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CNN Polling Uncovers Major Racial Division in U.K.; Poll On Racism In U.K. Released On Windrush Day; WHO Reports Most New Cases In A Single Day. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired June 22, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:20]
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hello and welcome, everybody. I'm Hala Gorani. Ahead this hour on CNN, a new CNN polls uncovers major racial
divisions in the U.K. The numbers are stark, but what society should do to tackle these issues is not as clear. In the next two hours we'll explore
that very question.
Also ahead, record setting numbers of coronavirus cases around the world as the virus shows us that easing restrictions comes with consequences. We're
live in Germany, where the array is soaring.
Plus, to say Donald Trump's campaign rally over the weekend did not go as planned is an understatement. The latest on what went so wrong for the
Trump campaign in Tulsa.
The death of George Floyd under the knee of the Minneapolis police officer rekindled the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. But as
we've seen over the weeks, the reckoning over racial injustice has spread far beyond U.S. borders. Here in the U.K., an exclusive CNN poll paints a
troubling picture of institutional racism. We'll take a closer look at that in a moment.
And we're following the latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic. Latin America has now passed two million confirmed cases. There's alarming
news also on the transmission rate in Germany after a massive outbreak at a meat processing plant. And cases are spiking in several U.S. states. The
first wave they're still very much in the first wave showing no signs of easing. I want to take you back to that exclusive CNN polling that's
revealing divisions between black and white people and their experiences and attitudes towards race in the UK.
We worked with Savanta ComRes and spoke to people in CNN, in England, Scotland and Wales. The poll found that black people are twice as likely as
white people to say there is discrimination in British policing, media and politics. In this example, twice as many say they've experienced disrespect
from police and think the country has not done enough to address racial injustice.
Two-thirds of black respondents said so. 58 percent of black people believe the governing Conservative Party is institutionally racist. The pool also
sees a split between black and white respondents over the issues of statues and monuments to public figures associated with slave trade and the British
Empires. Two-thirds of black respondents said they were offended by the statues compared to one-third of white people polled.
The CNN poll comes out on Windrush day, which honors the 1948 arrival of Caribbean immigrants on the Empire. Windrush, that ship carried the first
large group of commonwealth citizens from the Caribbean to Britain to help rebuild the country from the ravages of World War II. But many in the
Windrush generation say they continue to suffer to this day under institutional racism.
Nima Elbagir joins me now from Windrush Square in the Brixton district of London. And I want to talk more about the results of this poll because as
we've seen in other countries around the world, Nima, the difference in opinion between black citizens of a country and white citizens in a country
is very different and it's no exception in the U.K.
NIMA ELBAGIR, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Although the awakening of the Black Lives Matter movement, the reawakening we should
say, the Black Lives Matter movement here across the Atlantic in the U.S. is credited with reawakening these uncomfortable conversations. Britain, of
course, Hala, has been having its own race reckoning for decades, this very square was witnessed in 1981 to the burning of police vehicles during a
black consciousness demonstration here.
So this is more about how little has changed. This is about the fact that the descendants of that -- of those Windrush migrants, who, of course, were
invited here by the British government to help rebuild the United Kingdom post the Second World War, still don't feel at home in the United Kingdom.
And the disparity in those responses -- one of the more extreme disparities where the black Brits were three times as likely to say that they felt that
their ethnicity had an impact on their professional development as white Brits believed to be true.
So, it isn't just about black people in this country being heard, Hala, it's about black people in this country feeling believed after they have
had decades and decades of speaking out quite bravely in many instances about that experience.
[10:05:15]
ELBAGIR: Still, their white countrymen, many of these responses say that that white countrymen clearly do not see the world through their lens and
don't believe their own recounting of what the world looks like from the perspective of being black in this country, Hala.
GORANI: And -- what have you asked -- I know you've asked the leading -- the conservative government to react to the results of this polling because
as we mentioned there, a majority of black people in this country believe the Conservative Party is institutionally racist. What response Have you
gotten?
ELBAGIR: A pretty generic one, to be honest, Hala. We reached out to them, one of our amazing colleagues has been really pressing them on this asked
that the Prime Minister be shown these findings because this is really important data. And he was told that they weren't really aware that they
hadn't been across this poll. And we were given a very generic response along the lines of how the Prime Minister would do everything to make sure
that the Windrush generation, any sense of institutional failings would be addressed.
