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CNN Live Saturday
Millions of Demonstrators Take to Streets Around the World
Aired February 15, 2003 - 18:01 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first tonight, the cry for peace; millions of demonstrators argue there is no need for the U.S. to attack Iraq. I'm going to take you around the world this hour so you can see who are these people. In New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Rome.
We start right now with Thelma Gutierrez in Los Angeles, where anti-war rallies are still going on.
Thelma, was it relatively peaceful or were there some arrests?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, I can tell you that there is a very, very large crowd out here today, here, along Sunset Boulevard. Now, originally organizers had hoped for 7,000 people to show up to this protest. The LAPD told us a short time ago that they believe the crowd at the very beginning was 15,000. You take a look right now, right behind me, and you can see that there are many, many more people than that.
So, far the crowd has been very peaceful. There have been absolutely no arrests here. There are 500 officers who are lined up along Sunset, trying to hold the peace as well.
Now, this is a protest that began on Hollywood Boulevard. People marched a mile and a half. They have gathered here in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting Station. This is a march that is made up of a coalition of organizations, including the group, ANSWER, which is an international group which helped organize protests across the world today.
We have seen people in this crowd that are young, old; it is made up of inter-faith coalition, Muslims, Jews, Christians, all marching together today. This is also going on in Los Angeles. There have been many actors who have come out, Anjelica Houston, Rob Reiner, Martin Sheen, Alfre Woodward, Christine Lahti. And joining me right now is actor Mike Farrell.
Talk to me about your reaction as you look back onto this entire sea or people here.
MIKE FARRELL, ACTOR, ANTI-WAR PROTESTER: Well, it is a wonderful feeling to see the tens of thousands of people here in Los Angeles, hundreds of thousands around the country, and millions around the world who have demonstrated their willingness to stand in support of peace rather than war. GUTIERREZ: Do you think this will make a difference? And what kind of a message do you think this is going to send to the administration?
FARRELL: Well, the administration, if in fact this is a government of, by and for the people, the administration has to understand that the people are speaking in support of allowing the inspections to work.
We understand that there are reasons for the administration to express its concern about what might be happening in Iraq, but the appropriate way to investigate that is through the United Nations and through the inspections protocol. Unfortunately, the administration seems intent on beating the drum for war and it raises the question as to what is exactly the hidden agenda here, that isn't willing to wait for the result of the inspections.
GUTIERREZ: I wanted to ask you a very quick question. Do you think that this sends a message to our troops that we are not in support of what they are doing right now?
FARRELL: We are -- what is happening now is that the people of America and the people around the world are demonstrating their support for the troops, and their younger brothers and sisters, to say that what we want is for you not to risk you lives. We don't want you to have to risk you lives.
God bless you for serving your country. God bless you for being in uniform. And we understand your responding to the duty of your commander in chief, but we don't want you to loose you lives. And we don't want innocent Iraqi civilians to loose their lives when the inspectors are doing their work. We want their work to continue.
GUTIERREZ: All right, Mike Farrell, thank you very much for that.
And again, Carol, you look out onto this sea of people. Organizers had expected between 5,000 and 7,000; some people saying that there are as many as 60,000 out here along Sunset Boulevard today.
Carol, back to you.
LIN: Well, Thelma, it certainly looks like they got a huge turnout today. Thank you very much. Thelma Gutierrez reporting, live in Los Angeles.
Well, in New York, the protest stretched from Downtown Manhattan all the way to the Upper West Side, 20 blocks. And don't be surprised at who turned up. CNN's Maria Hinojosa is in New York with more on the massive rally.
Maria, before we get to actually who some of these people are, we heard -- we just got some fresh tape into the CNN and we heard that there were some scuffles, some more arrests actually, what happened? MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what happened was that the protesters had asked for a permit for 100,000 people. Stretching north, behind me, you see the United Nations, there. They were not given the permit to be in front of the United Nations. So they were given the permit to be from 51st Street going north.
