Many U.S. Cities Staging Protests; Global Protests Increase Fears of Coronavirus Spread; Black Lives Matter Supporters Demonstrate in London
ALLEN: Welcome back, I'm Natalie Allen, from CNN Center in Atlanta, you are watching CNN NEWSROOM, we appreciate it. Let me get you the latest on our top story. An 11th straight night of protests across the U.S., demanding justice for George Floyd, killed, nearly 2 weeks ago, while in police custody. In the nation's capital, demonstrators gathered near the White House as they called for sweeping change across the country, while thousands peacefully took to the streets of Los Angeles, standing hand at hand in solidarity. Many seen holding voter registration forms. And then Denver Colorado people marched well into the night, Friday was the first time in a week it did not have a curfew. Demonstrators around the world stand with those in the United States. Thousands of Black Lives Matter supporters gathered Friday in two German cities, Frankfurt, in Hamburg and dozens of Black Lives Matter supporters gathered in London's Trafalgar Square, taking a knee in the iconic square. And, in Australia, huge crowds in several cities supporting Black Lives Matter in Adelaide. And they are there to condemn mistreatment of indigenous Australians. Let's get a sense of what these protests look like. Journalist Angus Watson joins me from Sydney, which is remarkable, Angus, that all in all of these major cities in Australia, the throngs of people who are out, about, what can you tell us about what you are seeing?</s>ANGUS WATSON, JOURNALIST: It's relatively successful protests across the country. You can see the tail end of a protest in Sydney, Australia, thousands turned out to protest racial injustice in the United States but also here in Australia. They say the indigenous population here is</s>ALLEN: Words that we are familiar with. Is the government listening?</s>WATSON: Authorities didn't want people to protest today. Australia has been successful in its fight against coronavirus. In New South Wales, there has not been a single case in the last 24 hours, that is, huge because this was the epicenter in Australia for COVID-19. People did not want the hard work to be undone and the police don't want that either, so they took the issue to the supreme court, last night, which ruled that the protest should not go ahead because of a public health order. It said that large crowds are banned. Earlier today, we had a court of appeals, that protests should go ahead. So a legal protest here and a very successful one.</s>ALLEN: People taking to the streets regardless, Angus Watson, thank you so much for your reporting.</s>WATSON: Thank you.</s>ALLEN: Protests are about to kick off now in France. Senior international correspondent Jim Bittermann, joining me live. What is expected there? Good morning, Jim.</s>JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Natalie. In fact, protests here are set to begin here There will be demonstrations as far as the organizers are concerned, across 7 other cities in the country. They are showing up here, on the George Floyd case, of course. But also about a young man, 24 years old, who died in police custody in 2016. The authorities are now reopening an investigation into his death, because there is a feeling that some of the things and conclusions of the first investigation were inadequate. There are now new witnesses coming forward.</s>BITTERMANN: So it is something that goes back years and in, fact the problem with racial injustice with the police goes back several decades. There are riots out of the suburbs in 2005 and were largely because of the kind of injustice in France but in countries around the world.</s>ALLEN: It seems like George Floyd's case is a catalyst to get other countries to revisit the inequities that they're seeing at the hands of police.</s>BITTERMANN: Absolutely, I think it has spurred everyone to think about this problem, including the interior minister here in France, who said that they will launch an investigation into a Facebook group, that a number of members of police and security officials are a part of. This Facebook group has been described as being racist and homophobic. Of course, the interior minister has said that that is totally unacceptable.</s>ALLEN: We will wait and see what happens there as the protests get underway in France. Jim Bittermann, thank you.</s>ALLEN: Now to Ottawa, Canada, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, joining Black Lives Matter protesters, there, on Friday, who knelt silently for almost 9 minutes. The amount of time the fired police officer knelt on the neck of George Floyd. There were several protests in Canada Friday against police brutality and systemic racism. Protests flared up again on Friday, in Mexico's second largest city, after a 30 year old man died in police custody last month. Authorities are trying to clamp down on the growing anger but the protesters are not backing down. Matt Rivers is there and a warning, some of the images are graphic in the story.