, according to the chief of police, that they anticipated. And they were absolutely right. There isn't a ton of organization, when it comes to these protests. But that doesn't mean that they are without a rudder.

They really have this guiding principle, of course, of Black Lives Matter, and that message that was painted on the street that you mentioned, which can actually be seen from space, ends right here on 16th Street.

[17:05:07]

MARQUARDT: This, as Boris mentioned, has been commissioned, Black Lives Matter Plaza, by the mayor of Washington, D.C. You can hear that chant going up. A chant, of course, that we have been hearing throughout the course of the week.

Normally, Ana, that is the main tourist attraction here. Now, this is one of the main tourist attractions in that people feel it is so important to come down here to see what has been painted here, what is going on here. I just spoke with a father who brought his two young children here and asked him why it was so important for them to see this. Here's what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL MFUME: We needed to be able to show in force what it means to bring people together instead of posing to dividing us. And, more importantly, it's for my kids and their future. This is something I haven't ever seen before. Most marches last three or four days. This is continuous and I see real change about to happen, but we got to keep on pushing on until it actually happens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARQUARDT: Real change is about to happen, he thinks. And one of the changes that he hopes happens is that the president is replaced in the next few months. That is, obviously, something you're hearing from a lot of people out here. I was speaking to another mother who brought her three young kids out here. She was saying that she has failed to hear what she wants to hear from the president, that he simply doesn't have the words, the compassion to describe what people are feeling out here.

But this is -- it has to be emphasized, Ana. This is, for yet another day, a very peaceful protest. There is no law enforcement that I have seen in that park back there, and there is no curfew here in the city of Washington tonight. There have been no arrests for the past few nights, because it has been so peaceful. And the mayor here has been encouraging people to come out here and express their first amendment rights -- Ana.

CABRERA: So, Alex, let me come back to that, because there has been a shift in, I guess, the outrage to now these chanting, you know, peacefully that we're hearing now. What do you think accounts for that shift in tone?

MARQUARDT: Well, I think a number of things. And, frankly, Ana, the protests for the entire week here in D.C. have been peaceful. The height of the violence was on Monday night. It was right here where protesters had been protesting peacefully. It was not them who was violent. It was the law enforcement officers who decided to violently push them out right before the president gave that address in the Rose Garden. We have seen very little in the way of violence since then.

It seems to me that the protesters have understood the value of peaceful protest. Whenever you saw any sort of protester or demonstrator trying to antagonize police officers by throwing bottles or whatever it is, a group of other protesters would jump on them, essentially, sometimes literally, sometimes figuratively, to say, stop that. To encourage peaceful protest. If they felt like things were getting too unruly and the police might respond, you -- chants went up that said, hands up, don't shoot. The vast majority of the protesters that we have seen out here, Ana, have been trying to keep this peaceful.

CABRERA: OK. That's good to hear. Alex Marquardt, thank you. We'll be back with you in a little bit.

We've also been seeing large crowds of protesters gathering in New York City. That scene has also been very peaceful so far. And CNN's Bill Weir is joining us now in New York City. Bill, what's happening there right now?

BILL WEIR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, this is one of those gatherings that sort of restores your faith in humanity. You've got people, strangers giving each other water. Volunteers jumping on stage to sign language translate. Families with their signs. So many messages here. Time to mobilize. Time to openize (ph). Say their names. Silence is violence. White silence. Complicity is violence.

And it's ironic, I was just noticing we're in the -- right near the classic arch here in Washington Square Park, the scene of so many movies. And inscribed at the top of that is, let us raise a standard to which wise and the honest can repair. The event is in the hands of God. Let us raise a standard; that's a George Washington quote. Our country built on rebellion, that the wise and honest can repair to form a more perfect union. And that's what we're seeing today.

In terms of the news of the day, as this peaceful protest unfolds amid rain. Scanner traffic, I was hearing from NYPD, estimated the crowd to be between 10,000 to 15,000 just here. But this is one of several from Brooklyn to Central Park. There are white coats for black lives, scientists, doctors will be staging theirs a little bit later on.

There was news overnight that four commanding officers of the NYPD have been reassigned as punishment for their behavior in the early days.

WEIR: You saw some of those on social media, the officers in the white shirts, the supervisors, one pushing a woman violently in the street, another pulling down a gentleman's mask to pepper spray him in the face. Reassigned.

