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Anti-ICE Protests and Marches Happening Today Across the U.S.; Bruce Springsteen Plays New Anti-ICE Song in Minneapolis; Award- Winning Actress Catherine O'Hara Has Died at 71; Jury Begins Deliberating in Brendan Banfield Double-Murder Trial. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired January 30, 2026 - 15:30   ET

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

[15:30:00]

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: You're looking at live pictures now from Minneapolis. People flooding the streets of that city, protesting the administration's immigration crackdown. The two fatal shootings of residents there as well.

Meantime, Bruce Springsteen is in the city as well, taking part in a benefit concert last hour. All proceeds from this event are set to go to the families of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Springsteen released a song just days ago in protest of the federal immigration operations in Minneapolis and Minnesota. CNN's Sara Sidner was at that performance. Tell us a little bit about it.

What was the mood like?

SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Electric, in a word. Electric, defiant, angry, happy. There were so many emotions that came out during this concert.

It started with some local bands. And then we saw Tom Morello come out and just shake things up. And then he introduced The Boss.

He introduced Bruce Springsteen. People lost their minds because not everyone knew who the special guest was here at First Avenue. They just knew there was a special guest.

And people were whispering, who is it going to be? They assumed it might be him because Bruce Springsteen put out a brand new song called "The Streets of Minneapolis." And what did he play when he got onto stage?

The very first song, "The Streets of Minneapolis." The song is about the protests that happened here. It is about the killing of Renee Good.

It is about the killing of Alex Pretti. Their names are mentioned by Bruce Springsteen in the song. It is a sorrowful song.

It is a song of protest. And he played it as loudly as he could. There were about 1,600 people that can fit into this venue.

It was stuffed. This is a very well-known venue across the world, but particularly to Minnesotans, to people in Minneapolis. This is a venue that Prince and the Revolution played all the time.

And to see the number of people that came out here from all creeds, colors, and backgrounds was incredible. This place was electric. People were jumping in the air, including at some point when Tom Morello started jumping up and down.

So did Bruce Springsteen. But the message was very clear. From Bruce Springsteen to Tom Morello to the crowd to the tens of thousands of people outside the doors protesting, they want ICE out of the city now.

All of them say ICE has done too much damage, and they feel their constitutional rights are being crushed. And now you've got, of course, two journalists that ICE has, or that the federal agents have picked up and have arrested. I want you to listen to the electricity that you heard in here and the music that you heard in here from Bruce Springsteen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER, SONGWRITER: Citizens stood for justice Their voices ringin' through the night And there were bloody footprints Where mercy should have stood And two dead, left to die on snow-filled streets Alex Pretti and Renee Good

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIDNER: You hear the words. They're poignant. He's talking about the deaths that happened here at the hands of federal agents. There were bloody footprints where mercy should have stood, the opening line of his brand-new song called "The Streets of Minneapolis."

People here are beside themselves that he came in support of them and support of this city. And most people are saying in support of the Constitution of these United States. That is the scene here.

People are streaming out now, but their hearts are filled. Now they're going out to the streets, and we heard from Tom Morello that he, too, will join the protest. Perhaps so will Bruce Springsteen.

Back to you, guys.

[15:35:00]

KEILAR: Big protest there in Minneapolis. Sara, thank you for that report.

Let's talk about this now, and really this moment in history in our nation with historian and Princeton University professor of history and public affairs, Julian Zelizer. He's the author of "The Long View" on Substack and is a foreign policy columnist and NPR contributor. Julian, how do you view these killings of Renee Goode and Alex Pretti in the broader historical context?

JULIAN ZELIZER, HISTORIAN AND PROFESSOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: Well, there's a long history when Americans have seen either in print or on video the government abusing its power, misusing its power, or not handling these kinds of situations well. You can think of the 1960s and the clashes with civil rights protesters. You can think of the antiwar protests in the late 60s and early 70s, and they often galvanize public protest, protest songs, and they become defining moments when a lot of the public often stands up against the way that the government is using its authority against citizens.

SANCHEZ: Julian, you also write about the unique role that social media plays in all of this. I can't imagine that we would be seeing this level of response were the videos of what happened to Renee Good and Alex Pretti not so prevalent and accessible.