</s>MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jivani (ph) Lopez was arrested the night of May 4th, video of the scene outside of Guadalajara, Mexico, shows the 30-year-old struggling with police. People nearby can be heard saying the police arrested him because he wasn't wearing a face mask, though authorities say he was detained not because of mask issues but for, quote, "acting violent," without giving more detail. "You can't treat him like that," somebody nearby shouts at police. "If you kill him, we know you." The next day, Jivani was dead. Authorities would only say he died in police custody. They won't say how it happened and police have not answered our request for comment. They have arrested 3 people, including one cop. But a month later, people are still angry. Peaceful protests against police brutality Thursday in Guadalajara turned violent. Police vehicles were destroyed, set alight or smashed in; protesters brawled with police in the streets, as some sprayed "asesinos," "murderers" on government buildings. But the enduring images from the day will be this, police officer standing in the street when someone comes up, pours liquid on his back and sets him on fire. He runs away and his colleagues try and put out the flames. He is alive but he has severe burns across his body. The video will likely take away from the message millions of Mexicans have tried to send for decades. They are tired of abuse from police. Jivani Lopez perhaps just the latest example of many -- Matt Rivers, CNN, Mexico City.</s>ALLEN: We want to take you to London now to get perspective from one of the organizers from London's Black Lives Matter demonstrations. We are joined by Dee Ndlovu, who joins us from London. Thank you so much for joining us, Dee, good morning.</s>DEE NDLOVU, BLACK LIVES MATTER ORGANIZER: Good morning, how are you today?</s>ALLEN: I'm good, thank you. I want to ask you, about these rallies and you are a leader of them. Who is coming and what are you hearing from people on the streets?</s>NDLOVU: I think we are getting an eclectic mix of people. There is a huge population that is coming. We are talking something around 16 to 13 but we are also getting a huge influx of those who are 40 and above. There is a big collective movement. I think everyone is tired, across the ages, if you live long enough, this is another decade where this happens again. If you are the youth, you are not in a place where you can digest the images that are being shown, especially the one of George Floyd. So we are galvanized to action and -- yes.</s>ALLEN: It is extraordinary how cities across the world, countries continue to take to the streets over the story of George Floyd.</s>ALLEN: It is interesting that this particular story is resonating so deeply with people. Do you truly get a sense that this could be a catalyst for change? I know that there is also inequities with police treatment of blacks as well, over in the</s>U.K. NDLOVU: Yes. I think what it fundamentally boils down to is that this video of George Floyd, I came across it through Facebook and Facebook has an auto scroll. So if you scroll, it automatically starts, playing so I did not get a counted (ph) one. And I was drawn in and I saw myself in George. And I think in doing that, it is forcing us to think about the systems that are under hold and underpin Western democracy and white privilege and how we negotiate and navigate them and how we dissented them from their cachet as the baseline to normality. I think that is what is happening in the world. Particularly in London we see people actually address what is happening in terms of police funding, in terms of state sanctioned violence, against black bodies? So I do believe, this is a big catalytic moment of change, 18 countries joining us, to say Black Lives Matter but to realize until you realize Black Lives Matter as well.</s>ALLEN: We see people kneeling, quietly and people are going down on their knee has been a poignant expression of support. Here, in the United States, we are now seeing some atrocious back and forth between the police officers, using heavy handed tactics, citizens attacking police officers. I would imagine you are not seeing that level of anger in London. I don't know but part of the situation on the streets in the U.S. is it's a political issue. It is a police brutality issue.</s>NDLOVU: I think in the U.K. we have had instances of police getting involved but I think the difference comes about is for example in the demonstration I led yesterday, there was already a strong police presence. When I arrived there were riot cops and helicopters circling and I was the first to arrive. It suggests that we are causing those in power to become aware that something is happening. Now do our actions provoke a violent response between us and the police? Not as visible as America. But it is there. There are antagonists that are happening between protesters and police. A part of what our movement is trying to do, is to try and, say, police, hold each other accountable and it should not take me to ask your bosses or legislators to hold you accountable. You should be holding each other accountable because you are 18 is the police force. And we cannot move anywhere, until you hold each other accountable.</s>ALLEN: What response are you hearing from local government, from Boris Johnson?</s>NDLOVU: The local government is redirecting it toward the COVID-19 pandemic. We cannot gather to protest in more than groups of six. But this is where things get to me. As a black person, I am aware of the dangers of COVID-19. To insinuate I am not, I find that incredibly asinine (ph). We are aware as black people but we are also aware if the pandemic does not kill us, state sanctioned violence will. We do not get the luxury of choosing one or the other. We have both. Both face us. I think that is the mindset of lots of people who come to the coast, it's aware that there's a pandemic and we're doing everything we can to protect ourselves. Don't infantilize our rage so you can drive the narrative of the pandemic. Where was this outrage when people gathered on the beaches of Victory Day celebrations? This is where London is at the moment.</s>ALLEN: Dee Ndlovu, we certainly appreciate your time and, your input.</s>ALLEN: Wishing you the best, Black Lives Matter London organizer, thank you so much.</s>NDLOVU: Thank you very much.</s>ALLEN: Officials warn the already postponed Tokyo Olympics could be drastically slimmed down. We sit down with the governor of Tokyo.