Now, soon after the demonstration began that quickly filled up and people began spilling into Second Avenue into Third Avenue and onto Lexington Avenue. So, it really became a situation where a lot of protesters who couldn't get to the area near the stage and so they go very frustrated.
I think the police were equally frustrated because this was they were spilling out into an area where they were not given permits, that is where some of the scuffles began.
But we are on the Upper East Side, actually, Carol. Not on the West Side, on the East Side, spanning from Fifty-Second all the way up to 75th and again spilling of to the avenues, towards the west as well -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Can you explain this heightened level four mobilization that the police are now under? Why it is that they upgraded it? Was there a threat of terror?
HINOJOSA: No, there wasn't a threat of terror. But there were large, large crowds here. Now, the police commissioner said there were certainly a 100,000 people, which is what the organizers had expected. The organizers are saying more like 200,000 to 250,000 people. But whatever it is, they are saying it was large enough, they believe, to be satisfactory to send a message to this president that they don't want this war with Iraq.
Even though everyone I spoke to says that -- well, most everyone I spoke to -- said that they don't like Saddam Hussein. They don't appreciate the fact that he's a dictator, but they don't want to see any more loss of lives.
Especially, one of the first speakers that came up to the podium, were from the September 11 Families for a Peaceful Tomorrows, these are family members who lost relatives on September 11, who are against the war -- Carol.
LIN: Yes, there were so many people. We're hearing hundreds of thousands who turned out in New York, but you just touched on it. I mean, who are these people? Are these mostly people that we've seen demonstrate against other conflicts that the United States has been involved in?
HINOJOSA: You know, Carol, it ranges. I have to tell you there were a lot of union involvement. Even the headquarters of this protest, of the protest organization was based in a union. So there was a lot of union support here. But there were also a lot of old-time activists. People I spoke to said that they have been taking to the streets since the 1960s, to protest against the Vietnam War and others in Central America. But I have to tell you, I met a lot of people, many who were on the very frontline who said to me that they had never been to any anti-war demonstration at all. And these were people who were young, these were people who were older. And when I asked them why, most of them said that they were just very concerned about what a possible military intervention in Iraq would mean for them here in New York.
The fact that the president has said that this military intervention might make Americans safer, but these people said that it doesn't make them feel safer as New Yorkers. It makes them feel like it could be opening themselves up, again, as another target.
LIN: All right, we're going to explore that a little more in this hour. Thank you very much, Maria Hinojosa, reporting live from New York.
Now, of course, this is just the point of view around the United States today that we're seeing. Around the world, America's enemies and allies, also complained. For example, in Baghdad, it is not surprise to see tens of thousands of Iraqi chanting against war. Perhaps more disturbing though are the banners that they're carrying. They warn that the Iraqis are ready to fight if they have to.
Just as CNN is getting ready -- actually has been reporting that Iraqi troops have been digging trenches outside the city limits.
Now, take a look at what is going on, or what happened in London today, where Prime Minister Tony Blair has been America's staunchest ally. Today, 750,000 demonstrators called for the prime minister to listen to his own people and not support bloodshed in Baghdad.
And then there are the French. France, which recently made a big oil deal with Iraq, is firmly against a U.S.-led war against Saddam. And in Germany, they agree. New the Victory Column in Berlin, protesters hoisted a sea of banners and balloons. German protesters say they have a special duty to prevent "a war of aggression".
Well, the United States southern neighbor is also sounding off against a battle with Baghdad. Mexican officials and civilian protesters are calling for the U.S. to hold off on war. CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Mexico City, where demonstrators released white doves and tossed white carnations in the air.
Harris, what is the symbolism of that?
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN MEXICO CITY BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, demonstrators are gathering here at the Monument to the Independence in Mexico City. Organizers expected about 15,000 people to gather here. In the late afternoon and early evening there will be a concert. There will be mass demonstrations of what they say is the majority's feeling in Mexico on the situation with Iraq.