But any of our specific questions, any of the specific issues raised by these respondents will not address, Hala.
GORANI: All right. Thanks very much and Nima Elbagir and of course, we'll be seeing your exclusive reporting next hour from London on the results of
this exclusive polling. Thank you. I want to talk more about racism in the UK. Benjamin Zephaniah is a poet and author of Windrush child due out in
October he joins me via Skype from Spalding, England. First of all, I don't know if you were able -- Benjamin Zephaniah to hear some of the results of
this poll that 58 percent of black people in Britain believe the Conservative Party is institutionally racist.
The vast majority believe they're treated unfairly by the police. I'm sure you're not surprised by at least the findings in that -- of that second
question.
BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH, WRITER AND POET (via Skype): I'm not surprised at all. I am one of them. You know, I can't tell you the amount of times I've been
stopped by the police. I was born in Britain in 1958. And that's been my experience. I'm now 62 years old. And just a couple of years ago, I was
stopped by the police and question for walking down the road, holding a white baby, as if that was against the law.
And so, you know, when a police officer (INAUDIBLE) is something wrong with a black man holding a white baby, then we know we have serious problems.
GORANI: Yes. One of the things you said recently is we can't see the end of the road yet.
Why not?
ZEPHANIAH: Because it's very interesting. I think it's mainly because of our institutions. If you look at a lot of Black Lives Matter marches
recently, there have been so populated by white kids. I'm a professor at the University here, Brunel University. And a lot of the anger comes from
the white kids saying to their parents, look, come on, wake up, you know, the future is so different -- should be so different from the past.
You've got to get rid of these old ideas. So there's hope in the youth. But the problem is and your reporter just a moment ago, refer to it, alluded to
it, is the institutions. The institutions are like dinosaurs. They're like juggernauts. We cannot turn them around or we cannot --
GORANI: Yes. When you say we cannot --
(CROSSTALK)
ZEPHANIAH: Sorry, I mean to say --
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: -- we cannot turn them around.
ZEPHANIAH: It's going to take a long time.
(CROSSTALK)
GORANI: It's going to take time.
ZEPHANIAH: Yes, yes.
GORANI: But there's a big difference in the demographic breakdown of those people protesting. I mean, we've seen it after Ferguson in the United
States, mainly it was a black crowd. Now we're seeing many more white people, young people, also teens, the Generation Z, as it's called. You
along with other people of color, writers, poets, I've written an open letter to publishers in the United Kingdom saying, we need more diversity.
And that's key, isn't it?
ZEPHANIAH: Well, that's what I mean with institutions. I mean, I'm part of the literary establishment if you like, but I see the structural racism
there. We also have to approach this from education, which, of course, writing is also important, but you know, the way that people are employed,
there are some organizations or some people that say that when we apply for jobs, it should be blind.
We shouldn't have our name on it because sometimes as soon as people see the name,
they just dismiss it. My full name happens to be Benjamin or with (INAUDIBLE) Zephaniah.
It's Jewish, it's Christian and it's Muslim. It confuses people.
[10:10:05]
GORANI: Well, that's a good -- that's -- actually you've got the best of all worlds here in a sense with your name, right? Nobody really can
pinpoint where -- what religion you're at least. But I mean, I can tell you that's true. I was raised in France, people who have Arab sounding names in
France often drop some of the more Arab sounding names because they believe when they send a C.V. that it doesn't work in their favor if employers can
see that. There's anecdotal evidence that people with the same exact qualifications, one with a Western sounding name, another with a name that
isn't Western sounding, won't get as many callbacks, that kind of thing.
So, all of that is true. It's all factually correct. But I guess the question is, where do we go from here now, what do -- what needs to be the
next step?
ZEPHANIAH: Well, I think in terms of Britain, and although I've visited the states many times, I'm not going to claim to be an expert on the state. In
Britain we have to deal with this idea of white supremacy. You know, a lot of -- especially the older generation, not just men, but many of them
really believe that the white man is superior to the black man. Some people make biblical references to it. Some people make eugenic references to it.
You know, when most young people know this is a nonsense, but that's one thing. When it's -- when it's backed up by the way we are taught history,
then it really becomes a problem. We are talked about Winston Churchill, for example. And, you know, we cannot take away what he did during the
Second World War. But what about his other views? Actually, not just about his views on race because they were terrible, but there's also issues on
women.
