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Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputies Fatally Shoot Black Man; Sheriffs Won't Send Deputies to Portland Despite Requests; Trump: Supporters in Portland Were Peaceful; QAnon Supporters Join Protests in Germany; Delta, United and American Airlines Scrap Change Fees; Living as a COVID-19 Long Hauler; Schools Across China Reopen With New Safety Measures. Aired 4:30-5a ET
Aired September 01, 2020 - 04:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[04:30:00]
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ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: A group of protesters gathered in South Los Angeles on Monday. This after deputies with the sheriff's department shot and killed a black man during a confrontation. It is the latest protest in the U.S. involving police conduct. An investigation into Monday's shooting is now underway. We don't have video of the incident, but these protesters are gathered near the scene.
And according to officials, the confrontation started when two deputies observed a man violating vehicle codes while riding a bicycle. When the deputies approached the man, officials say he punched one of the officers in the face. They also say he had a handgun. CNN will bring you more information as it becomes available.
In further up the West Coast, police in Portland, Oregon, have declared a riot after fires were set and other criminal activity occurred near an apartment believed to be the home to Portland's mayor. This scene has become a nightly occurrence with demonstrators facing off against police.
At least two nearby sheriff's departments are refusing to send deputies to help contain the protests after a fatal shooting over the weekend despite a call from Oregon's governor for help. They say policy disagreements and a lack of political support create acceptable risks.
More details emerging about the fatal shooting in Portland on Saturday night. CNN's Brian Todd breaks down what happened.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone I hear revving engines. I'm really kind of scared.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Shooting witness Justin Dunlap seemed to have a sense that trouble was moments away. Seconds later he was proven right.
Police are now looking for a suspect in this shooting which occurred Saturday evening in Portland. The victim who was killed, according to the "New York Times," was wearing a hat with the insignia of a far right group called Patriot Prayer. That group's leader mourned the man's loss in a Facebook post. Portland's police have now identified the victim as 39-year-old Aaron Danielson.
The shooting came during a series of confrontations in downtown Portland on Saturday which occurred when a group of Trump supporters drove into the city in a large convoy. Videos posted online show fights breaking out between people in the pro-Trump convoy and other demonstrators. And the Trump supporters are seen firing paintball pellets and spraying mace from the backs of their vehicles. Justin Dunlap, the witness who videotaped the shooting, was asked by CNN what the victim was doing just before being shot.
JUSTIN DUNLAP, WITNESS TO PORTLAND SHOOTING: He raised his hand and the mace came forward. I don't know what he had in his hand, if it was mace, if it was something else, but that's the direction the mace came from was him. And it was a huge cloud. Like 20 feet long and then the cloud just exploded, and the shots rang out.
[04:35:00]
TODD: Then Dunlap says the victim took four steps and fell face down and two other men, he says, ran in another direction. Portland's police chief said his force had a strong presence on the streets on Saturday night but still couldn't get its arms around those confrontations.
CHIEF CHUCK LOVELL, PORTLAND POLICE BUREAU: We had folks stationed at different areas, but it's very difficult when you have small groups of people spread throughout the city to sometimes engage in violent acts with each other. We only have limited resources. So, we can't be everywhere at the same time.
TODD: President Trump tweeted rest in peace. Referring to the Portland shooting victim. But the President has said only this about the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin referring to video of the Blake shooting.
DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm looking into it very strongly. I'll be getting reports. And I'll certainly let you know pretty soon. But I'll be -- it was -- it was not a good sight. I didn't like the sight of it certainly.
TODD: The Wisconsin Department of Justice and federal officials are investigating the Blake shooting as protests there have continued. 17- year-old Kyle Rittenhouse faces homicide charges for the shooting deaths of two protesters in Kenosha last week. As curfews continue to go into effect in Kenosha County, the sheriff says more than 200 protesters have been arrested there since the Blake shooting. More than half those people, he says, from outside Kenosha.
SHERIFF DAVID BETH, KENOSHA COUNTY, WISCONSIN: There are people from outside Kenosha, outside Wisconsin and we've had some that are outside the United States calling in here to scare people of what's going to happen.
TODD (on camera): President Trump, meanwhile, still plans to travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, to meet with law enforcement officials and to survey damage despite appeals from Wisconsin's governor, Lieutenant Governor in the mayor of Kenosha for him not to come right now. The White House said there were no plans for the president to meet with members of Jacob Blake's family.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHURCH: A conspiracy theory that started its life in the U.S. appears to be spreading in other parts of the world. Thousands of people gathered in Berlin last weekend to protest against coronavirus restrictions. Among them were supporters of the QAnon conspiracy. A right-wing movement that claims Satanic members of the so-called deep state are plotting to destroy U.S. President Trump and engage in child sex abuse.
Fred Pleitgen joins us now from Berlin. In Fred, it is extraordinary. How did this U.S.-based right winged conspiracy movement find a home there in Germany?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly seems something that's been building up, Rosemary. And it's also something that's been hotly debated here in Germany as well. In fact, it's quite interesting this morning the police union here in Germany came out and said that these protests against the pandemic measures have been put in place by the German government are in danger of being completely hijacked by right wing extremists.
