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CNN Saturday Morning News
World Wide Protest Against War With Iraq
Aired February 15, 2003 - 09:12 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: On every continent -- and we do mean that, there is a protest in Antarctica, we're told -- people are protesting with a possible -- protesting a possible war with Iraq. And that, as we said, includes all the continents.
We'll go first to Europe, then the Mideast. CNN's Matthew Chance in Berlin, Alessio Vinci in Rome, Rula Amin, Amman, Jordan.
Let's start with Matthew in Berlin. Matthew, can you hear me?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, it's very difficult to hear you here.
But let me tell you, the people of Europe have really come out onto the streets in their hundreds of thousands to show their opposition to war, very close to their hearts indeed. But you hear from the German capital, Berlin, one of a country very much united, perhaps more than other countries, united in its opposition to any possible war against Iraq.
Estimates have varied, saying there were going to be some tens of thousands of people here. Police now tell us there is as many as 300,000 Germans that have come from around the country in order to give voice to their opposition. Germany (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the unique position in that its political leadership, its government, basically holds the same views as these people marching against war in Iraq.
German Chancellor Gerard Schroeder making it clear that Germany would not support any war with Iraq, even if there is a new United Nations Security Council resolution giving the international community authorization.
Well, this, of course, part of the many, many protests that have been organized and are now taking place across Europe. A big protest too in London, hundreds of thousands of people turning out in the British capital, a lot of people in Paris as well.
Perhaps the biggest, though, is in the Italian capital, Rome, where we find our own Alessio Vinci.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Thank you, Matthew.
Yes, here in Rome, organizers estimate that as many as 1 million people may have gathered here in Rome, 5,000 buses, more than 30 special trains from all over the country converging here in Rome.
We've been here for the last four hours, and what I've seen here is a constant flow of people, hundreds of thousands of them coming by, playing music, playing instruments, dancing, kissing each other. Really an upbeat crowd, considering the fact that what the people here are doing today are demonstrating against a possible war in Iraq.
I've spoken to many people here attending these demonstrations -- this demonstration. Many of them arrived early this morning on those special buses and trains, and we understand also from Italian media that there are several other buses filled with people who are stuck outside in the outskirts of Rome trying to reach the center of Rome.
Many of the people with whom I spoke earlier today basically are very keen in telling me that this is not a demonstration against the United States, this is a demonstration in favor of peace. They're saying that what they're really protesting against is perhaps the policies of the United States. And we have seen a lot of reference to the fact that a possible war against Iraq would -- may be a war for oil, or is a war for oil, according to the people who are here.
Of course, Italy in a very difficult -- the Italian government in a very difficult position, because we have seen from recent opinion polls that a vast majority of the people here, as many as 80 percent, are opposing a possible strike against Saddam Hussein.
But, of course, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been one of the staunchest supporters of the tough line against President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The Italian government has not only allowed U.S. soldiers and U.S. troops here, based here in Italy, to be used as technical support for a possible military action against Saddam Hussein, but has also been one of the staunchest allies here in Italy of the U.S. administration.
And the people here, of course, this massive show of force and this massive amount of people in the street are a clear reminder to the Italian prime minister that perhaps while his policies are going towards a support for the United States, while the people may not be behind the prime minister all of the way.
Now, if we do talk to people and we tell them, What do you think about the fact that, should the United Nations pass a second resolution authorizing war? Well, that 80 percent number of people opposing Saddam Hussein-opposing the war against Saddam Hussein slightly going lower, but still in the high numbers, 70 percent or so.
So the entire country here, or a good part of the country appears to be against this war, against an early action, military action against Iraq.
Back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Alessio Vinci, preceded by Matthew Chance. Thank you very 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
Aired February 15, 2003 - 09:12 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: On every continent -- and we do mean that, there is a protest in Antarctica, we're told -- people are protesting with a possible -- protesting a possible war with Iraq. And that, as we said, includes all the continents.
We'll go first to Europe, then the Mideast. CNN's Matthew Chance in Berlin, Alessio Vinci in Rome, Rula Amin, Amman, Jordan.
Let's start with Matthew in Berlin. Matthew, can you hear me?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, it's very difficult to hear you here.
But let me tell you, the people of Europe have really come out onto the streets in their hundreds of thousands to show their opposition to war, very close to their hearts indeed. But you hear from the German capital, Berlin, one of a country very much united, perhaps more than other countries, united in its opposition to any possible war against Iraq.
Estimates have varied, saying there were going to be some tens of thousands of people here. Police now tell us there is as many as 300,000 Germans that have come from around the country in order to give voice to their opposition. Germany (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the unique position in that its political leadership, its government, basically holds the same views as these people marching against war in Iraq.
German Chancellor Gerard Schroeder making it clear that Germany would not support any war with Iraq, even if there is a new United Nations Security Council resolution giving the international community authorization.
Well, this, of course, part of the many, many protests that have been organized and are now taking place across Europe. A big protest too in London, hundreds of thousands of people turning out in the British capital, a lot of people in Paris as well.
Perhaps the biggest, though, is in the Italian capital, Rome, where we find our own Alessio Vinci.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Thank you, Matthew.
Yes, here in Rome, organizers estimate that as many as 1 million people may have gathered here in Rome, 5,000 buses, more than 30 special trains from all over the country converging here in Rome.
We've been here for the last four hours, and what I've seen here is a constant flow of people, hundreds of thousands of them coming by, playing music, playing instruments, dancing, kissing each other. Really an upbeat crowd, considering the fact that what the people here are doing today are demonstrating against a possible war in Iraq.
I've spoken to many people here attending these demonstrations -- this demonstration. Many of them arrived early this morning on those special buses and trains, and we understand also from Italian media that there are several other buses filled with people who are stuck outside in the outskirts of Rome trying to reach the center of Rome.
Many of the people with whom I spoke earlier today basically are very keen in telling me that this is not a demonstration against the United States, this is a demonstration in favor of peace. They're saying that what they're really protesting against is perhaps the policies of the United States. And we have seen a lot of reference to the fact that a possible war against Iraq would -- may be a war for oil, or is a war for oil, according to the people who are here.
Of course, Italy in a very difficult -- the Italian government in a very difficult position, because we have seen from recent opinion polls that a vast majority of the people here, as many as 80 percent, are opposing a possible strike against Saddam Hussein.
But, of course, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been one of the staunchest supporters of the tough line against President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The Italian government has not only allowed U.S. soldiers and U.S. troops here, based here in Italy, to be used as technical support for a possible military action against Saddam Hussein, but has also been one of the staunchest allies here in Italy of the U.S. administration.
And the people here, of course, this massive show of force and this massive amount of people in the street are a clear reminder to the Italian prime minister that perhaps while his policies are going towards a support for the United States, while the people may not be behind the prime minister all of the way.
Now, if we do talk to people and we tell them, What do you think about the fact that, should the United Nations pass a second resolution authorizing war? Well, that 80 percent number of people opposing Saddam Hussein-opposing the war against Saddam Hussein slightly going lower, but still in the high numbers, 70 percent or so.
So the entire country here, or a good part of the country appears to be against this war, against an early action, military action against Iraq.
Back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, CNN's Alessio Vinci, preceded by Matthew Chance. Thank you very 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