What they are saying is they don't want to necessarily express support for Iraq or for the government of Saddam Hussein, rather they are expressing their distrust of the U.S. intentions as it appears to be going into this conflict. As you know, there has been a traditional level of distrust between Mexico and the United States for years, the fact that they are neighbors has contributed to that distrust. But people here seem to feel that the intentions of President Bush haven't really been explained.
Many people feel that this is really not about securing global stability and about containing a dictator it is more about securing access to the region's oil. That really does seem to be the feeling among people out in the streets. So, that is why since yesterday there were small demonstrations in front of the U.S embassy, in front the U.N. offices here in Mexico City.
And that is why today there will be 15,000 people in Mexico City. We also understand that there will be smaller demonstrations organized this evening in other major Mexican cities -- Carol.
LIN: Harris, I'm just wondering, you know it is no secret that President Vicente Fox has been unhappy about Mexico being put on backburner when it comes to foreign policy with the United States; less of a priority with the Bush administration focusing on the Middle East. How is it that people are saying that this isn't really just about sour grapes, of taking a backseat with U.S. foreign policy?
WHITBECK: Well, people have felt that for a long time. As you know, there were high hopes in Mexico for an immigration accord that needs to be reached, according to many, between Mexico and the United States. That, of course, was put on the backburner after 9/11. And of course, it is being put on the backburner as people gear up towards a possible war with Iraq.
So, people do feel that Mexico has been slighted in that sense. But many people here are very proud of the fact that Mexico, which currently holds a seat on the U.N. Security Council, has shown itself to be very independent of U.S. policy something which had not happened in the past. Mexico had been aligning itself more with the French/German position. Although, after yesterday's meeting with Hans Blix, in New York, Mexico did seem to take a slight turn toward the United States on this -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Harris Whitbeck, reporting live in Mexico City. We can see some of the demonstrators still behind you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
World>
Aired February 15, 2003 - 18:01 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Up first tonight, the cry for peace; millions of demonstrators argue there is no need for the U.S. to attack Iraq. I'm going to take you around the world this hour so you can see who are these people. In New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City and Rome.
We start right now with Thelma Gutierrez in Los Angeles, where anti-war rallies are still going on.
Thelma, was it relatively peaceful or were there some arrests?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, I can tell you that there is a very, very large crowd out here today, here, along Sunset Boulevard. Now, originally organizers had hoped for 7,000 people to show up to this protest. The LAPD told us a short time ago that they believe the crowd at the very beginning was 15,000. You take a look right now, right behind me, and you can see that there are many, many more people than that.
So, far the crowd has been very peaceful. There have been absolutely no arrests here. There are 500 officers who are lined up along Sunset, trying to hold the peace as well.
Now, this is a protest that began on Hollywood Boulevard. People marched a mile and a half. They have gathered here in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting Station. This is a march that is made up of a coalition of organizations, including the group, ANSWER, which is an international group which helped organize protests across the world today.
We have seen people in this crowd that are young, old; it is made up of inter-faith coalition, Muslims, Jews, Christians, all marching together today. This is also going on in Los Angeles. There have been many actors who have come out, Anjelica Houston, Rob Reiner, Martin Sheen, Alfre Woodward, Christine Lahti. And joining me right now is actor Mike Farrell.
Talk to me about your reaction as you look back onto this entire sea or people here.
MIKE FARRELL, ACTOR, ANTI-WAR PROTESTER: Well, it is a wonderful feeling to see the tens of thousands of people here in Los Angeles, hundreds of thousands around the country, and millions around the world who have demonstrated their willingness to stand in support of peace rather than war. GUTIERREZ: Do you think this will make a difference? And what kind of a message do you think this is going to send to the administration?
FARRELL: Well, the administration, if in fact this is a government of, by and for the people, the administration has to understand that the people are speaking in support of allowing the inspections to work.