ZELIZER: It cuts both ways. I mean, I think what the technology allows is to capture these moments which often escaped public attention because there was no media there. There was no, you know, phone to record what was happening.

So it was all based on remembering, or occasionally, the media was present in Birmingham in 1963, for example. It cuts the other way, though, in that there's so much social media and there's so many voices that it's hard to have one story about what you're seeing. And so I think that is a challenge that the movement, if this is a movement, is going to face in response to what ICE has done.

KEILAR: Can you talk about this comparison that you make between what we're seeing in Minnesota and 56 years ago at Kent State?

ZELIZER: Yes, that was an antiwar protest. President Richard Nixon's in office has announced that the U.S. is expanding its presence in Cambodia after saying he was drawing down the war in Southeast Asia. And there's protests all over the country.

But in Kent State University, students protest. The Ohio governor calls in the National Guard. And on May 4, 1970, in one clash, the National Guard fires into the crowd.

Four students are killed, nine are injured. And the response is not unlike what we're seeing today. All over the country, there's a national student strike.

The antiwar movement is strengthened and reignited. And it becomes one of these defining moments, memorialized in a song, Ohio, by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, that captured what went wrong. And I think there are similarities with what we see today.

I also have to add, both President Nixon and the governor of Ohio kind of vilified the protesters and said they were radical, they were responsible, rather than the National Guard in that case.

SANCHEZ: We'll see how history views the response from this White House. Julian Seltzer, thank you so much for the analysis.

The jury is now deliberating the fate of Brendan Banfield, a Virginia man accused of plotting an elaborate scheme to murder his wife and a stranger in order to be with the family's au pair.

The last thing the jurors heard right after this.

[15:40:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: We continue to follow some really sad breaking news this afternoon, the death of award-winning actress Catherine O'Hara.

KEILAR: The 71-year-old Canadian-American, best known for so many iconic roles, including in "Beetlejuice," "Home Alone," and her starring role on the hit comedy "Schitt's Creek." We're joined now by Brian Balthazar, an entertainment journalist. Brian, this is a big loss.

I mean, this is hitting so hard today. What are you hearing about the reaction to her passing?

BRIAN BALTHAZAR, ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST: It really is hitting hard. I think we're all a little bit gutted. You know, I think she is one of those rare people that upon entering a scene in a show or a movie, you immediately release that part of you that's holding back and you're just ready to laugh before she even utters a word.

I think there's something, especially now, we're going through really difficult times, so I think we're holding really closely to things that bring us joy and laughter, and Catherine O'Hara was one of those people. I still can't wrap my head around saying was, because she's 71, she's still very young, had an amazing career, whether you remember her as your mom from "Home Alone" to this eccentric character. The amazing work she did as characters, and the most eccentric characters somehow seemed human and real and lovable and wildly entertaining.

I could go on and on, honestly. She's just one of those special breeds of actress and performer that both viewers and her fellow artists loved.

SANCHEZ: And speaking to that point, we were just watching video of her alongside Macaulay Culkin or an image of her alongside Macaulay Culkin. It was really heart-wrenching to read his tribute to her, saying, Mama, I thought we had more time.

BALTHAZAR: I think that's something we all are kind of thinking right now, but we're especially touched so deeply about that because we saw that relationship on screen, and there's something really heartwarming to think that that continued on. And she went on to honor him later for an award.

[15:45:00] And, you know, in careers and life, we all kind of drift apart and kind of find our way back to each other and to think that they kept that relationship going and we still have that. We're going to have that sense of longing for Catherine O'Hara, but I can only imagine what it must be like for Macaulay Culkin.

KEILAR: Yes, it's really neat to see there. And, you know, we've been saying that she was in her prime because she was. I mean, she was busy.

She was preparing to do the second season of "The Studio" for Apple TV, and there's a statement from her agency that said that she died Friday at her home in Los Angeles following a brief illness. Are you learning anything more?

BALTHAZAR: That's all we have right now, and it may be a little bit of time before we learn more. But as you said, you know, she was really enjoying this resurgence in her career. And it's not to say that she ever stopped working, but "Schitt's Creek" brought a whole new audience to her and her characters and also brought awards.

