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CNN Live Sunday

Protests Continue Outside World Economic Forum

Aired February 03, 2002 - 18:20   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Protesters outside the forum continued their demonstrations, and CNN's Jason Carroll was there.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Several thousand demonstrators filled the streets of Manhattan Saturday. They brought their political puppets, their costumes, their drums and their ideas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No matter what the odds, they want their voices to be heard, that they care about what's happening in the world.

CARROLL: Those behind the demonstrations want to speak out against the World Economic Forum and to raise awareness for issues like the environment and workers' rights.

Police were hoping for peaceful protests throughout the weekend. Most were, but not all. Police arrested dozens of demonstrators several blocks away from the Waldorf-Astoria, the hotel hosting the forum. Most of the arrests were for disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly.

This was the exception. Police say most demonstrators were orderly, and their preparations paid off.

RAY KELLY, NYC POLICE COMMISSIONER: I think we've learned lessons from other cities that have had problems in the past with these types of demonstrations. When you have the ability to make arrests, you do that quickly.

CARROLL: Weeks before the forum, police held mock drills to prepare for what could happen. They ended up assigning several thousand officers to the event, and while there were some angry outbursts...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Free speech!

CARROLL: ... they say their heavy presence may have had a psychological effect on the demonstrators.

But the terrorist attacks may have had a greater impact.

(on camera): I'm wondering how September 11 sort of factored into the mood surrounding the demonstrations out here?

ERIC LAURSEN, DEMONSTRATOR: It definitely factored in. I think there was a lot of -- there was -- 99 percent of the organizers for this event are New Yorkers. We live here, and we've gone through the same thing everyone has. And there was a commitment that we wanted to do something that would not add to the climate of mild depression in the city.

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: I think anybody that wanted to protest did get a chance to say what they wanted, and those people who didn't want to protest also didn't have their freedoms abridged.

CARROLL: By Sunday, there were more police on the streets than protesters. It has been a relatively quiet day. Police hope it stays that way until Monday. That's when the World Economic Forum ends.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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