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Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin

Tense Protests in Ferguson; ISIS Releases Beheading Video; Gaza Ceasefire Shattered; Water Rescues in Phoenix

Aired August 20, 2014 - 04:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning: protests in Ferguson, Missouri, remaining mostly peaceful. After nights of chaos and violence, there were some tense moments last night. Dozens of arrests, crowds furious over the deadly police shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown. We are live with the latest.

A kidnapped American journalist executed by terrorists. New video showing James Foley beheaded by an ISIS militant, and afterwards, a threat to dill an American again.

We're live in Iraq with the latest on that troubling and sad story.

Good morning. Welcome to EARLY START. I'm Christine Romans. It is Wednesday, August 20th, 4:00 in the East.

We welcome all of our viewers here in the U.S. and around the world.

Up first, though here, tense peaceful protests overnight in Ferguson, Missouri. Order restored at least for one night. After 10 days of unrest, this town is still seething over the shooting death of an unarmed teen by police. Attorney General Eric Holder heading to Ferguson to personally oversee the investigation of the death of Michael Brown as local prosecutors prepare to present evidence to a grand jury.

So, many hoping that it was a turning point last night, hoping that a sense of tense calm at least can hold. It has been 10 nights of escalating protests, and then last night, a pause -- a pause.

I want to bring in Stephanie Elam live from Ferguson, because I think tense is the important word there -- Stephanie.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN ANCHOR: And out here, they are saying that overall, it was a better night, despite the fact that there was this rise in tension towards the end of the night out here, we just had a presser from Captain Ron Johnson, talking about how the night went out here.

And he said, there were 47 arrests. That's compared to 31 the night before. He said they did not deploy any tear gas and had the limited use of pepper spray. They also confiscated a small number of weapons overnight as well.

But overall, they're saying it was a much better night. And they think they know why.

Take a listen to what Captain Johnson had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAPT. RON JOHNSON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: I believe there was a turning point made. And I think that turning point was made by the clergy, the activists, the volunteers and the men and women of law enforcement who partnered together to make a difference. But also those citizens who took heed to what we talked about last night, not allowing the criminals to amass themselves in a peaceful protest. They protested early, and they went home early. And it allowed us a better visual look of those criminals and agitators that are roaming the streets for their own agenda.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And I actually did speak to one couple who said that they were from Ferguson. They came out early. They were here while the sun was still up to protest. And then they planned to leave because they did not want to be confused -- their message to be confused about what happened to Mike Brown, to be confused for agitators as the police are calling them, people who are out throwing bottles. Not the people who are peacefully protesting.

But take a listen to what one protester had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just -- it was ridiculous. They arrested a legal observer who was there from the National Lawyers Guild just simply photographing an arrest. They just snatched him up, threw him to the ground and arrested him, took him away. They randomly pointed people out. People weren't throwing bottles, people who weren't doing anything. And some of them were just randomly being pointed out, handcuffed and taken away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: You know, a lot of tension out here, overnight, no doubt when everything sort of bubbled over. And in that time, police were lined up on one side, and protesters were lined up in the parking lot on the other side. There were people from the community who just ran out, to stand in line, link their arms in between both sides to calm the situation down. And they actually did achieve that.

Things did stay calmer as people were going out, just regular people, to try to calm down the nerves of people in this really contentious moment. And it seemed to work.

There were also people walking around with shirts that said "peacekeepers." And they were going up to people, hoping to just keep things moving and keep things from escalating to becoming any worse. ROMANS: These late-night protests have become something that has

allowed anger, the seething anger of people who are so upset about what happened to Michael Brown, this is the place where they've really chosen to gather and show their disgust and their anger with the system, if you will.

The people who live around there, they would like this to end, right? There are some businesses closed, some businesses looted. Just last night, Steve Kastenbaum saw somebody trying to start a fire on a Dominos Pizza. And the residents around there have been telling us, it's time for this whole thing to stop.

ELAM: Lots of people have said that, but at the same time, they do not want to stop the protest about Michael Brown.

ROMANS: Right.

ELAM: They don't want him to be forgotten or his death to be forgotten.

So, on one level, yes, they're ready for the drama that unfurls every night to come to an end. But they don't want this to be forgotten or the fact that they feel compromised or disrespected by the police force that's supposed to be protecting them.

