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EARLY START

Second Night of Protest in Ferguson; Ferguson Fury Spreads Nationwide; Snowstorm Hitting East Coast

Aired November 26, 2014 - 04:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: CNN's Stephanie Elam is standing by live for us in Ferguson.

And, Stephanie, the presence of that many more national guardsmen who played a supporting role really seemed to help police do their job a little bit more efficiently or more targeted I should say.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, definitely having more people here to assist, definitely helping out. Also planning in advance, Deb. You can see early on, just as the sun was going down, that they had law enforcement in place. Blocking off parts of Ferguson where things may have been really of concern the previous night, where we saw the looting, the fires and the mayhem.

All that area, that whole strip of street that we're talking about, was blocked off way in advance. And then there was the National Guard armed out there, supporting that as well.

Out here where I am right now at the Ferguson Police Department, they were out here, too, lending a hand for support. But overall, as far as law enforcement is concerned if you listen to St. Louis county police, it was a better night. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JON BELMAR, ST. LOUIS COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT: Generally, I think it's fair to say the officers acted with incredible amount of discipline tonight. And we saw protesters out there really out there for the right reason. Unfortunately, there seems to be a few people that are bent on I think preventing this from happening in the most ideal way that it possibly could.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And that is the case that we've seen out here as well, that for most part, there are people out here that just want to demonstrate, as is their right. But an element here that would like to interface with law enforcement and have that agitation. But we did see more calm and more of a controlled effort on behalf of the police in this area here, at Ferguson, when they were clearing out. It was definitely calmer, Deb.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN ANCHOR: And, Stephanie, the first night when you were there, when the fires were burning, there was a lot of gunfire. Last night, much less gunfire, but police did confiscate a number of items from the rioters. What were they?

ELAM: They did confiscate items and there were even people coming out with different items that they shouldn't have. There were things being thrown such as bottles. They show pictures even of bottles, plastic bottles, that used to have water in them, but filled with urine that they say were being thrown at the cops. That was some of the issues that we were hearing about that they were dealing with.

That's what also led them to make this decision to then go ahead and clear out the area of protesters at the end of the night, simply because they're saying there's bottling being thrown. This is no longer peaceful. It's unlawful assembly. And that's when they began clearing the whole area out, Deb.

FEYERICK: And tear gas not used as heavily as the night before, correct?

ELAM: No, no, it wasn't. I saw pepper spray where I was. Early in the night there was nothing used because there was nobody there.

So, again, even the fact of how they had to respond to the protesters, even how they were interfacing on that way, definitely scaled much farther down in the last few hours here in Ferguson, for sure.

FEYERICK: Yes, so a different tone and a different mood it seems, certainly, perhaps the anger not diminishing, but perhaps much more under control.

All right. Stephanie Elam, thanks so much. Wee appreciate that. Of course, we're going to checking back in a little while as well.

Well, the event in Ferguson Monday sparking protests across the country overnight. Gridlock for the second night in New York City. People protesting the grand jury decision not to indict the police officer.

Well, those protesters shut down traffic in Lower Manhattan as well as in Times Square. Demonstrators holding signs reading, quote, "We will not be silent" and "A badge is not a license to kill." Protesters tried to walk into the Lincoln Tunnel that connects Manhattan and New Jersey, but they were stopped and turned back by police.

In California, the highway patrol said 300 to 500 people stormed a freeway in Oakland, setting bon fires in order to simply shut down traffic. An officer on the scene described the crowd as hostile.

A similar in Los Angeles, there also protesters shutting down the busy 101 Freeway and surrounding LAPD headquarters. The demonstrators marched miles across this sprawling city to make their voices heard.

CNN's Paul Vercammen walked with them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN REPORTER: Deb, this was mainly a peaceful demonstration. And you can see right here, the protesters were from time to time stopped and seal off intersections here in downtown Los Angeles, many of them chanting, "no justice, no peace", "hands up, don't shoot."