And we went into these protests this weekend and we did see a lot of folks who follow QAnon also among the right wingers. And a lot of them told us, quite frankly, they believe that they are followers of President Trump. Here's what we saw.
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PLEITGEN (voice-over): An attack on Germany's democracy. Protesters from a demo against the countries coronavirus restrictions tried to storm the German parliament on Saturday. Among them, people carrying flags of the German Reich, a symbol that is now associated with Germany's far-right. Along with Russian flags, but also U.S. flags.
We also found many supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theories. This man, waving a Reich flag with the QAnon symbol and the likeness of President Trump.
(on camera): You like Donald Trump?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
PLEITGEN: Why? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The deep state. Long time manipulate the people. The human and that must end.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): QAnon is a sprawling conspiracy theory that claims, without evidence, that a group of Satan worshipping members of the deep state are plotting to destroy President Trump and establish world domination. They claim measures against the pandemic are part of that conspiracy. And at least, according to some we spoke to, that President Trump is an angel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's an angel? Yes.
PLEITGEN (on camera): Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has the connection. He has a connection.
PLEITGEN: To whom?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To holy (INAUDIBLE).
PLEITGEN: Who?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You would see. The 3rd November and the 4th November, the pandemic is finish worldwide.
PLEITGEN (voice-over): President Trump has re-tweeted claims from accounts linked to QAnon hundreds of times. And has repeatedly refused to denounce the QAnon conspiracy.
TRUMP: Well, I don't know much about the movement, other than I understand they like me very much, which I appreciate.
PLEITGEN: But the President's words are undermining Germany's own response to the coronavirus pandemic.
[04:40:00]
Angela Merkel's government is generally viewed as being successful in combatting COVID-19, but at Saturday's demonstration, she and members of her government are pictured in what seems to be concentration camp inmate suits calling for her to be locked up. Another man in a Trump shirt and a MAGA hat saying this.
(on camera): What do you think about Germany's chancellor, Angela Merkel? Because internationally she has been praised for the way she has dealt with the coronavirus crisis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think she is Hitler's daughter.
PLEITGEN: You think she is Hitler's daughter?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, that's what I think.
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PLEITGEN: And, Rosemary, Angela Merkel is not Hitler's daughter. In fact, she was born long after Adolph Hitler died. But I think one of the things that we really noticed that this protest and it's something that we've seen sort of buildup, is that at events like the one we saw this weekend with a good chunk of conspiracy theories there, people who follow conspiracy theories. You know, in the past you would see a lot of people like that maybe having Russian flags on them but it's increasingly the case that there's American flags out there as well and people who pledge loyalty to President Trump -- Rosemary.
CHURCH: Concern, isn't it? And it's so anti-science and anti-logic. Frederick Pleitgen, many thanks for joining us. Appreciate it.
And just ahead, good news for air travelers. Some top U.S. airlines are now changing a policy that will help customers save money. We'll explain.
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CHURCH: Welcome back, everyone. Well, Delta, United and American Airlines are hoping to tempt travelers back to flying by letting them change their flight plans without any fees. The three biggest U.S. carriers have lost billions amid the coronavirus pandemic and are waiving change fees in an effort to attract more customers. It's a big move for the industry.
[04:45:00]
It made close to $3 billion last year alone on these fees. CNN's John Defterios joins us now to talk more about this. Good to see you, John. So, dumping these changes will mean big losses for these major airlines. But they've obviously done the math. Will it pay off in the end?
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN BUSINESS EMERGING MARKETS EDITOR: Well, I was going to say, you put the number out there. Nearly $3 billion in 2019 and it was lower traffic numbers they were expecting a hit across the board anyway. But it's an expensive move, a desperate move during desperate times. And I think because everybody is asking for flexibility of the employees around the world, work from home for example, that the airlines almost had to take something drastic in terms of an action to show they could be flexible at the same time.
So how did this unfold, Rosemary? First it was United Airlines on Sunday that came out with the announcement, a very bold gesture. And it was quickly followed on Monday by Delta and American Airlines. But the thing that stood out for me is that United says it's not just that we are waiving these fees for now, we're doing it forever. It's almost like a politician saying no new taxes forever. And that is kind of political suicide.
But it is a substantial change. And those in the industry say it's giving the power to the consumer because the demand is so low. So, the effort here is to entice not only the consumer to go back out and fly again but the business traveler. And if you do the math here and the overall general flows, they've cut expenses 25 to 30 percent, furloughed their workers. But the traffic numbers are much worse than that, Rosemary. So, this is an effort to kind of recharge the industry, particularly
in the United States. Then you have to beg the question if you're not going to make the change fees ever come back again, what happens with very expensive luggage fees in the United States? When I was on assignment last year, I was pretty alarmed that everything you check in seems to have a charge these days. In that may be the next to go.
