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CNN Live Saturday
First Anti-War Demonstration After Iraq War Started Descends On White House
Aired October 25, 2003 - 14:24 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.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: An anti-war demonstration descends on the nation's capital. Protesters want the U.S. to pull out of Iraq. But President Bush won't be witnessing the event because he's at Camp David.
For more now, we go live to CNN's Patty Davis at a very loud demonstration there in Washington -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Andrea, well they're certainly making their voices heard here in Washington, D.C. Thousands upon thousands of protesters. So far, this has been a peaceful demonstration, although the United States (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tells us they are indeed keeping a very close eye on splinter groups, who they worry could take part in some civil disobedience.
Now, the message of this demonstration, that the U.S. should get out of Iraq. Now, that protest has drawn, as I said, thousands of average citizens, and even Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need to end this war! We need those that are anti-war not to exploit it for politics, but stand up now and say it should end! Don't give Bush $87 billion! Don't give him 87 cents! Give our troops a ride home!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now, they are also protesting against the U.S. Patriot Act. Its two-year anniversary this weekend.
Lots of groups here banded together. Not only Muslims, these two big anti-war groups, but you've also got Blacks for Peace and even military families of military who are in Iraq. Now, what you see behind me is people leaving. They're heading to march.
They're marching past the White House. They're going to march past the Justice Department, and then back here to the Washington Monument.
Some of the interesting placards that we have seen throughout the day, "God forgive America." "No to Wall Street and the Pentagon." "Hands off Iraq." "Hands off the world." And "Fight the new colonialism." Now, as I said, no violence so far, but we did have a bit of a confrontation a little bit earlier with another group that is actually here supporting President Bush and supporting U.S. policy in Iraq and U.S. anti-terrorism policy here in the U.S. But it was mostly a verbal confrontation, not a physical one.
Back to you, Andrea.
KOPPEL: Right. So the first and largest demonstration certainly since the end of major hostilities in March. Patty Davis for us there. You'll have an update I know later this afternoon. Thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Descends On White House>
Aired October 25, 2003 - 14:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN ANCHOR: An anti-war demonstration descends on the nation's capital. Protesters want the U.S. to pull out of Iraq. But President Bush won't be witnessing the event because he's at Camp David.
For more now, we go live to CNN's Patty Davis at a very loud demonstration there in Washington -- Patty.
PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Andrea, well they're certainly making their voices heard here in Washington, D.C. Thousands upon thousands of protesters. So far, this has been a peaceful demonstration, although the United States (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tells us they are indeed keeping a very close eye on splinter groups, who they worry could take part in some civil disobedience.
Now, the message of this demonstration, that the U.S. should get out of Iraq. Now, that protest has drawn, as I said, thousands of average citizens, and even Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL SHARPTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need to end this war! We need those that are anti-war not to exploit it for politics, but stand up now and say it should end! Don't give Bush $87 billion! Don't give him 87 cents! Give our troops a ride home!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DAVIS: Now, they are also protesting against the U.S. Patriot Act. Its two-year anniversary this weekend.
Lots of groups here banded together. Not only Muslims, these two big anti-war groups, but you've also got Blacks for Peace and even military families of military who are in Iraq. Now, what you see behind me is people leaving. They're heading to march.
They're marching past the White House. They're going to march past the Justice Department, and then back here to the Washington Monument.
Some of the interesting placards that we have seen throughout the day, "God forgive America." "No to Wall Street and the Pentagon." "Hands off Iraq." "Hands off the world." And "Fight the new colonialism." Now, as I said, no violence so far, but we did have a bit of a confrontation a little bit earlier with another group that is actually here supporting President Bush and supporting U.S. policy in Iraq and U.S. anti-terrorism policy here in the U.S. But it was mostly a verbal confrontation, not a physical one.
Back to you, Andrea.
KOPPEL: Right. So the first and largest demonstration certainly since the end of major hostilities in March. Patty Davis for us there. You'll have an update I know later this afternoon. Thanks so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Descends On White House>