There were a couple of flashpoints. One of them was when the police was clearly concerned that some of the protesters might get near the metro railroad tracks. There was also a car that was surrounded underneath the 110 Freeway.

And also, there was a moment where some protesters jumped the fence or some tried to knock a hole in the fence. But just to show that the overall them was one of peace, some of the organizers said, "Listen, just get out of there". They didn't want them to get on to the freeway and be heard.

But the sentiment here is, we are in alliance with our fellow protesters in Ferguson. And we want change in the aftermath of what happened in Ferguson.

Back to you now, Deb.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: All right. Paul Vercammen, thank you.

And hundreds of protesters also taking to the streets of Atlanta, following a rally. The peaceful protesters disrupted traffic shuttered by police in riot gear.

CNN's George Howell was among them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE HOWELL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're following the protesters here in downtown Atlanta. We've seen these protests really start since 4:00 p.m. I want you to see what we're looking at right now. Protests continue to march the street.

We've seen police throughout the evening in riot gear in some cases, wearing helmets if needed, but again, using a great deal of restraint.

Again, these protests started just after 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. We saw students from Clark, from Morehouse and Spellman Colleges all walk to the CNN Center.

Then they continued to underground Atlanta, that's where the crowd grew. From there, they moved on to the state capitol. We saw a few confrontations with police officers. However, the crowd did disperse. At one point, the crowd spilled into the Connector, that's the major highway through downtown Atlanta, disrupting traffic for a bit.

They continued on to the Sweet Auburn neighborhood. That is the historic neighborhood where Dr. King was born.

Again, hundreds of people have been marching the streets of downtown Atlanta, the center of the civil rights movement.

George Howell, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: And the frustration also extending to Boston, over 1,400 demonstrators there assembling outside of police headquarters in Roxbury before marching towards the Massachusetts Turnpike and Southeast Expressway. Police making dozens of arrests, trying to turn them away. A standoff between protesters and police in the South Bay House of Correction forced facilities to lock that facility down overnight.

And in Nashville, a large crowd took to the streets to show their support for Michael Brown's family. Protesters shutting down Interstate 24 after holding a vigil for Brown.

In Cincinnati, protesters shut down highway I-75 during a Hands Up For Justice Rally led by Reverend Al Sharpton's National Action Network. Several people were arrested for disorderly conduct.

In Denver, as we go across country, hundreds of people gathered there to protest the Ferguson decision. The demonstration was peaceful with most folks leaving around 8:00 Tuesday night following police orders. Officers were going to use pepper spray to disperse a small crowd. That crowd refused to leave and they were apparently grabbing officers. Three people there in Denver were arrested.

Some 200 protesters gathered at police headquarters in Dallas as police watched and ran traffic breaks to protect them, give them their right to free speech. The demonstrators marched peacefully through downtown and then right into Interstate 35. A handful refused police orders to leave. Those people were arrested.

Well, the parents of Michael Brown have condemned the violence in Ferguson that has followed the grand jury ruling. Speaking to CNN Tuesday night, Michael Brown's great uncle echoed those sentiments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. CHARLES EWING, MICHAEL BROWN'S GREAT UNCLE: We the family, we encourage peaceful protests, but we do not encourage violence. Violence is not the answer. Destruction of people's personal businesses or properties, we do not endorse. That is very unnecessary, and is not proving a point at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Reverend Charles Ewing, uncle of Michael Brown, says that the family is encouraged by all of the people protesting and those who are protesting peacefully in Ferguson and across the country. They support what is going on because they say the decision not to indict Darren Wilson was not the right decision.

Well, the Ferguson police officer who's shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown touched off so much controversy and unrest. He's speaking out for the first time. He said he fired because he feared for his life. Darren Wilson telling ABC News that Brown reached into his police car,

grabbed for his gun and then punched him repeatedly. Wilson says Brown walked off and then stopped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARREN WILSON, FERGUSON POLICE OFFICER: When he stopped, he turned and faced me. And as he does that, his right hand immediately goes into his waistband. And his left hand is a fist at his side, and he starts charging me.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: What did you think when you saw that?