You know, she had been around since the '80s and '70s, actually, doing improv and SCTV and films, but it was "Schitt's Creek" that got her kind of the awards and the attention and the recognition that she probably always deserved. And, of course, again, like you said, "The Studio," it was really another phase of this wonderful career that she'd had, and it was growing and thriving. And, you know, we will, as I said before, we're going to feel this loss.

And it's hard when you lose anyone, but this is one of the good ones. And I think someone that brought us all so much joy and laughter, it's really sad when you get this. And these things often come suddenly, and they're that much more painful when they do.

SANCHEZ: Which role, Brian, do you think you'll remember most?

BALTHAZAR: I have to say, I loved her in the Christopher Guest films. Every role she brought into those Christopher Guest kind of mockumentary films were fantastic. "Waiting for Guffman," I could watch it over and over and over again.

For your consideration, where she plays an actress kind of before, during, and after the making of a film, there's a scene at the end of that show where she didn't have plastic surgery to do it, but somehow, she looked like her whole face had been pulled back and her eyes are wide open. She had such a command of her physicality. So it wasn't just her words, it was how she moved.

And again, it's one of those great gifts. She walks into a room, you're like, brace yourself because you're going to laugh. And that one, I just couldn't get enough of that scene.

I could watch it. And, you know, she's very meme-worthy. You know, the "Schitt's Creek" fold-in-the-cheese moment that we always see.

We're going to see more of that now. And I think that's what we need. We need laughter right now.

And I'm sad that we don't have her to give it to us, but we certainly have an arsenal of film memories to reflect on and enjoy.

KEILAR: I'll say, "Best In Show." What about you?

SANCHEZ: I mean, "Schitt's Creek," when she plays Moira, and she says, we're having a babay. The babay, just the way that she says it, the intonation is just hilarious. Right? Yes. She's great.

BALTHAZAR: They gave her such license to create an outrageous character that we never really got an explanation of why she spoke or dressed the way she did. And we all just were like, give me more. Just bring me more.

I'm soaking it. I'm drinking it in.

KEILAR: I hope people can honor her by laughing with her and at her performances because they are so amazing. Brian Balthazar, thanks for being with us.

BALTHAZAR: Thank you.

KEILAR: A jury now deliberating in the Brendan Banfield double murder trial. The Virginia man took the stand this week testifying that he found his wife being attacked in their bedroom and shot the man who was stabbing her.

SANCHEZ: Prosecutors say he staged the entire scene as part of this elaborate scheme to kill his wife and the other man so that he could pursue a relationship with the family's au pair. CNN's Jean Casarez joins us now. And you've been following this since the beginning, Jean.

How did today's closing arguments play out?

JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they were interesting. And the jury's been deliberating for several hours now, obviously no verdict. But the prosecution, 18-minute closing and then rebuttal closing to five minutes, very short defense, much longer.

But the prosecution is saying this is willful premeditation for murder because they, Brendan Banfield and the au pair, accepted and became the identity of Christine to go to FetLife.com, lured an escort over to the home, into the bedroom. And the plan was to kill the escort and have Brendan Banfield kill his wife, pin it on the escort, and then in the end they could live happily ever after. The defense said in closings there was no theory here.

Prosecutions had nothing until the au pair decided she would flip after she was charged and facing life in prison. And she made up this absolutely fantastic story of so many details that it was Brendan's plan, but it was all a lie. Let's listen to some of the closings, first the defense and then the prosecution.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN CARROLL, BRENDAN BANFIELD'S LAWYER: I chuckle a little bit when Ms. Sands says we haven't proved anything, we haven't shown any evidence. All we've done is show evidence.

[15:50:00]

Are you going to show evidence?

JENNA SANDS, PROSECUTOR: Why would the real Christine Banfield have been searching for someone who was willing to engage in knife play when she had a blood clotting disorder? Why would Christine use a phone from a gym bathroom, sorry, a photo from a phone taken in a gym bathroom when she has all of these far better pictures available?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CASAREZ: This is really all or nothing because there are no lesser included, like first degree, second degree. It is only aggravated murder. So it's either life in prison for Brendan Banfield with no chance of parole, or he'll be a free man.

SANCHEZ: Wow, a wild story. We'll see how the jury feels about all of this. Jean Casarez, thank you so much.

Still ahead, take a look at this snowplow just absolutely clearing a road in Ohio. It's kind of satisfying to watch this, especially given some of what we've seen.