So, it's just one more sign that they're examining the -- how sort of that heavy-handed approach early on might have sparked more bigger protests in the days that followed as well. But, right now, we're listening to speakers, where some of the cast of "Orange is the New Black" were just speaking. Organizers -- community organizers and this is just one, as we said, of a -- of a day full of this, sort of, peaceful, righteous outrage -- Ana.

And, Bill, I know -- I know the New York governor has now put forward a proposal of police reforms he wants to see the state adapt and accept. Are the protesters there feeling like what they're saying is being heard, and do they feel like the policies that have been presented are enough?

WEIR: I think it's way too soon to tell. I mean, up until the last few days, both the mayor and the governor were, sort of, fiercely defending NYPD, commending them for their sense of restraint, refusing to call out those that seemed to be unfair towards the peaceful protesters. But that tide has, obviously, changed right now. There's no telling.

You see a lot of cries now for defund the police. You hear that rallying cry over and over again. As in attacking their budget might, you know, send a message as well. But, at the same time, you talk to police reformers who really believe it is time for a change.

And they say these guys have the toughest job in the world. Many cities, there's no support system. So, a cop who picks up a mentally ill person at 3:00 in the morning, there's no place to take him. So, they have to be social workers, as well as homeless outreach, as well as crime preventers. So, it's the beginning of a long conversation -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK, Bill Weir in New York City, thank you.

Let's head to Atlanta where the 8:00 p.m. curfew has been lifted. CNN's Martin savage is there for us. And the protesters there, Martin, we saw last time we checked in with you were kneeling. What are they doing now and what's the plan for them this afternoon and evening?

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, the mood has changed completely. I was here last weekend, and the police presence and the National Guard presence was overwhelming, and the tension was just the same. This is a completely different feeling this weekend, in part because, just as you say, that curfew's been lifted.

The problem with the curfew was that it always set up a barrier in time which you knew there was going to be confrontations because protesters would remain on the street as long as they could right up until the police said, now you cannot. And there was always some sort of conflict.

Last night, though, there were no arrests in the city of Atlanta. So, then, the mayor of Atlanta said, in return, she would do away with the curfew. And that's what's changed this. We've got -- I don't know if I can turn you around here, Michael. It's -- look up. That's a marching band playing up on the roof of a parking deck here. They've been serenading the crowd, leading them on.

Now, don't be confused. This is not some sort of just street party. It is still a demonstration with a very serious cause and a very serious message. But it's being expressed in a way without all the tension. And the police presence here has been greatly reduced. You do not see the National Guard out with their armored vehicles. You don't see the SWAT teams out here in heavy force. The police helicopters are still overhead and the security forces are not that far away, including right in Centennial Park.

And the chants are still here of no justice, no peace. The names of those that have been lost over the years to police violence still weigh heavy on everyone's mind here. But it's been completely peaceful. The message is still being sent, this time without tear gas in the streets -- Ana.

CABRERA: I hope it stays that way. Thank you so much, Martin Savage.

OK, we've taken you to Atlanta, to D.C., to New York. We've also made stops in Minneapolis or St. Paul, Chicago, Los Angeles. So, it gives you a sense of how many cities and people are protesting today. As we continue to follow these images, we will bring you more insights from what's happening on the ground. Much more to come as we look at live pictures in Washington, D.C. this hour. You're live in the CNN Newsroom.

[17:14:45]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Take a look at these live images from our affiliate here in New York City, WPIZ. And these are people on the move. They are walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. We believe this is, actually, a part of a demonstration on the Brooklyn Bridge, as protests are happening coast to coast right now.

And there are multiple marches happening in certain cities like New York. Our Evan McMorris-Santoro is there in Brooklyn for us. And, Evan, tell us more about the demonstration happening there.

EVAN MCMORRIS-SANTORO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Ana, I'm on the tail end of what was a massive, massive march all across Brooklyn, downtown Brooklyn, today, that is culminating here behind me on the way on to the Brooklyn Bridge. These marchers started at Grand Army Plaza, which is home of the New York -- the Brooklyn Public Library. And marched all around downtown and are now trying to across and are being allowed to cross the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan.