WILSON: I didn't know. I mean, my initial thought was, is there a weapon in there?

STEPHANOPOULOS: Even though he hadn't pulled something out earlier when he was confronting you?

WILSON: It was still an unknown. And again we're taught to, let me say your hands.

STEPHANOPOULOS: As you know, some of the eyewitnesses have said at that moment he turned around, he turned around and put his hands up.

WILSON: That would be incorrect.

STEPHANOPOULOS: No way?

WILSON: No way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: Brown's blood was found in the police car of the officer. Wilson said his conscience is clear because he was just doing his job. He says he and new wife, his new wife, are just hoping to live a normal life.

Well, our breaking coverage of the protests in Ferguson and across the country continues in just a moment.

Plus, we're going to look at a controversial moment involving Michael Brown's stepfather and get reaction from the family's attorney.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: And welcome back, everyone.

The embattled town of Ferguson, Missouri, enduring a second night of violent protests, although they were not as nearly widespread or volatile as Monday night's unrest. Overnight, authorities did make 44 arrests. Protesters set a police cruiser on fire, as well as broke out windows at city hall. Police were forced to disperse the crowd with tear gas. Some 2,200 National Guard troops managed to keep things largely under control, allowing police to do their job. Well, civil rights activists are defending a controversial outburst by

Michael Brown's stepfather in the aftermath of the grand jury decision in Ferguson. This was the scene on Monday night. You can see Brown's mother, Lesley McSpadden, she burst into tears while addressing the crowd. Her husband, Louis Head is consoling her but then he simply was overcome with grief, listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOUIS HEAD, MICHAEL BROWN'S STEPFATEHR: Y'all murdered her (EXPLETIVE DELETED) son. Burn this mother (EXPLETIVE DELETED) down. Burn this bitch down. Give me the mic, give me the mic. Burn this bitch down. Burn this bitch down. Burn this bitch down. Burn this bitch down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And that was set before those fires broke out across Ferguson, destroying some 12 businesses. Reverend Al Sharpton and the Brown family Ben Crump both concede that the outburst was not appropriate, calling it a result of agony.

Well, the attorney for Michael Brown's family also addressing the violent outbursts by the victim's stepfather. Benjamin Crump told CNN last night there's no way Louis Head's words played a role in the violence that sparked in Ferguson after the decision to not indict Officer Wilson.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DARYL PARKS, BROWN'S FAMILY ATTORNEY: Without question, number one, we know that was raw emotion. However, those comments were completely inappropriate and unacceptable. However, I have not seen a witness who has tied that comment to any of the violence placed that night. And I think just to say that, to make the overture that it was related I think is not there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: The attorney defending the family. He also went on to criticize anyone who might judge Brown's parents for their emotional response.

Much more on our breaking coverage of the protest in Ferguson and across the nation.

Plus, yes, it seems to be coming. A winter storm expected to wreak havoc for a lot of folks traveling for Thanksgiving.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: Ferguson is still a powder keg this morning after a second night of protests. However, things were definitely calmer than the night the grand jury decision was returned. Police yesterday had to use tear gas to disperse a crowd outside of city hall after a police car was set on fire. We're told most of the windows at city hall, a number of them were smashed. And also more than 2,000 national guardsmen managed to keep the violence mostly in check. There were some 44 arrests, a number of felonies as well.

Our Sara Sidner was with the National Guard earlier this evening. She has the very latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's different but there are a few things that are the same. A police car we saw set on fire outside of city hall, about a couple hours ago. And now, we're standing in the street.

What is very different right now is that you are not seeing crowds here for the first time in more than 100 days. What you're seeing is the National Guard and the police force that is banding in front of them. The National Guard back on the police department property and the police force out in front of St. Louis County and highway patrol out here.

