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CNN Live Saturday

Protesters Gather in Washington, D.C.

Aired April 20, 2002 - 12:02   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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Let's start this hour in the nation's capital. Financial leaders are in town, sharing the spotlight with thousands of protesters. Activists are pressing their agendas from globalization to the Middle East. CNN's Kathleen Koch is there watching it all unfold.

Hi there, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, as you well pointed out, their agendas are very different, but they are converging at spots all around Washington and what they say brings them together is that they are against anything that decreases freedom, that decreases justice for anyone, anywhere in the world.

So we have anti-globalization protesters, antiwar protesters, groups who are protesting U.S. policy in Colombia and also a very, very large and vocal group, which is behind us now on the mall south of the White House and that is a pro-Palestinian group. Now, they as -- where is it? Well, it's a very small but vocal group of pro-U.S. protesters are quite passionate about their issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obviously, suicide bombing is wrong and nobody will say that it's right, you know, for people to -- and people to die. But is it also right to go into a whole refugee camp and throw missiles at refugees and kill them as well?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're here to say what's wrong with America without trying to do anything to make America better. They're here to say what's wrong with the war on terrorism with no solution in hand.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: The only confrontation that we have seen so far was between antiwar, anti-globalization protesters who apparently tried to disrupt speakers at the small pro-U.S. rally. Police on foot and on horseback very calmly and quietly moved those protesters back.

Now, protesters have largely been very peaceful. They haven't been facing off with police. We haven't seen any violence, but police are taking no chances. They've shut off numerous streets throughout the downtown Washington, D.C. downtown area. They have stripped the streets clean. There are no mailboxes. There are no newspaper boxes. There are no trash cans that could be potentially turned into projectiles and used to break windows or hurled against police.

Now, we have heard that some large groups of protesters are on the move and may be converging near the World Bank and the IMF buildings in downtown. We've heard some sirens, but this point, we've heard no word of arrests, but police are on the guard. They're taking no chances. They are even, Fredricka, on the look out for the potential of any terrorism that might occur either against the protesters or that might occur against other sites in Washington, who would use these protests as a diversion -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Now, Kathleen, you mentioned some of the demonstrators may be making their move towards the World Bank or IMF meeting sites. Does this mean a number of these demonstrations are kind of clumped up in different areas around the mall area, not that they're all converging in one specific location?

KOCH: Well, they are all around the mall and all around Washington. The original plan had been for them to move east of here to Freedom Plaza and then, go to the U.S. capitol. So we're not sure why we're hearing that some are going toward the World Bank because that indeed had this year unusually been the site of what was supposed to be the very smallest protest, only a few hundred in contrast to several thousand we have here behind us. But we're keeping a close eye on it and we'll report back to you as soon as we know what is going on.

WHITFIELD: Great! Anyone driving downtown, try to avoid it at all costs. You're not going to get through. Thanks a lot, Kathleen Koch...

KOCH: Good advice.

WHITFIELD: ... from Washington.

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