Oftentimes, we talk about these protests and we talk about, are they peaceful, are they not peaceful? This is unbelievably peaceful. It has been joyous at times. It's been a block party at times. It's been singing. It's been dancing. All with that emotion fueled by the desire to see change when it comes to policy related to police.

[17:20:00]

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: But just a truly joyous afternoon in Brooklyn today, including a brief downpour that caught a lot of these protesters, and me, in a storm. But really added to the energy, really amped people up here -- Ana.

CABRERA: So, the rain came, but it didn't scare people away. How long are they planning to stay out there?

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: Well, you know, we still face this 8:00 curfew here in New York City. And we've seen a lot of protesters continue to stay out past that time. In the case of this -- of these people, they're just starting their way across the Brooklyn Bridge now. They got a long way to go if they're heading deep into Manhattan.

But they've been going since about 3:00. And we just don't know because it's another one of those protests that's not exactly planned. It's a civil disobedient protest, marching through traffic. And we don't really know where it's going to end up or when it's going to end up -- Ana.

CABRERA: Well, let me ask you because you are in Brooklyn. We know there were some questionable cases there during earlier days of the protests and how police responded.

And now, we've learned that four NYPD officers have been reassigned as there are investigations into their use of force. One of them involved a woman who was pushed to the ground in Brooklyn. There was another instance in which somebody was -- had their face mask pulled down as an officer pepper sprayed them. Do protesters know about that? Do they feel some sort of victory in this?

MCMORRIS-SANTORO: Well, I'm glad you asked that, Ana, because I was very interested in this when I came out to these protests today. And the first thing I did was talk to a protester and say to them, look, you've had this moment now where police being disciplined.

And you have the mayor -- I mean, the governor of New York talking about police reform. Do you feel like things are changing? And this protester told me, yes, you know, I do think things are changing. I think there's some impact being made, but it's not happening fast enough and it's not enough about what we want.

But there is a sense in these protests, and I have seen this in other parts of the country as well as here, that this is actually starting to make a difference. Coming out here, staying out here, continuing to be out here, now into the second week in New York, is making a difference, according to these protesters. And stuff, like you're talking about with those police officers, really was on the minds of some of these people that we talked to today. And they've felt like they're having an impact -- Ana.

CABRERA: OK. Evan McMorris-Santoro, we will check back with you. Thank you.

And as we head to break, another live look at the nation's capital where thousands of people are protesting in multiple marches across that city. We know the White House has been fortified with a fence that extends pretty, pretty far, not just around the White House but down the street, so that protests are staying away.

But they are making their voices heard. And a lot of what we're hearing from some of the protesters there, according to our correspondents on the ground, is a message directed at the president and they want to see change.

Much more on the nationwide protests after this. Stay with us.

[17:23:05]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CABRERA: Welcome back. These images from Atlanta, where you can see a band on top of a parking deck. This is, again, in Atlanta. And we are told that this is part of the protests and the demonstrations that are happening in that city today. That city, of course, one of dozens around the country that are, you know, demanding change. Wanting the end of racism. The end of police brutality. Wanting a better future for generations to come. And saying the status quo is unacceptable.

So, as we continue to cover these protests unfolding coast to coast, I want to take you to Los Angeles. Where thousands have taken to the streets, again, to speak out against police brutality and racial injustice. And CNN's Paul Vercammen is with us now. Paul, you've been talking to a lot of people there. What are you hearing?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'm hearing a lot of thoughtful insights on what we need to do to move forward in this country, Ana. I started at USC, and now I moved back over to Pan Pacific Park. You might recall, that's where last weekend's protest started.

I want to bring in one of the people who were listening on. And one of the things they were driving home is they were talking about Breonna Taylor. She was killed in her home in Louisville. And one of the things they were stressing is they want to hear stricter rules on how officers can get warrants or break into people's homes.

And, Melanie, I know that you are intently listening to the speakers. And, as a mother, what's one thing that you would like to impart to these officials and these police chiefs across the country?

MELANIE LUJA (ph): I think it's important for us to know that just because one person is murdered, it does not just affect that one person. It affects an entire nation. And it's important for us to know that one child is all of our daughters. One son is all of our sons. And we are all connected.