We understand that there are reasons for the administration to express its concern about what might be happening in Iraq, but the appropriate way to investigate that is through the United Nations and through the inspections protocol. Unfortunately, the administration seems intent on beating the drum for war and it raises the question as to what is exactly the hidden agenda here, that isn't willing to wait for the result of the inspections.
GUTIERREZ: I wanted to ask you a very quick question. Do you think that this sends a message to our troops that we are not in support of what they are doing right now?
FARRELL: We are -- what is happening now is that the people of America and the people around the world are demonstrating their support for the troops, and their younger brothers and sisters, to say that what we want is for you not to risk you lives. We don't want you to have to risk you lives.
God bless you for serving your country. God bless you for being in uniform. And we understand your responding to the duty of your commander in chief, but we don't want you to loose you lives. And we don't want innocent Iraqi civilians to loose their lives when the inspectors are doing their work. We want their work to continue.
GUTIERREZ: All right, Mike Farrell, thank you very much for that.
And again, Carol, you look out onto this sea of people. Organizers had expected between 5,000 and 7,000; some people saying that there are as many as 60,000 out here along Sunset Boulevard today.
Carol, back to you.
LIN: Well, Thelma, it certainly looks like they got a huge turnout today. Thank you very much. Thelma Gutierrez reporting, live in Los Angeles.
Well, in New York, the protest stretched from Downtown Manhattan all the way to the Upper West Side, 20 blocks. And don't be surprised at who turned up. CNN's Maria Hinojosa is in New York with more on the massive rally.
Maria, before we get to actually who some of these people are, we heard -- we just got some fresh tape into the CNN and we heard that there were some scuffles, some more arrests actually, what happened? MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, what happened was that the protesters had asked for a permit for 100,000 people. Stretching north, behind me, you see the United Nations, there. They were not given the permit to be in front of the United Nations. So they were given the permit to be from 51st Street going north.
Now, soon after the demonstration began that quickly filled up and people began spilling into Second Avenue into Third Avenue and onto Lexington Avenue. So, it really became a situation where a lot of protesters who couldn't get to the area near the stage and so they go very frustrated.
I think the police were equally frustrated because this was they were spilling out into an area where they were not given permits, that is where some of the scuffles began.
But we are on the Upper East Side, actually, Carol. Not on the West Side, on the East Side, spanning from Fifty-Second all the way up to 75th and again spilling of to the avenues, towards the west as well -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Can you explain this heightened level four mobilization that the police are now under? Why it is that they upgraded it? Was there a threat of terror?
HINOJOSA: No, there wasn't a threat of terror. But there were large, large crowds here. Now, the police commissioner said there were certainly a 100,000 people, which is what the organizers had expected. The organizers are saying more like 200,000 to 250,000 people. But whatever it is, they are saying it was large enough, they believe, to be satisfactory to send a message to this president that they don't want this war with Iraq.
Even though everyone I spoke to says that -- well, most everyone I spoke to -- said that they don't like Saddam Hussein. They don't appreciate the fact that he's a dictator, but they don't want to see any more loss of lives.
Especially, one of the first speakers that came up to the podium, were from the September 11 Families for a Peaceful Tomorrows, these are family members who lost relatives on September 11, who are against the war -- Carol.
LIN: Yes, there were so many people. We're hearing hundreds of thousands who turned out in New York, but you just touched on it. I mean, who are these people? Are these mostly people that we've seen demonstrate against other conflicts that the United States has been involved in?
HINOJOSA: You know, Carol, it ranges. I have to tell you there were a lot of union involvement. Even the headquarters of this protest, of the protest organization was based in a union. So there was a lot of union support here. But there were also a lot of old-time activists. People I spoke to said that they have been taking to the streets since the 1960s, to protest against the Vietnam War and others in Central America. But I have to tell you, I met a lot of people, many who were on the very frontline who said to me that they had never been to any anti-war demonstration at all. And these were people who were young, these were people who were older. And when I asked them why, most of them said that they were just very concerned about what a possible military intervention in Iraq would mean for them here in New York.