So, yes, it's sort of -- everything here was nuance. That's one thing that I've learned since I've gotten here. Nothing is as straight as it seems. So, that's why people have chosen to come out in the day and not come out at night. Or to make it clear that they're dispersing or keeping it really peaceful, or going out of their way to make sure that the marches continue that way.

But a lot of people are very concerned if they don't keep on protesting, if they don't keep marching, that Michael Brown will have died in vain, Christine.

ROMANS: Can I ask you, Stephanie? At one point last night, when I was looking at this video, it looked to me as when things really got calm and disperse, there were more journalists at one point when I was looking at this video than I saw protesters. There are a lot of media from around the world.

How much is that that people are saying people want to get arrested on camera?

ELAM: Yes. Well, I actually did hear a couple people, when things did get contentious last night. I did hear from a couple people that were like, "Stop rolling your cameras, this is not Ferguson. This is not how we act. This is not who we are." They didn't want that part to be seen.

I saw some people crying because they were upset that the peaceful protest that they had taken all the way until almost midnight had been broken up, and they were crying and sad that this had happened.

Some people saying the attention does bring more protester out here. I did hear some people saying that. I've seen people saying that on Twitter as well.

Others are saying, don't stop covering our story because we don't want Michael Brown to have died in vain.

ROMANS: Everything, as you say, very nuanced when it comes to this story.

Stephanie Elam, great work. We'll talk to you again soon, OK? Thanks, Steph.

Two miles from the heart of Ferguson, another deadly shooting involving St. Louis area police. Officers fatally wounding a 23-year- old man who allegedly came at them with a knife yelling, "Shot me, kill me now." Witnesses say the suspect was acting erratically after stealing energy drinks and pastries from a nearby convenience store.

Governor Jay Nixon pleading with people of Ferguson to stay calm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. JAY NIXON (D), MISSOURI: Last week, I met with and prayed with the mother of Michael Brown. She's lost a son who she can never bring back. But what we can do is work together to ensure that Michael Brown's death is not remembered as a tragedy that sparked a cycle of violence and distrust, but, rather, marks the beginning of the process of healing and reconciliation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: And that case in St. Louis, police were asked why they didn't use tasers on the suspect when he came at them with a knife. The St. Louis police chief responded by saying officials, quote, "have the right to defend themselves."

The mayor of St. Louis is promising a complete and transparent investigation.

We're following the latest breaking developments in Ferguson all morning. Keep it right here on CNN.

Now to a horrifying story unfolding in the Middle East. The terror group ISIS posting a video online showing the apparent beheading of American journalist James Foley. Foley was kidnapped in Syria just about two years ago. The video concludes with terrorist threatening to kill another American journalist they are holding.

Nick Paton Walsh live from Irbil, Iraq.

Such a sad story. This is a photojournalist who just a few years ago was kidnapped with other journalists in Libya and found his freedom. And then he was kidnapped again by ISIS and now apparently executed.

What can you tell us?

NICK PATON WALSH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it seems, according to the family, that they do accept it as their son in that horrifying video to watch a man with a British accent does the gruesome act of beheading Mr. Foley. And this, he is a long-serving freelance correspondent, who as you say, worked in the bureau briefly held there by Moammar Gadhafi's forces. And then in November 2012 was detained, abducted by -- it's not quite clear who, what would have been in line of the Syrian rebel movement in Syria there.

And then, really, how he landed in the hands of ISIS tells you what you need to know about how the Syrian movement has been laden with extremists, those extremists have linked up with extremists in Iraq to get us to this stage here. Many fear that the large, comparatively large number of Americans held by ISIS, that don't seem to want to negotiate much about the release of, were effectively being held as collateral or sort of leverage for a particular time when the United States decided to launch military strikes against ISIS.

That moment is now upon us. In the video, they are quite clear that this is aimed at trying to change the White House policy of air strikes to weaken ISIS here in northern Iraq.

Diane Foley, Jim's mother, saying in a statement she's prouder of her son and reminding people what he was simply a journalist, not an instrument or an influencing factor on U.S. policy. But as you mentioned too, another journalist threatened at the end of that video, by the same man with the British accent who is masked, dressed entirely in black, of course, deeply troubling for that family of the journalist. And the families of those others held by ISIS possibly in similar or close locations, a deeply troubling moment, full of concern, an potentially a new troubling chapter in the U.S. relationship, but interaction with ISIS.