And when we start to see the connection and the humanity, then we'll start to see how to kill someone else is to kill yourself. So, when we're talking about how the police are able to get these warrants, that's an issue that's so deeply embedded because of the fact that we have to then deal with how the police department was even started in the first place. And in the rules and regulations that were put in place way back then, you know?

So, it -- there's a lot of change that needs to be made. And I think that there's certain people who need to be speaking up about these changes, versus the misinformed fighting for the wrong reasons.

[17:30:00]

They're fighting for something that has been fought for and received. So we have to be mindful of dealing with the things that we have fought -- that aren't being received right now, you know? And that is the voices of a lot of the people who can't state what things need to be made because the rules and regulations are different all over the world.

So to just say one thing, this police department here is different than the rules and regulations in a different police department in Texas, for example.

VERCAMMEN: Well, we appreciate your showing your support. And your sign says, "Breonna Taylor." You wanted to draw attention to it was her birthday.

LUJA: Yes, today is her birthday. And I want to draw attention to the fact that we are born on a particular day. And this is the day, the solar return of Breonna. But her mother, it's her mother's official birthday. This was the day that she gave birth.

So we have to be mindful of knowing that when something like this happens, it doesn't affect just that one person. It affects the entire family attached to that last name.

VERCAMMEN: I super appreciate you taking time out.

As you heard, Ana, people here were extremely calm, quiet, listening to the speakers.

And, Chris, go ahead and show over there.

We now see that people are going to go on a little bit of a march around this park here in this neighborhood. This is right, again, across from the Grove Shopping Center here in Los Angeles. And a lot of folks here from all over the city.

We should note that we've heard them come from the so-called Inland Empire to Santa Monica, from the valley, all spots, to congregate at this rally here in Pan Pacific Park.

Back to you now -- Ana?

CABRERA: All right, and just 2:30 in the afternoon there in Los Angeles.

Paul Vercammen, thank you.

We are following the 12th straight day of protests across the U.S. It is now 5:30 in the afternoon in Washington, D.C., and the crowds are still growing. As you see, streets packed for miles, people protesting today.

We'll be right back.

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[17:36:14]

CABRERA: Welcome back. These are images from Washington, D.C. And a huge sign there, a banner saying, "Black Lives Matter," that is across the crowd.

That crowd standing on another message that also reads "Black Lives Matter," that yellow that you can see on the ground there, humongous letters, so big you can see them from space.

This is at what we are told is 16th Street northwest between K and H Streets. So if you know Washington, D.C., that gives you a sense of where these protesters are gathering.

They're gathering across the country today. And as you can see, as well as on the doorstep of where the president is living. He's staying at the White House.

This is sort of a new crisis test for the president right now.

And let's talk about that with "New York Times" op-ed columnist, Charles Blow, and David Gergen. He has advised four U.S. presidents.

Charles, I've heard you say that this feels different than what happened after Ferguson in 2014.

And I want to show you this ABC News poll from 2014 after the death of Michael Brown, also after the death of Eric Garner, and it found that 43 percent of Americans at that time said the killings in Ferguson and New York City were signs of a broader problem, 43 percent. But today, 74 percent say George Floyd's killing is the sign of a broader problem.

So, is this a moment or is this really a movement now?

CHARLES BLOW, OP-ED COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Well, I think we have to wait for history to tell us the answer to that question. It does -- it is bigger, though.

I mean, Ferguson felt really large, but this is another thing, and a lot of factors contributing to that, obviously, right? So these kids haven't been in school. Schools closed months ago. All the normal celebration and getting together they would have done, graduation or go to concerts, all that, none of that happened. They've been stuck in the house.

And there's a lot -- there was already a lot of pent-up energy. A lot of people lost their jobs and angry about that or uncertain about that. So all of those things had a lot of pent-up energy already around it. And then this perfect storm of horrible, grotesque treatments of black people in public ignited it. Now, where that goes is the million-dollar question, right? Can you --

you have to strike while the iron is hot with these things. Can you get something rolling now or get something through now that can pass either on a local level, state level, or federal?

Well, we see that the federal government, Democrats in the House, have introduced a federal policing bill. Who knows what prospects that has?

Mr. McConnell already has hundreds of bills on his desk he's never even taken up, so we don't know. The lynching bill is still being hung up by Rand Paul. We don't know if anything will make it through.

