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American Morning
WEF Protests Begin
Aired January 31, 2002 - 08:08 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.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: Up front this morning, the World Economic Forum, which gets under way in just a couple of hours from now in New York City. After decades, Davos, Switzerland organizers decided on a change of venue to bring support and a lot of money to the city following 9/11. Security, as you might imagine, is massive. The global gathering of government and business leaders has New York's finest hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.
Here is Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A line of police move into push protesters out. A mob takes their anger out on a car. It may look like a real confrontation, but it's just a drill.
New York City police have prepared for what could happen if protesters at the World Economic Forum turn violent. The question is: Will they? Protesters are promising...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To have a peaceful demonstration.
CARROLL: But one security expert is skeptical.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The rhetoric coming out that it's a peaceful protest as absolute nonsense.
CARROLL: In any event, police have a plan. Taking cues from the past, they visited departments in Genoa, Italy, Quebec City and Seattle, where violent demonstrations erupted during international conferences much like the World Economic Forum.
(on camera): Control, say authorities, will be key, especially in and around the Waldorf Astoria, the hotel hosting the event. Several blocks surrounding the hotel will be closed to traffic, and more than 3,500 police officers will be on the streets on patrol.
Demonstrations will be restricted to those with permits in an area about one block from the hotel, where we just were. And using a law dating back to 1854, any group of three or more wearing masks will be arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are not welcome in New York City.
CARROLL (voice-over): A group called the Answer Coalition has a permit. They say their protest will be spirited, not violent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If there is violence on February 2, it will be violence carried out by the police.
CARROLL: John Timoney clashed with demonstrators before, when he was police commissioner of Philadelphia. He will handle private security, protecting top executives and dignitaries. He says name- brand businesses and police officers could become targets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One is a symbol of capitalism, and the other one is a symbol of authority, and they attack both with equal amounts of vigor.
CARROLL: Also, Timoney does not believe reports some groups won't show in the wake of September 11. One group called the Ruckus Society telling CNN they are going to pass, not wanting to confront the heroes of the NYPD.
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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