ROMANS: This is so troubling because so many people, like you, frankly, are out there trying to tell this story. And it's incredibly dangerous.

How has this rocked your community?

WALSH: Well, I think many of our friends and colleagues have been temporarily abducted by ISIS or those affiliated with them. There have been a number of criminal groups, who briefly held journalists there have been slightly less extreme journalists who have held journalists for weeks and ISIS who held journalists for a long period of time, still holding many, holding aide workers, too. It's a very complex operating inside Syria, it was impossible for a long period of time because of the influence of ISIS and those willing to gain favor to them designed to hand over whatever Western they could get their hand on.

But now that it spread to Iraq, in many local areas here as well, it's just most people I think recognize there are some parts of this story that you simply can't cover physically on the ground because ISIS will abduct you. The hard thing was for those who were abducted in the early stages of, comparatively of Syria civil war who are still being held. They're now being held in a much more complex and deadly environment than, for example, two years ago when Jim Foley was abducted.

ROMANS: All right. Nick Paton Walsh, live from Irbil, Iraq, thanks for that.

And to the family of Jim Foley, our condolences.

All right. Time for an EARLY START on your money this morning.

Stocks approaching record highs, futures are down slightly right now, but it seems like nothing can stop the bull market from running. The NASDAQ is at a 14-year high. The S&P 500 just a few points away from a record high. The Dow is back near 17,000. Strong corporate profits and low interest rates the elixir there.

European shares lower. Asian shares ending the day mixed.

President Obama's former campaign manager taking his talents to Uber. David Plouffe made his name running a groundbreaking presidential campaign, now would be running a different campaign, one against big taxi interest. The Uber CEO says he'll be selling policymakers on the benefits of the car service. The company has caused a whole lot of controversy, angering traditional taxi drivers, challenging transportation laws. It is a disruptor who now has a very serious campaign manager working there.

All right. We're breaking -- following breaking news out of Ferguson Missouri, where a late-night protest over the deadly shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown remained mostly peaceful. Some tense moment after midnight. We're going to bring you all the very latest, next.

Plus, the war is back on in Gaza. Israel and Hamas launching airstrikes after peace negotiations fail. We're live with what's happening right now. We're in Gaza right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: A night of tense, but peaceful protests following 10 days of unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. Anger still palpable over the shooting death of the shooting death of unarmed teenager, Michael Brown.

But for one night, at least, relative calm.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It looks worse than it is. It really looks terrible. That's why I came down, you know what I'm saying? My two sons live down here. And I said, I need to come down here and make sure my sons are all right. But it's nothing like what's going on TV.

Like, yesterday, all I seen was just the tear gas and heard about the shooting. But today, a totally different (INAUDIBLE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Attorney General Eric Holder arrives in Ferguson today to oversee the federal response to the Michael Brown shooting, as prosecutors prepare to present evidence to a grand jury later this morning. Stay with CNN all morning for complete breaking coverage of all these

new developments in Ferguson.

Violence erupting again in Gaza, hopes for lasting cease-fire all but shattered. Israeli airstrikes killing 10 people and wounding at least 100 more, after Hamas launched dozens of rockets at Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, claiming that the Israelis have opened, quote, "a gateway to hell."

Let's get the latest from Fred Pleitgen live in Gaza.

And yes, 24 hours ago, Fred, were you telling us how fragile the peace was and you're absolutely right. Here we are again with -- you know, with airstrikes continuing.

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, with full-blown conflict basically erupting here in Gaza, Christine, I just want to get you up- to-date on the latest numbers. The Israeli Defense Forces say that at least 70 rockets have been fired towards Israeli territory. They also say that their warplanes flew some 60 attacks against targets here in Gaza, 30 of those after midnight, local time. And as you said, at least 10 people have been killed, according to local authorities here.

All of those numbers, though, are almost certainly dated even as we speak because we are hearing a lot of rockets going out almost by the minute. We're also hearing air strikes happening. And IDF is confirming that at least 10 rockets have gone off. We believe it's much more than that.

There are sirens going off in many Israeli towns this morning, especially, of course, around the Gaza Strip, but also as far away as Tel Aviv which apparently was targeted last night as well.

