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American Morning

In Cincinnati, Curfew Meant to End Protests Lifted

Aired April 17, 2001 - 09:42   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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Cincinnati's streets appear back to normal now. A dusk-to-dawn curfew was lifted last night, and people were able to walk freely for the first time since the police shooting of an unarmed black man set off violent protest.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken has been following developments in Cincinnati, and he joins us with the latest now from Cincinnati.

Bob, good morning.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And, Daryn, it appears that after a week ago, when there was violence, and then the curfew, things seem to have returned to a semblance of a routine. City council is going to meet today and consider some changes in the police department's selection of a chief, in the aftermath of the shooting of a 19-year-old unarmed black man, about a little over a week ago, which caused the uproar in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Reds are playing tonight, and although there's extra security, they're hoping that is part of the normalcy that has suddenly gotten this city to look for the future, as opposed to problems of the present.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): The curfew was lifted. In marked contrast to the violent scenes last week, the streets look normal, but officials promise that Cincinnati would never be the same.

CHARLES LUKEN, MAYOR OF CINCINNATI: We must come together. This is a crisis, and it is a historic opportunity.

FRANKEN: City officials were promising to reform the police department. The violence flared up after 19-year-old Timothy Thomas, who was unarmed, was shot and killed by a Cincinnati policeman who was chasing him. The officer said he thought Thomas was reaching for a gun. A grand jury is investigating.

The young man's mother, Angela Leisure, repeatedly called through the week for calm, but at a youth meeting scheduled just hours after the curfew was lifted, she made it clear her opposition to violence had its limits. ANGELA LEISURE, SHOOTING VICTIM'S MOTHER: We are all sitting back on a powder keg waiting to see what the grand jury decides. We're all sitting back trying to see, and I have asked the youth to sit back and let's let justice prevail.

FRANKEN: The city is calm for now, but many in the African- American community feel it took an explosion of anger to finally get the white power structure to hear complaints about brutal treatment by the city police department.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't agree with violence, but something had to be done, and had to be said for us to be heard and realize that this can't happen no more.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Many skeptics wonder out loud whether the establishment will really keep its promise for reform, because the difficulties here have been discussed for many years -- for over 30 years, since the last racial problems -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Bob Franken, in Cincinnati, thank you very much.

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