Absolutely outrageous. So, we're not saying, you know, just wait about history. Let's just be more honest. Nobody's perfect. No country is
perfect. But let's be more honest. I mean, that's where we need to go now.
GORANI: Like leaders -- exactly. And leaders are a product of their time, we're judging some of these historical figures by the standards that we've
set for ourselves today. The question is at what point -- I mean, how many statues do you take down? How many monuments do you decide to recast? For
instance, in the U.S., there's this debate now, over a Theodore Roosevelt statue outside the Natural History Museum that some people find offensive.
The mayor of New York has said, let's move it. Let's take it away from its current location. What about that debate? Where do we draw the line on how
we now review our past?
ZEPHANIAH: Again, I can't speak for the state. But over here, for example, a statue was torn down in Bristol of a man called Edward Colston who was a
slave trader. He didn't just have some strange views. He was a slave trader. He made a lot of money and, you know, gave it to a lot of people in
Bristol and started a lot of organizations, and even charities in Bristol. For years, people have been saying, let's have a debate about this statute.
Maybe it's about the wording on the statue. But nobody would listen. That's why he was torn down. It wasn't just torn down because it was fair. It was
torn down, because for over 20 years, as far as I know, we've been trying to have a debate about it, and nobody would. So, if we start a
conversation, at least that is something and that's what we -- well, until recently done here we've just started to do it now.
And I think they started to do it now because a lot of like I said, sorry, I'm repeating myself. A lot of young people are waking up. Imagine going to
--
GORANI: Yes.
ZEPHANIAH: -- Oxford University, one of our best universities, and you're a black person and you see a statue of Cecil Rhodes every day. I mean, it
burns you, it hurts you because this is the person who was killed, put into slavery, your four parents and the person in the university being honored
as a -- as a hero. And again, Cecil Rhodes wasn't somebody had strange views. He actually believed in white supremacy. He wanted Africa to be
white.
GORANI: Thank you so much for coming on, Benjamin Zephaniah. We really appreciate your time and perspective on the program day.
ZEPHANIAH: Thank you, Hala. Increase the peace.
GORANI: All right. Turning out -- thank you. Turning out to the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, the World Health Organization reported 183,000 new
cases on Sunday, the most ever reported in a single day. The Americas accounted for the vast majority and nearly 55,000 new cases from Brazil
alone, noting it does have the world's fifth largest population, but it's Despite the number of people there, as you can see, and some of the images
coming to us from Brazil are very much enjoying the sun and not necessarily keeping their distance from each other.
[10:15:10]
GORANI: As you can see, Brazil also has the most cases in Latin America. According to Johns Hopkins, more than two million people in the region have
been affected now. And it's not just Latin America, it's in Germany as well. Germany was a country that was lauded for how it handled the pandemic
in the early days. But now in a meat processing plant, there is a soaring coronavirus outbreak and that is linked to a much higher reproduction rate
across the country.
More than 1300 people have been infected so far pushing the so-called R rate to 2.88. That means each person with the virus will likely infect
nearly three other people. The owner of the plant issued an apology claiming responsibility for the outbreak. The company says it is supplying
food and support for the nearly 6500 families currently in quarantine because of this. Fred Pleitgen is following the story from Berlin.
And this is remarkable. I mean, these figures are extremely worrying. How did authorities and people who run plants like that meat processing plant,
how did they -- how did they allow their eye to get off the ball to this extent because this number is staggering?
FRED PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It is -- it is certainly staggering, Hala, and it's certainly something also that's being
investigated here in Germany, not just with this meat processing plants, but quite frankly, with the meat processing industry in Germany in general,
this isn't the first time that COVID-19 has been -- has broken out at a meat processing plant. It's happened throughout the past couple of months.
And one of the things that is now in the spotlight here in this country, at this plant and other plants is the conditions that the people they're
working. A lot of the folks who work there are workers from South Eastern Europe and a lot of them as has now been found out, live very close to one
another and work very close to one another. And there are a lot of people here in this country who are now saying that those are things that have
simply -- they believe helped spread this virus.