But what I'm saying to America, this is the test. You have to show these young people that change towards more equality is possible. You have to do something because these tragedies are compounding. They're not going away.

CABRERA: Right.

BLOW: They've settled down a little bit and they come back with the next one even bigger.

CABRERA: And, David, we've heard over and over again, especially in the past several days, go vote, that's where change begins. That applies, of course, as much, if not more so, to local and state elections.

But here we have a presidential election come November. What's at stake here?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, I think that Joe Biden said it well, "The soul of the nation is on the line," increasingly.

[17:40:00]

I agree with much of what Charles Blow said. I do think that a sense for -- I think Ferguson did not have the kind of clear video of cruelty, of inhumanity, of insensitivity, of a man crushing and murdering someone right in front of our eyes, and he was -- he seemed nonchalant about it.

And I think that for a lot of white people, one of the reasons you see that poll jump from 40 percent to 70 percent is there are an awful lot of white people who say, oh, my god, why didn't we do something about this a long time ago?

I think there's an embarrassment about it. And I think there's a sense of outrage that is shared on both sides, whites and blacks. And I do think that makes a difference.

And of course, it makes a huge difference to have these three crises coming at the same time and to have Donald Trump in the White House. I do not think we would have these kinds of protests were it not for Donald Trump in the White House. So, yes, it is playing toward November and the election. That is going to be the crowning moment. That's going to be the real test. Between now and there, as Charles says, there's a lot that should be done.

CABRERA: And as thousands flood the streets surrounding the White House, the president remains inside. It is so heavily fortified this weekend.

This is what he said about George Floyd yesterday, and I'm just going to read his quote. He says, "Hopefully, George is looking down right now and saying, this is a great thing that's happening for our country. This is a great day for him. It's a great day for everybody."

That's, again, a quote from the president.

Charles, your thoughts?

BLOW: It's just supremely crude and disgusting. And, no, this dead man who had the life crushed out of him on the street is not looking down smiling over economic numbers.

Particularly economic numbers where black people are not doing well at all, and our unemployment actually ticked up, particularly not since you and I have been calling his name and saying that in the context that he was hurt by those police and that there's police violence in America and there's racial -- there's a -- there's a systematic problem around the issue of race in America, especially not since you're not doing any of that.

So he knows. He knows he does not care. He knows that he's being inflammatory. But that works for him because the people who like him like inflammatory. Right? They like the fact that he's fighting for -- whatever that even means anymore.

But I just think the focus has to stay not even on him. I don't even think -- I think, yes, David's right. He exacerbates this whole -- he has made the whole culture in America toxic. But the focus here is not on him.

You know, I don't know what's going to happen here. But I am encouraged to see so many different people marching. I'm encouraged to hear the language get better.

They know -- they're not -- at least, maybe you call it lip service. But people, when I hear people being interviewed, they know how to discuss this topic. They are centering people who they think have been victimized. That's just -- that is big unto itself. It is encouraging among young people.

There's a lot -- a whole lot of young people who have the opposite view of this, by the way. Don't forget that.

But there are people like these, and they have gotten their hands around, in more and more of these cities, how to tamp down the people who were causing the trouble, and they're doing it themselves. And that is all very encouraging. CABRERA: And we're hearing from our reporters on the ground more and

more, you know, protesters are turning out that perhaps weren't part of the earlier protests, so this movement's growing. People are being awakened to the realities that exist in our society.

And, David, there's this call for accountability in some of these protests. And I have to ask you about where we've landed after a week that started with protesters in D.C. being tear gassed and, among other things, as the president made his way to that now infamous photo-op at St. John's.

We learned Attorney General Bill Barr had ordered that action. Today, he's trying to distance himself from that. Barr told the Associated Press, "I'm not involved in giving tactical commands like that. I was frustrated and I was also worried that as the crowd grew it was going to be harder and harder to do so. My attitude," he says, "was, get it done. But I didn't say, go do it."

What is he even saying there?

GERGEN: He is trying to do everything he can to wash his hands of it. It's not going to work.

You know, Bill Barr has lost so much credibility. He has no one in the press who will give him the benefit of the doubt on a question like this. That's what happens.

Listen, if you lie enough, if you lose your credibility enough, when you get into a tight spot like this, people just don't believe you.