The most prominent target of the night, though, according to Hamas, was the leader of the military wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigade, a man known as Mohammad al-Deif. Hamas says his wife and daughter were killed in the airstrike. However, that he survived and that really led to another escalation here on the ground.

Everything, though, started in the afternoon hours yesterday when several rockets were fired from here towards Israeli territory. And as you said right now, it's unclear whether or not the two sides are going to get together in Cairo again to try to talk it out and reach some sort of agreement. Certainly at this point, the weapons are speaking here in and around Gaza and Israel as well, Christine.

ROMANS: Yes, speaking louder than words.

All right. Fred Pleitgen -- thank you so much, Fred.

We're following the breaking news out of Ferguson, Missouri, where late-night protests remained mostly peaceful, a few tense moments following days of violence in the streets. But some hoping there was a turning point last night. The very latest, ahead.

Plus, the historic flooding in Arizona. People rushed from their homes and cars as the water comes rushing in. We have dramatic video of the scene there and what you could expect next. That's right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROMANS: A lot of tension but no violence during protests in Ferguson, Missouri, overnight. Attorney General Eric Holder heads there today to oversee the federal response of the death of Michael Brown at the hands of Ferguson police. This as federal prosecutors begin presenting evidence to a grand jury.

Stay with CNN all morning for continuing coverage of all the breaking developments in Ferguson.

All right. Texas Governor Rick Perry defiant as he surrendered to authorities following an indictment for alleged abuse of power. Perry appeared Tuesday at the Travis County courthouse to be booked, fingerprinted and have his mug shot taken. He's charged with two felonies related to using a budget veto to try to force a Democratic district attorney was jailed for drunk driving to resign.

Perry says the prosecution is politics, pure and simple.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: I'm going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my being. And we will prevail.

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROMANS: Perry is the first sitting Texas governor to be indicted in over a century.

A hostage standoff continues this morning in a Chicago suburb, where a pair of gunmen taking two adults and six children hostage in a Harvey, Illinois, home, Tuesday afternoon. Four of those children, including a 1-year-old have been released. Police now negotiating for the release of the remaining hostages.

The suspects barricaded themselves in a house after shooting and wounding two officers who responded to a burglary call. We're going to bring you the latest on that situation as it develops.

Flash floods forcing dramatic water rescues in the Phoenix area. Look at that rushing water. A monsoon surge, trapping people in their homes Tuesday.

This person, look at that desperately flagging rescuers and news choppers. Crews also rescue people from flooded vehicles. This woman pulled out of a van to safety. The rain, the flooding, the debris forcing authorities to close or restrict traffic in about two dozen roads, including a major freeway around Phoenix.

Indra Petersons has a look at your forecast. That's quite a lot of water there.

INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You're talking about literally over 5 1/2 inches of rain in a very short period of time. Keep that in mind, Christine. That's a 1 in a 1,000-year event. That's how rare this was.

Also keep in mind: it's not just that five inches of rain. It's all that runoff that went into the river in that region that quickly rose to about 20 feet. So, it really hit that major flood stage in just a matter of just a few moments there.

Tropical storms are also out there. So, keep in mind: all of this moisture as it makes way closer, will be seething into the monsoonal moisture that's already plaguing the Southwest. Over the next several days, we're going to be closely monitoring that region with even more of these thunderstorms and the threat for more flooding in the region.

Into the northeast, we're going to start watching the system that's already bringing showers into the Ohio Valley, spreading overnight and tomorrow to bring showers into the Northeast. But down to the South, we're watching the change in pattern here. If you're looking at the moisture in the Gulf still being lifted, so you only have the scattered showers and humid air.

Now, on top of that, we're talking about high pressure building in. So, even warmer temperatures climbing and spreading across the entire eastern half of the country. You're talking about temperatures that will feel like triple-digit heat, especially climbing even as we go through Friday. Definitely a situation there with heat exhaustion as well.

ROMANS: All right. Thanks so much, Indra Petersons, for that.

Breaking news overnight, protests in Ferguson, Missouri, they turned tense, demonstrators arrested, but mostly calm following night of chaos and violence. What made last night so different?

Plus, Attorney General Eric Holder hearing evidence in the Michael Brown shooting case today. We are live, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)