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CNN Live Saturday

New Yorkers Get Back to Daily Lives

Aired May 25, 2002 - 17:01   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: This Memorial Day weekend is the traditional start of the summer season, and a time when we remember our war dead. But this year, the legacy of 9-11 casts a shadow over the celebrations. As CNN's Brian Palmer reports, folks are hanging tough and having fun anyway.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everyone must take their jackets, coats, sweater, blazer off before going inside.

BRIAN PALMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Security at landmarks and public spaces in New York City is tight, during a weekend that's historically been rather loose, relaxed. Visitors to the Statute of Liberty file through security checkpoints. Their faces are photographed, then run through a government database of terrorism suspects.

MUSTAFA KOITA, GLOBAL ALLIANCES: We haven't had any terrorists, thank God, walk through the area.

PALMER: It adds to the wait, but many don't seem to mind.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No complaints.

PALMER: There's an even longer wait at the U.S.S. Intrepid, a decommissioned aircraft carrier, turned into a museum and tourist attraction. And even more conspicuous, security from law enforcement, the military and private companies. Also adding to a sense of security, the heavy military presence at the pier during Fleet Week, the annual visit of naval vessels to New York City.

The extra vigilance is partly due to 9/11 and to advisories issued by federal agencies that terrorists might launch attacks, perhaps against the Statue of Liberty or Brooklyn Bridge. The FBI cautions that the threats are unsubstantiated and uncorroborated.

How do you feel about all these nationwide alerts, threat advisories, I mean, is it changing the way you do things?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I work in the city. And every single day is a threat. It's just -- you have to accept the fact that you have to be more aware now. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do appreciate the alerts, because everybody does have to be aware of who's around them, what's around them, but we have to come out, and we have to show our children that we're not afraid.

PALMER: Not everyone agrees.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My feelings are I think as a public we are entitled to know. I think a high saturation of the issue can be damaging to those certain individuals that might be very much affected emotionally by it.

PALMER: But all say that regardless of alerts and advisories or threats, life must continue as normally as possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PALMER: Fredricka, September 11 did cause a greater sense of insecurity, I think, nationwide and in New York. That's diminished over time. The effect of these advisories, these warnings, these alerts, we're not sure what's that's going to be, but as you can see New Yorkers are just trying to get back to the business of living -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much, Brian Palmer from New York.

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