[17:45:03]

I do think, Ana, one thing that's very important about what's happening right now is the demographic shift that is occurring in the country as the -- as a percentage of people who are people of color, who are black, who are brown, others. As that percentage grows, I think the culture is changing.

Today, in America, for the first time in history, the 30 and under crowd is majority people of color. No longer white. By 2050, it's going to be the country itself. It's going to be more. The majority will be non -- people of color.

And we have a lot of white kids now who are growing up with black kids. They are their -- they see them as equals. They pal around with them. The culture's just different.

I think, Charles, from what we saw, especially in the '60s and '70s, we've got a very different situation now with a lot of white kids willing to come to grips with this and support their fellow black students. And I think that's a good thing. That's a sign of hope to me.

CABRERA: Yes, I mean, hopefully, we get to a point where, like, we don't see the difference in each other's colors of skins. Everybody is created equal, truly -- GERGEN: Yes, exactly.

CABRERA: -- what we speak of hasn't come to fruition yet in this country.

David Gergen, Charles Blow, as always, thank you both for the thoughtful conversation.

GERGEN: Thank you.

CABRERA: We are following the 12th straight day of protests right now across the U.S. I want to leave you with this live image of Washington, D.C., as we take another quick break.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[17:51:14]

CABRERA: Crowds of demonstrators are growing around the country as protesters rally for justice in the name of George Floyd in what has now become a national movement.

These are images in San Francisco.

CNN's Dan Simon is behind this video.

Dan, talk us to about what we're seeing here.

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Ana. I'm using my iPhone to bring you these images. So pardon the lame photography if it looks that way.

You can see what's happening here at the Golden Gate Bridge. This was an extraordinary scene for several hours today where you had thousands walking across the bridge, 1.7 miles across the bridge and then, of course, coming back the other direction.

But I don't think I've ever seen anything like this at San Francisco.

At one point, you had the bridge actually shut down for this protest. You can see people holding signs. But it's been entirely peaceful. And it's actually been very inspiring.

The faces of people here participating at this march. A lot of families. A lot of kids. And you can hear the horns honking here.

But you can see it is a beautiful day. A little windy. But, again, thousandths coming to participate in this march.

It looks like it is wrapping up but you still have a few folks still coming across holding up their sign and getting the attention of the traffic. And of course, the other side still see hundreds of people waving to cars as they across the Golden Gate Bridge.

CABRERA: It sure is windy there. I remember as a little girl going to visit relatives in that area and losing a visor walking across that bridge. Seems like it is all-stairways here on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Dan, as we stay for you for a moment, it's hard for me and my bad eyesight to read some of these signs. Can you tell us more about the messages you are seeing there from the protesters?

SIMON: Sure. "Black Lives Matter" signs, "No justice, no peace." Just messages -- (INAUDIBLE).

I don't have to tell you that the activism here in San Francisco over the past 10, 11 days has been off the charts. It's the city with activists -- (INAUDIBLE). The other day at a high school, we saw 15,00 people on a march. I have never seen a crowd like that.

And we've covered lot of protests over the years. You know, whether it is same sex marriage or immigration. As we've seen with these marches across the country, they have just brought out so many people.

And you really sense that something is changing in this country -- Ana?

CABRERA: Dan Simon, in San Francisco at the Golden Gate Bridge, thank you.

Up next, we'll continue to follow these nationwide protests taking place across the country today. We are going to be covering these calls for justice, for reform, for equality, all evening for you right here on CNN.

[17:54:20]

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CABRERA: You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Ana Cabrera, in New York.

Today is truly a day of protests. All across the country, we're seeing big crowds, peaceful crowds as thousands take to the streets for the 12th straight day, from New York to D.C. to Los Angeles to Cleveland to Atlanta to Nashville.

The protests are all in honor of George Floyd, the unarmed black man who died after being restrained by a police officer with a knee on his neck for more than eight minutes.

The demonstrators joining together today to express hope but also anger, chanting for racial equality and an end to police brutality. All on the same day that Floyd's family held a memorial service in his honor in North Carolina.

Let's begin in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., with CNN's Suzanne Malveaux. We have Athena Jones and Alex Marquardt, all on scene. [18:00:02]

Alex, I'll start with you.

Because you are at Lafayette Park, really close to the White House, obviously. What's it like right there right now?