CHURCH: Oh, we're going to pay in some which way, right? That's how it works. John Defterios, many thank you for joining us. Appreciate it.
And still to come, China appears to have brought its coronavirus outbreak under control. And with that, schools are now reopening with new safety precautions. We are live from Beijing next.
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CHURCH: CNN is following a patient who still feels sick months after her initial coronavirus diagnosis. Shelby Hedgecock first tested positive back in April and continues to battle a variety of health issues. She and her doctor spoke to CNN's Chris Cuomo about her condition. Take a listen.
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SHELBY HEDGECOCK, COVID-19 PATIENT: I'm going on month five, and I'm still dealing with neurological issues, cognitive issues. I was back in the hospital, about three weeks ago, and I had to wear a heart monitor for two weeks because my pulse skyrocketed to about 150 beats per minute. It stayed that way for about 45 minutes, and I've been having weird shortness of breath since then, chest pain.
CHRIS CUOMO CNN ANCHOR, CUOMO PRIME TIME: Now, Dr. Li, when I spoke to you, and I was telling you the kinds of symptoms I was hearing about, you said, yes. And part of the reason that the scientific community is surprised, as you have deduced to this point, is that it was seen as just a lung virus. But now you see it as something else that is starting to make more sense to you in terms of what you're hearing from people like Shelby. Explain.
DR. WILLIAM LI, PRESIDENT & MEDICAL DIRECTOR, THE ANGIOGENESIS FOUNDATION: Well when the pandemic hit, and we started to take notice of the lung aspects of the coronavirus, everybody was focused, just on the breathing.
But one of the things we started to notice that was really curious is the COVID toe, the brain syndrome, the strokes, the heart attack like syndromes that turned out not to be a heart attack.
And so, one of the things that now needs to be discussed, because we're seeing it far beyond the acute COVID syndrome is the long-term syndromes that are surfacing everywhere. And this is the conversation that needs to be had in the medical and the research community, and not just in the sufferers, who are actually dealing with it. And one of the things that we did, in my group is, we started to take a deep dive to find out what was happening that could connect all these apparently unconnected symptoms and syndromes. And it turns out it may be blood vessels that the coronavirus is infecting, which then of course connect to everywhere in the body.
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CHURCH: Very sobering. Another reason to wear that mask.
And children headed back to school today in several cities across China, including Wuhan where the pandemic is thought to have originated. Chinese authorities say they have the virus under control, but they are taking precautions, nonetheless. And CNN's David Culver is in Beijing. He joins us now live. Good to see you, David. So how is China reopening the schools across parts of the country? And what safety measures are they putting in place?
DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Rosemary. Good to see you there as well. This is not your typical back to school. I mean obviously, what many school systems around the world are dealing with is trying to figure out how exactly they can get students and staff into a classroom, into a physical space that's shared and yet keep everyone safe?
Well here they're still continuing the social distancing. They are still continuing the requirements of masks. The exception, Rosemary, interestingly enough, is Wuhan. The place where this virus was initially detected. Where the outbreak is deemed to be the epicenter essentially. And yet that place is perhaps inarguably the most lax of all regulations when it comes to going back to school. They are not requiring that students wear masks on campus. They do ask and encourage bad students to bring them with them, but the requirements stop there.
Now Wuhan's also a place that has university students, a lot of them. This is a big college town. We're talking more than 1.2 million university students that likewise will be going back to their campuses starting today.
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In this is not the first time that the elementary school students, the middle school students and then the university students are being put- back into classrooms. We should say this has been phased over the past several months. But this is the official start where you have droves of students, the collective of pretty much every major city in China bringing the students back into the classroom.
Of course, it is concerning for some parents. We've seen on Chinese social media some parents saying Wuhan in particular, were a bit alarmed when they heard that one, just one elementary school student might have had the virus. It was a rumor. It was confirmed later that that individual tested negative several times. But that shows you how on edge they still are in some of these communities that this could come back. That was one concerning possible case that turned out not to be a case
and that puts it in perspective with how the rest of the world is obviously dealing with far greater numbers. But here in China, at least according to the government, it's seemingly under control, Rosemary. So, they feel like they're going back into a safe space.
CHURCH: It still makes you wonder why they would drop the masks and not just be a little more cautious going forward.
CULVER: That was curious to us as well.
CHURCH: We'll watch it very carefully. David Culver always pleasure to chat with you. Join us live from Beijing. Many thanks.
Well, American actor Chadwick Bosman's untimely death sent shock waves around the world. And now fans are coming together calling for a memorial in his honor. Thousands of people have signed several online petitions pushing for a Confederate statue to be replaced by one of the "Black Panther" star. The 118-year-old Confederate monument stands in the town square of Anderson, South Carolina, the actor's hometown. And petitioner's say that Bosman not only broke barriers for black people but gave back to his community and is deserving of the statue.
And thank you so much for your company. I'm Rosemary Church. "EARLY START" is up next. You are watching CNN. Have yourselves a wonderful day.
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