So Germany is certainly taking that question very seriously investigating that situation. But at the same time there in that town that we're talking
about, Gutersloh in the west of Germany, trying to get all of this under control, and even using the military to try and do that. Here's what we're
finding out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: Germany has called in its army after more than 1300 workers at the Tonnies meat processing plant in the city of Gutersloh tested positive
for the novel coronavirus. Local authorities ripped into management saying in many cases the firm failed to provide the addresses of employees even as
health officials were urgently trying to trace those who may have been in contact with a virus.
I want to say clearly that the trust we have in the tiniest company is zero, the crisis team leader says, I have to say this clearly. While the
company says German data protection law slowed the information sharing process. The owner says he's sorry the outbreak occurred in his business.
I can only offer my complete apologies and give my apology because we are the cause of this issue and carry full responsibility. Me as a businessman
and the company as a whole he said. The outbreak in Gutersloh is low is one of the main reasons the reproduction number for the novel coronavirus in
Germany has soared. The country's Center for Disease Control said. But it also spotlights what many activists and politicians say are unacceptable
working conditions in German abattoirs with employees often laboring and living in very close quarters.
Germany has seen a series of outbreaks and its meat processing industry and the government says it will take action to improve conditions. The Federal
government is determined not to be guided by the interests of lobbyists but by the interests of the public Germany's labor minister said, at its core,
this is a decision between public well-being or egoistic interests.
Meanwhile, in the town of Gutersloh, state authorities say they might have to put the entire region around the Tonnies plant under a blanket lockdown.
The source of this outbreak can be found at this specific company. So it is still the case that we are unable to rule out a wider lockdown the state
governor said.
Well, Germany has often been praised for its strong reaction to the coronavirus, pandemic. Politicians acknowledge they need to do more to make
sure the meat industry here does not remain a source of heightened infections.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: So, all that as you can see a very concerning situation at that meat processing plant. But something again, as we've said that's happened
in other places before as well. And as you've noted, at the beginning, some 6500 people now mostly families are the folks who work there now on
lockdown. In that town a lot of schools closed there as well.
[10:20:01]
PLEITGEN: One of the things, Hala, that we're also keeping an eye on is later today there's going to be a press conference by the local authorities
where they're going to decide whether they have to put that entire wider region on a complete lockdown to try and get that situation under control.
And I think that also spotlights with big companies like that if there is an outbreak there it can affect not just the company itself, but entire
regions of entire countries, Hala.
GORANI: All right. Fred pleitgen, thanks very much live in Berlin. Coming up. U.S. President Trump's big return to the campaign trail turned out to
be a lot smaller than expected. Was it coronavirus that kept people at home or a bad sign for Trump's 2020 plans? We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: If the President of the United States was expecting a huge turnout at his campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, he was no doubt
disappointed. Donald Trump's aides are now trying to figure out the timing, the size and the location of his future rallies after Saturday's
disappointing turnout in Tulsa, Oklahoma where there were a lot more empty seats than supporters.
Sources say the U.S. president is furious, and his inner circle including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner are quote "Pissed" at Mr. Trump's campaign
manager who'd predicted massive crowds that did not materialize. But that wasn't the only problem that plagued the much-hyped event just hours before
it began, use the leak to that six campaign staffers had been infected with coronavirus. Is that why people stayed away? Brian Stelter joins us live
from New York.
Let's go over the perfect storm that blew away Donald Trump's triumphant return to the campaign stage and there were sort of anecdotal. There was
some anecdotal evidence that young people on the TikTok platform or Kpop fans had booked tickets, reserved tickets with no intention of going there
for inflating the number have sort of reserved seats that the campaign was expecting.
BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, pretty creative form of protest by these students, by these young people using apps like TikTok.
Now, this wasn't the only factor, of course, but it was A factor because in the run up to this Tulsa rally, the campaign was bragging about having over
a million RSVPs, that's part of the reason why the President said every seat would be full.
But it is clear now that some of the folks that RSVP were never planning to go to Oklahoma, they were just trying to troll the President. So that was A
factor. But I think the bigger factors have to do with the virus, has to do with the undeniable dangers of the pandemic, even though the President does
seem to be in denial is clearly downplaying the pandemic, people can see for themselves, what's happening in the country and how -- it has to be
very careful in this attempt to reopen parts of the United States.