The fact that the president has said that this military intervention might make Americans safer, but these people said that it doesn't make them feel safer as New Yorkers. It makes them feel like it could be opening themselves up, again, as another target.
LIN: All right, we're going to explore that a little more in this hour. Thank you very much, Maria Hinojosa, reporting live from New York.
Now, of course, this is just the point of view around the United States today that we're seeing. Around the world, America's enemies and allies, also complained. For example, in Baghdad, it is not surprise to see tens of thousands of Iraqi chanting against war. Perhaps more disturbing though are the banners that they're carrying. They warn that the Iraqis are ready to fight if they have to.
Just as CNN is getting ready -- actually has been reporting that Iraqi troops have been digging trenches outside the city limits.
Now, take a look at what is going on, or what happened in London today, where Prime Minister Tony Blair has been America's staunchest ally. Today, 750,000 demonstrators called for the prime minister to listen to his own people and not support bloodshed in Baghdad.
And then there are the French. France, which recently made a big oil deal with Iraq, is firmly against a U.S.-led war against Saddam. And in Germany, they agree. New the Victory Column in Berlin, protesters hoisted a sea of banners and balloons. German protesters say they have a special duty to prevent "a war of aggression".
Well, the United States southern neighbor is also sounding off against a battle with Baghdad. Mexican officials and civilian protesters are calling for the U.S. to hold off on war. CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Mexico City, where demonstrators released white doves and tossed white carnations in the air.
Harris, what is the symbolism of that?
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN MEXICO CITY BUREAU CHIEF: Well, Carol, demonstrators are gathering here at the Monument to the Independence in Mexico City. Organizers expected about 15,000 people to gather here. In the late afternoon and early evening there will be a concert. There will be mass demonstrations of what they say is the majority's feeling in Mexico on the situation with Iraq.
What they are saying is they don't want to necessarily express support for Iraq or for the government of Saddam Hussein, rather they are expressing their distrust of the U.S. intentions as it appears to be going into this conflict. As you know, there has been a traditional level of distrust between Mexico and the United States for years, the fact that they are neighbors has contributed to that distrust. But people here seem to feel that the intentions of President Bush haven't really been explained.
Many people feel that this is really not about securing global stability and about containing a dictator it is more about securing access to the region's oil. That really does seem to be the feeling among people out in the streets. So, that is why since yesterday there were small demonstrations in front of the U.S embassy, in front the U.N. offices here in Mexico City.
And that is why today there will be 15,000 people in Mexico City. We also understand that there will be smaller demonstrations organized this evening in other major Mexican cities -- Carol.
LIN: Harris, I'm just wondering, you know it is no secret that President Vicente Fox has been unhappy about Mexico being put on backburner when it comes to foreign policy with the United States; less of a priority with the Bush administration focusing on the Middle East. How is it that people are saying that this isn't really just about sour grapes, of taking a backseat with U.S. foreign policy?
WHITBECK: Well, people have felt that for a long time. As you know, there were high hopes in Mexico for an immigration accord that needs to be reached, according to many, between Mexico and the United States. That, of course, was put on the backburner after 9/11. And of course, it is being put on the backburner as people gear up towards a possible war with Iraq.
So, people do feel that Mexico has been slighted in that sense. But many people here are very proud of the fact that Mexico, which currently holds a seat on the U.N. Security Council, has shown itself to be very independent of U.S. policy something which had not happened in the past. Mexico had been aligning itself more with the French/German position. Although, after yesterday's meeting with Hans Blix, in New York, Mexico did seem to take a slight turn toward the United States on this -- Carol.
LIN: All right. Thank you very much, Harris Whitbeck, reporting live in Mexico City. We can see some of the demonstrators still behind you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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