Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Bush Faces Likely Protests in London

Aired November 18, 2003 - 14:49   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Britain's all abuzz this hour, as the 43rd U.S. president becomes the first to pay a state visit to the mother country. President Bush's historic mission has triggered controversy to match. And even if he never sees the expected legions of protesters, the news cameras will.
At the moment, the Bushes are newly arrived at Buckingham Palace. And we'll keep you posted every step of the way.

Iraq, the environment, Iraq, World Trade, Iraq, and did we mention Iraq? Those are the issues that look to be flash points as Mr. Bush hobnobs with the British prime minister.

We get a report from Tom Bradby of Britain's Independent Television News.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM BRADBY, ITV REPORTER (voice-over): It's been a year of substantial protests. And, for the police, this is going to be another difficult week. They need to allow people the freedom to demonstrate, all the while knowing that there is a very real threat of some kind of terrorist attack.

But that doesn't seem to be deterring would-be protesters. Debra Noon (ph), for example, who marched earlier in the year, is a mother of three from Manchester who will be joining a demonstration against Bush's visit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't agree with the Bush administration's foreign policy, their environmental policy, and their social welfare policy. These are all huge issues for me. But I also don't approve of this country being used in his propaganda for his reelection.

BRADBY: Michael Jeffreys (ph) is a schoolboy from London who plans to bunk off classes to attend, despite being warned he may face serious punishment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The amount of money, millions of pounds, being spent on it that could be put into our education, into other, like, national health service and stuff like that, the amount of policemen that are being involved in it could actually be, like, protecting young people, street crime, protecting against that.

BRADBY: Samina Aktar (ph) is a community worker from Glasgow who joined her first demonstration in February and will be traveling down to London to make her presence felt. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is an obscene war. It's an illegal war. And I feel that I have to be part of the protest against this war. And I think it is absolutely -- I am totally infuriated that George Bush has been invited to Britain.

BRADBY: Protests there may be, but, of course, all those who approve of President Bush's visit, even welcome it, will feel no need to march or make their views known.

(on camera): Well, the polls today show that most people here do, in fact, welcome President Bush's visit. He is the leader, after all, of one of the world's key democratic nations. And many benefits have accrued from the relationship between the two countries over the years.

But, of course, those people won't necessarily feel the need to march to express their views.

(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 November 18, 2003 - 14:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Britain's all abuzz this hour, as the 43rd U.S. president becomes the first to pay a state visit to the mother country. President Bush's historic mission has triggered controversy to match. And even if he never sees the expected legions of protesters, the news cameras will.
At the moment, the Bushes are newly arrived at Buckingham Palace. And we'll keep you posted every step of the way.

Iraq, the environment, Iraq, World Trade, Iraq, and did we mention Iraq? Those are the issues that look to be flash points as Mr. Bush hobnobs with the British prime minister.

We get a report from Tom Bradby of Britain's Independent Television News.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM BRADBY, ITV REPORTER (voice-over): It's been a year of substantial protests. And, for the police, this is going to be another difficult week. They need to allow people the freedom to demonstrate, all the while knowing that there is a very real threat of some kind of terrorist attack.

But that doesn't seem to be deterring would-be protesters. Debra Noon (ph), for example, who marched earlier in the year, is a mother of three from Manchester who will be joining a demonstration against Bush's visit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't agree with the Bush administration's foreign policy, their environmental policy, and their social welfare policy. These are all huge issues for me. But I also don't approve of this country being used in his propaganda for his reelection.

BRADBY: Michael Jeffreys (ph) is a schoolboy from London who plans to bunk off classes to attend, despite being warned he may face serious punishment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The amount of money, millions of pounds, being spent on it that could be put into our education, into other, like, national health service and stuff like that, the amount of policemen that are being involved in it could actually be, like, protecting young people, street crime, protecting against that.

BRADBY: Samina Aktar (ph) is a community worker from Glasgow who joined her first demonstration in February and will be traveling down to London to make her presence felt. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is an obscene war. It's an illegal war. And I feel that I have to be part of the protest against this war. And I think it is absolutely -- I am totally infuriated that George Bush has been invited to Britain.

BRADBY: Protests there may be, but, of course, all those who approve of President Bush's visit, even welcome it, will feel no need to march or make their views known.

(on camera): Well, the polls today show that most people here do, in fact, welcome President Bush's visit. He is the leader, after all, of one of the world's key democratic nations. And many benefits have accrued from the relationship between the two countries over the years.

But, of course, those people won't necessarily feel the need to march to express their views.

(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