I think that was a major factor here. And I think it's now going to prompt some recriminations inside the campaign. Definitely there will be some
recommendations in terms of, you know, people either being, you know, maybe just, you know, yield at or maybe losing their jobs we will see. But this
was humiliating for President Trump has no way around it.
[10:25:07]
GORANI: But the Trump campaign is saying they weed out fake cell phone mobile numbers. So, who requested a million tickets and where were they?
STELTER: Right. If they're saying that tok and these young people, all these protesters were not a factor, then that means there were a million
people who really, really wanted to come, but decided not to. And this is ultimately about under delivering after you overpromised. I remember the
very first day of the Trump presidency, Hala, President Trump overpromised and underdelivered with his crowd size and of course, that was a big
controversy.
And then the Women's March took over Washington the next day, and they under promised and they over delivered. And that's political science 101,
you should always try to downplay, try to set the bar low and then go way over it. There is even criticism on Fox News today of the President's
campaign with Steve Doocy. Normally a big supporter of the President saying, who thought it was a good idea to have a rally inside for 20,000
people?
When you hear that on Fox and you know the President's hearing that and listening to that, that means this was a real problem for the campaign. And
that means, you know, even Trump allies are looking around saying we've got to do better than this.
GORANI: Right. And they had a whole overflow section outside that was completely empty. They dismantled the stage there before the rally was even
done. Thanks very much. Brian Stelter live in New York.
And NASCAR is investigating a racist incident against the only black driver and its top circuit. The racing organization released a statement saying a
news had been found in Bubba Wallace's garage stall on Sunday. Wallace has been very vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement and the protests over
the past few weeks. CNS Nick Valencia joins us now live from Atlanta. So, there's an investigation going on.
I presume that in a stall there's you know, these the items there and the machinery there and the cars are guarded that there's cameras. I mean, we
should know rather quickly, right? Who did this.
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Hala. NASCAR reportedly is working with law enforcement to figure that out trying to get to the bottom
of who is behind this, the person or persons behind this. And it's very important to lay out that this was in a restricted area, accessed only by
in theory, medical personnel, NASCAR teams, security, people who have access to these essential areas or restricted areas.
So the focus of the investigation is going to be on them. We should mention the NASCAR has released a statement and this is what they say. We are angry
and outraged and cannot state strongly enough how seriously we take this heinous act, we've launched an immediate investigation and we'll do
everything we can to identify the persons responsible and eliminate them from the sport.
It is very important that we note that Bubba Wallace as you mentioned, Hala is the only African-American top tier driver in the sport. He's also been
very vocal about the BLM movement, and he led the charge to remove the cannon Federal flag from the sport. Now he took to social media last night
on his Twitter page responding to this news being found in the garage, saying, "Today's despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly
sad and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism. This
will not break me. I will not give in nor will I back down. I will continue to proudly stand for what I believe in."
His comments around the Confederate flag and urging and encouraging the sport to do away with it has created a lot of controversy among the fan
base. People who yesterday we saw selling confederate flag, memorabilia just across the street from the Talladega Superspeedway. And we also saw
somebody in the sky flying a confederate flag with the message to defund NASCAR. Bubba wallace is digging in. He's expected to race later today,
weather permitting.
A lot of people rooting for him of course, including the governor of Alabama, highlighting that Bubba Wallace is from the state. She called the
act disgusting and says whoever is responsible will be held accountable for this act. Hala?
GORANI: Nick Valencia, thanks very much. Ahead. COVID-19 cases surge in Latin America will be live in Mexico City with more on what's accounting
for this worrying increase. Stay with us.
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[10:31:39]
GORANI: We're learning more about a terrorist attack on Saturday in the U.K. at a park that left three people dead. Authorities now say the
perpetrator acted alone. As security source told CNN the suspect is 25 years old. He's a Libyan citizen, Khairi Saadallah. He's in police custody
and now two of the victims have been identified. Our International Diplomatic Editor Nic Robertson is live in Wokingham, England, outside a
school where one of the victims was a teacher, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Yeah, James Furlong was a teacher here, a much-loved history, politics and governance teacher, the
head of the department. We've been standing here for the last hour or so. And there's been a steady flow of people coming and leaving floral tributes
and we're taught to some of the pupils and they described them as a wonderful teacher who made classes fun.
