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CNN Live Saturday
Frenchmen Take to Streets to Protest War in Iraq
Aired February 15, 2003 - 18:29 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: You've seen the protests across the globe, and all of this is in response to President Bush's foreign policy and his stance that Saddam Hussein may have to pay the ultimate price if he does not come forward with a full declaration of his weapons of mass destruction.
Policy can change people's lives, as CNN's Serena Altschul saw it for herself -- three unlikely protesters she found in Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SERENA ALTSCHUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Valentine's shopping in Paris? Not quite. This Parisian couple is building an anti-war banner.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the first time for us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not too big, we are just four.
ALTSCHUL (on camera): Just big enough for the four of you.
(voice-over): Herves Seordet (ph), a sociologist, and Francoise Causse, a journalist say they can no longer sit idly by, so they have started a Web site demanding that France use its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to oppose war in Iraq, and they've gathered 26,000 signatures, which they delivered to French President Chirac last Thursday.
Protesting is not the norm for this family.
(on camera): What do you normally do on a Saturday? You've taken your whole day today and Valentine's Day yesterday, and devoted it to this.
FRANCOISE CAUSSE, JOURNALIST: Usually, we are with our daughter, Florence (ph)...
ALTSCHUL: So you're not radical protesters, just regular family?
CAUSSE: No, no, but this time it's very serious, you know. It's very...
(CROSSTALK)
CAUSSE: We have to do that. We can't stay like that, you know, and waiting. It's not possible. It's too dangerous. ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Together with their 11-year-old daughter, off they went to the anti-war protests in Paris.
CAUSSE: I'm very proud to...
ALTSCHUL (on camera): To be holding it today?
CAUSSE: Yes.
ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Voicing the opinion of thousands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We present them just with our little banner...
ALTSCHUL: Francoise and Hervet (ph) are just one small group out of the hundreds of thousands who came out here, and all over France, to oppose the war with Iraq. Even some Americans living in Paris took to the streets.
BO OVERLOCK, AMERICAN PARISIAN: As Americans, we're a little self-conscious about coming out, and people have cheered us, I mean, as we've been walking down the rue, it's been unbelievable. People just clapped.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And say, thank you.
ALTSCHUL: We encountered all walks of life -- French Muslims, peace activists, Christians, students, socialists and pro-Palestinian groups.
The common theme: Fierce criticism for President Bush. Even the organizers had some words for him.
JOSE BOVE, ACTIVIST: Hear these people and stop this war, and tell to your soldiers to go back in your country.
ALTSCHUL: A wish that many fear is becoming an unlikely scenario.
Serena Altschul, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 15, 2003 - 18:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: You've seen the protests across the globe, and all of this is in response to President Bush's foreign policy and his stance that Saddam Hussein may have to pay the ultimate price if he does not come forward with a full declaration of his weapons of mass destruction.
Policy can change people's lives, as CNN's Serena Altschul saw it for herself -- three unlikely protesters she found in Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SERENA ALTSCHUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Valentine's shopping in Paris? Not quite. This Parisian couple is building an anti-war banner.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's the first time for us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not too big, we are just four.
ALTSCHUL (on camera): Just big enough for the four of you.
(voice-over): Herves Seordet (ph), a sociologist, and Francoise Causse, a journalist say they can no longer sit idly by, so they have started a Web site demanding that France use its veto power at the United Nations Security Council to oppose war in Iraq, and they've gathered 26,000 signatures, which they delivered to French President Chirac last Thursday.
Protesting is not the norm for this family.
(on camera): What do you normally do on a Saturday? You've taken your whole day today and Valentine's Day yesterday, and devoted it to this.
FRANCOISE CAUSSE, JOURNALIST: Usually, we are with our daughter, Florence (ph)...
ALTSCHUL: So you're not radical protesters, just regular family?
CAUSSE: No, no, but this time it's very serious, you know. It's very...
(CROSSTALK)
CAUSSE: We have to do that. We can't stay like that, you know, and waiting. It's not possible. It's too dangerous. ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Together with their 11-year-old daughter, off they went to the anti-war protests in Paris.
CAUSSE: I'm very proud to...
ALTSCHUL (on camera): To be holding it today?
CAUSSE: Yes.
ALTSCHUL (voice-over): Voicing the opinion of thousands.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We present them just with our little banner...
ALTSCHUL: Francoise and Hervet (ph) are just one small group out of the hundreds of thousands who came out here, and all over France, to oppose the war with Iraq. Even some Americans living in Paris took to the streets.
BO OVERLOCK, AMERICAN PARISIAN: As Americans, we're a little self-conscious about coming out, and people have cheered us, I mean, as we've been walking down the rue, it's been unbelievable. People just clapped.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And say, thank you.
ALTSCHUL: We encountered all walks of life -- French Muslims, peace activists, Christians, students, socialists and pro-Palestinian groups.
The common theme: Fierce criticism for President Bush. Even the organizers had some words for him.
JOSE BOVE, ACTIVIST: Hear these people and stop this war, and tell to your soldiers to go back in your country.
ALTSCHUL: A wish that many fear is becoming an unlikely scenario.
Serena Altschul, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