Now, I do want to mention they have mentioned to everyone who usually stands right here in this lot. And you can see the light from the helicopter. Usually, there are hundreds of people over these past couple of days standing in this lot and protesting. And they've been doing so for a long time.

But police basically said, look, we need to disperse.

All right. I see an arrest happening right now. You can come with me, please? Looks like the National Guard, if you see there is taking somebody in. They are pulling someone back to the Ferguson Police Department. Back behind the police line and behind the National Guard line.

We are also being told to move back on the sidewalk, which is what we're doing, but basically what's changed tonight is that officers have said that because of items thrown at police. And we did notice a couple of water bottles being thrown at police and perhaps some other items that they have told everyone to disperse and go home, that this is an unlawful assembly -- very different than what we were going to hear earlier today which is get out of the road. You can assemble and you have to be on the sidewalk.

Now they're saying there is an unlawful assembly thrown at office earlier.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Some of those items included bottles filled with urine, as well as tent poles and rocks. All right. We'll get back to the Ferguson coverage in just a moment.

First, we want to take a look at another big story. Yes, it's a major storm hitting the East Coast. It's going to affect Thanksgiving travel for millions of people.

Chad Myers has an early look at your weather.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: An early good morning to you. A wet or white morning, depend wrong you are. Rain/snow mixes throughout a lot of big cities up and down the East Coast from Boston to New York, down to D.C., snowing most of the day in New York but not hitting the ground as anything that would stick. The ground's been very warm the last couple of days, even today, 39 for your high.

Now, it's cold enough to make snow on top of the Empire State Building. But by the time the snow gets all the way to the ground, it will have melted when it hits the ground. Now, that's going change later on tonight. By around sunset, all bets are that rain/snow mix is going to be a lot of snow.

Now, if you're west of I-95, Delaware, Water Gap, all the way up to Albany and Rockland, you're going to get snow all day. There's not going to be any of that mixing going on, and there could be up to a foot before it's all done. Not expecting that much in the cities because it's been so warm, even for tomorrow, the high of 39.

It is going to be a sloppy one. Today is the busiest day, or one of the busiest days of travelling across the country. And it is going to be slow. Leave early. Expect to get there late, especially through the airports. There will be a lot of long delays today. Prepare for that.

Guys, back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FEYERICK: Chad Myers, thank you.

And much more on the protests affecting Ferguson, as well as the nation.

Plus, we are going to hear from Darren Wilson's lawyers on what he plans to do for his future.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

FEYERICK: The second night of protests in embattled Ferguson, Missouri, nothing like the level of violence that we all witnessed on Monday night. And President Obama addressed those Monday protests while speaking in Chicago. He led a speech on executive action with strong words on people who acted out violently during the protests in Ferguson, saying they should face prosecution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Burning buildings, torching cars, destroying property, putting people at risk, that's destructive and there's no excuse for it. Those are criminal acts. And people should be prosecuted if they engage in criminal acts.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: A White House official says the president is considering a trip to Ferguson once the situation there cools down.

Well, the attorneys for Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson insists their client followed his training and followed the law when he shot and killed Michael Brown. They tell our Anderson Cooper that he has a clear conscience, but they feel certain that his career in law enforcement is likely over.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Does he want to remain a police officer somewhere?

JIM TOWEY, ATTORNEY FOR DARREN WILSON: I don't think that's ever possible. I think he understands that. And he'll be looking for a different career going forward.

NEIL J. BRUNTRAGER, ATTORNEY FOR DARREN WILSON: And I will tell you his whole life was built around being a police officer. It's about service. That's what he wanted to do.

And again, there are two tragedies in this. The first tragedy is the loss of Michael Brown's life. And that is, I don't care how you stand, I don't care who you are, you can't ignore the fact that a young man died.

But the flip side is here's a man who was going to dedicate his life to the service of the community and a community at large, and we've lost that, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FEYERICK: And Officer Wilson is still employed by the Ferguson Police Department. He's going to remain on the payroll and that's according to the town's mayor.

Well, EARLY START continues right now.