One of them told us you know, with him as a history teacher, I -- my grades went up. She said the last year, the last teacher I had was rubbish, but he
was good because he made the class fun, and that's what we've been hearing over and over again. And he was a friend as well. James Furlong, the
teacher was a friend of one of the other victims, Joe Richie-Bennett, an American by birth and been living in the U.K. for the past 15 years.
His family described him as loving and brilliant, have also been learning more about the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: The aftermath of sudden shocking horror, a terror attack. Police and paramedics try to save lives among people minutes earlier enjoying the
only social gathering allowed during the pandemic, outdoors. Three would die, several others injured, some needing critical care.
An eyewitness tells CNN he saw a lone attacker come into the park, shout something unintelligible, and then rush over to a group of people sitting
on the grass stabbing some of them in the neck and under the arm. The witness says he fled when the attacker ran towards him. Soon after police
surrounded this building evacuating terrified residents.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I went outside, to ask what was going on. He said it was nothing for us to worry about but he had a big gun in his hand.
ROBERTSON: The police quickly captured the alleged attacker, a security source now identifies as Khairi Saadallah, a 25- year-old Libyan national.
Investigations into his motives continue.
JOHN CAMPBELL, CHIEF CONSTABLE, THAMES VALLEY POLICE: I'm not in a position to talk about the man who's been arrested or give any further details about
this case as this is a live counterterrorism investigation.
ROBERTSON: Four officials in Reading known locally as the U.K.'s largest town, population close to a quarter million. The concern now, a possible
community backlash.
JASON BROCK, READING BOROUGH COUNCIL LEADER: People will feel uncertain, they'll feel afraid, indeed many people will feel angry. And as a council
we've got an important thing to do, working with the police and other partners to engage the local community, understand how they're feeling and
seek to provide reassurance to them as we move forward.
ROBERTSON: Police say residents will see more officers on their streets in coming days. The Prime Minister Boris Johnson appearing to indicate not for
the first-time warning signs of terror trouble when missed.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If there are lessons to be learned, if there are changes that need to be made to our legal system to stop such
events happening again, we will not hesitate to take that action.
[10:35:07]
ROBERTSON: The lesson for many people here coming out of lockdown, and only allowed to meet friends outdoors is how safe will they be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: What the Prime Minister said there about if there are lessons to be learned while the British newspapers are reporting that it does seem
there are lessons to be learned, the British papers are saying that the attacker was known to MI5, the intelligence service. All the British
newspapers were looking at here are running with the same headline, Hala. This is the third such situation if these papers are correct, the last
three terror attacks.
All the attackers were known to the intelligence services and the government has recently changed the legislation keeping those attackers
who've been convicted keeping them in jail for longer. Clearly, there will be renewed examination of the government actions that legislation and what
else can be done? And perhaps that explains why Priti Patel, the Home Secretary was in Reading the early hours of this morning to lay her own
floral tributes. Hala?
GORANI: All right. So senseless. Just absolutely so senseless. Thank you, Nic Robertson. Turning to Latin America now, cases of coronavirus in the
region have now surpassed two million according to Johns Hopkins University. For more on what that means for the region, Matt Rivers is in
Mexico City. So, Latin America very much still in the throes of the first wave, Matt?
MATT RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Not only we're right in the middle of it hollow without question in terms of where this curve is
peaking in this part of the world. We are not plot telling and some of the worst countries like Brazil, like Mexico, like Peru like Chile, I mean,
consider the fact that you have more than two million cases across the 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean combined. Half of those
roughly come from Brazil, we saw that country surpassed 50 thousand deaths over the weekend.
And here in Mexico last night. It was Sunday night, usually on Sundays you see, officials here in Mexico report lower numbers because of lower amounts
of testing that takes place over the weekend. But last night, we saw more than 5000 cases reported here in Mexico and we saw over 1000 deaths only
for the second time since this outbreak began. So when you take all of this combined, it shows you that Latin America and the Caribbean, not every
country is having problems.
But the worst countries are having the worst problems really out of any country around the world. And it doesn't show any signs of slowing down.
And I'll end, Hala, by talking just about the extreme poverty in this region. The U.N. in a new report is saying that they're expecting roughly
16 million additional people to be forced into extreme poverty as a result of the fallout of this outbreak.
GORANI: Yes. I was going to ask you about the economic impact here because some economies were already struggling and COVID is adding to that misery.