KEILAR: Yes, we haven't been seeing this, I'll tell you. Meanwhile, here in D.C., we have forklifts. They have been brought in to load snow, ice snow, snice, I don't know, what are we calling it, into dump trucks.

It's nightmare snow. And then they haul it away. We're going to talk to the preeminent expert on snow removal, because that's what we need here in D.C. We're going to figure out what to do on, like, day ...

I don't know. It feels like forever, I'll tell you that.

[15:55:00]

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The southeast is bracing for another round of extreme weather as a rapidly intensifying bomb cyclone threatens to dump heavy snow and bring ferocious winds this weekend. More than 28 million people are under winter storm alerts, and that includes parts of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia.

SANCHEZ: We're tracking this new threat as cities like Nashville and New York try to recover from last weekend's brutal storm that killed at least 85 people. Meantime, here in D.C., construction equipment is now being used to break through and haul what's being described as "snowcrete," extremely thick layers of ice, which has crippled the city and has made driving through it a blast, really. Snow industry consultant John Allin joins us now for more insight. John, let's start with D.C., because it's been nearly a week, and this snowcrete is impeding cleanup, even breaking some of the snowplows. What is your assessment of what D.C. has been dealing with now for days?

JOHN ALLIN, SNOW INDUSTRY CONSULTANT: There's no doubt in my mind that this is a catastrophic snowfall, and you're coining the word snowcrete is apropos. That's exactly right. It's like moving concrete, and it's very difficult, and the guys that are in the loaders and the construction equipment, they're doing a great job.

It takes an awful lot to move that stuff, and I can't thank them enough for what they're doing, and the people in that market should be thankful that they have them.

KEILAR: Is there anything a city can really do to prepare for this? I mean, it seemed pretty evident here in D.C. that after a few days, we were in big trouble, but is there anything more on the front end that a city can do when they're expecting some of that freezing rain on top of a lot of snow?

ALLIN: Well, going out in the storm and in the immediate aftermath is not really advisable because in the markets from Virginia southward, those people are not well-versed at driving in conditions like that, and it's safer to just stay inside, wait it out, let the DOT and the road people do their job. They know what they're doing, and most of the time, pedestrians and passenger cars just get in the way.

SANCHEZ: Yes, no doubt about that. It gets treacherous. I've seen people literally walking down the street because they don't want to walk down the sidewalks.

What is your best advice for once the storm settles, if you're going to go outside your home and try to fight this thing yourself, because D.C. is now relying on volunteers to help with this, if you're going to take matters into your own hands, is it a flamethrower, a blowtorch, a spiky shovel, a bat with a nail through it? How are you getting through this stuff?

ALLIN: A good snow shovel will do it, but I would caution anybody who thinks that they're going to go out and shovel their driveway in conditions like this, that's a heart attack looking for someplace to happen. It's not worth it. Get somebody to come and clear the snow for you, especially if you're in your 40s or you're retired or elderly.

Any doctor will tell you that's not a good thing to do.

KEILAR: Yes, they suspended clearing the sidewalks here in D.C. for that very reason. And so we're looking ahead to more snow. I think the real issue that we're having in D.C. and in other places is we got the snow, we got the ice, and then it hasn't gone above freezing.

Maybe a little bit of melt from the sun just to make this snowcrete, but we haven't had that melt that sometimes clears things out. So as you have these other states that are now expecting even more snow, what should we be -- you know, what are we expecting? What's that going to look like?

ALLIN: Well, your forecasters, as far as I'm concerned, are getting it almost exactly right, and people have just got to be patient. I know that's not normal human activity to be patient in situations like this but trying to go out and go to the grocery store and go to the fitness center in conditions like this, that's a mistake. Be patient.

Wait it out. It's not worth risking your life over.

[16:00:00]

Some of these people are trained to do this. I've heard tell of a lot of people who say I can go out and shovel my driveway. But they don't realize that the cold and the snow, that's putting an undue stress on your cardiovascular system.

KEILAR: Yes, totally.

ALLIN: Don't do it, please.

SANCHEZ: Yes, it gets tricky, and that's great advice. Just stay inside where it's warm, watch CNN NEWS CENTRAL, and enjoy a treat.

KEILAR: John, thank you so much. Really helpful advice.

And "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt starts right now.

END