RIVERS: Yes, absolutely. I mean, you had roughly a decade or so of slow, if not stagnant growth for most of this region. And so going into this
outbreak, most countries, you know, their economies weren't doing well to begin with. And now what the U.N. is saying is that they are expecting
roughly a 5.3 percent region wide contraction in the GDP throughout all of these countries.
That would be the largest such contraction since the U.N. started keeping records back in 1900. So, the impact of quarantine measures of overburdened
healthcare systems of people not being able to work is just staggering.
GORANI: Yes, and this just leads to so many social problems as well. Thanks very much. Matt rivers live in Mexico. And the Middle East has not escaped
the COVID pandemic over the weekend, Iraq reported its highest daily tally of new cases since the pandemic began. That brings the total number of
confirmed cases in Iraq to nearly 31,000 with at least 1100 deaths. And Iraqi football fans were also hit with the news that soccer legend Ahmed
Radhi died on Sunday, about a week after testing positive for COVID. He was only 56 years old.
Meanwhile, you can see here crews working to complete a new field hospital and Baghdad to handle this spike in cases that we'll be able to hold more
than 500 patients, as the country continues to have to deal with yet another crisis. Meanwhile, major airlines are getting serious about
enforcing mask requirements on flights, United and American have announced that passengers who don't wear a mask just simply won't be allowed to
board.
CNN's Pete Muntean has worn with the season of summer travel may hold.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: United Airlines is disinfecting everything, from check-in to tray tables here at its Dulles hub, but it is
behind the scenes where you can see how much business airlines are losing.
[10:40:05]
MUNTEAN: We saw 26 jets in storage, only some of United's fleet that has been parked by this pandemic since March.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As the demand picks up, we have to be ready.
MUNTEAN: Brian Curr's maintenance crews are working on planes they only hope will fly again soon. The TSA says it is finally recorded days when
more than half a million people passed through security, but that is only a fraction of last summer when more than 2.5 million Americans flew each day.
Would you go fly right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I would definitely fly right now.
MUNTEAN: Hub manager Omar Idris is part of United's urgent push to get people flying again. Passengers must wear masks, board back to front, and
are given wipes. Employees get checked for fevers when they start a shift. They will keep working through September, thanks to strings attached to an
industry bailout. But after that, airlines are already forecasting furloughs and layoffs. Flight attendants, like Susannah Carr, need the
industry to recover.
SUSANNAH CARR, FLIGHT ATTENDANT, ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS: This is a very frightening time when we hear about the footprint of an airline
becoming smaller.
MUNTEAN: Airlines are keeping some seats empty for social distancing. Delta, for instance, is capping capacity at 60 percent. But airlines still
need to sell available seats. United says this flight to Chicago was only 30 percent full.
This is the first time we're seeing this cleaning process for ourselves. It takes about 10 minutes to completely spray down a 787 like this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's certainly a challenge, but it's one that we're all stepping up to.
MUNTEAN: There is a glimmer of hope. United says it will add flights in July and resume more than 140 routes. Delta is doing the same, along with
American. But starved for revenue, airlines need a quicker climb to reach smooth air.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of anxiety with our customers. There's a lot of anxiety with our employees in terms of aviation in general, but
we're confident that it will return.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI: Alright. Still ahead. New CNN polling reveals a major racial divisions in the U.K. We look at the findings coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Let's return now to those stark findings found in CNN's exclusive poll on racism in the UK. Our extensive polling conducted in England,
Scotland and Wales found that black people are twice as likely as white people to say there's discrimination in British policing media and
politics. In this example, twice as many say they've experienced disrespect from law enforcement.
Meanwhile, almost two thirds of black respondents believe the U.K. has not done enough to address historical racial injustice while more than half of
white respondents say that it has. It is National Windrush Day in the United Kingdom.
[10:45:00]
GORANI: It is named after the Empire Windrush ship that brought thousands of Caribbean families to Britain in 1948 to help rebuild the country
following World War II. But some members of the so-called Windrush generation were wrongly deported when they could not provide paperwork that
proved their right to remain in Britain resulting in major political scandal in 2018.
Stephen S. Thompson is the creator of Sitting in Limbo, a film based on accounts from his half-brother, a Jamaican born British man whose life was
turned upside down by that very scandal. Thompson joins me now from Southampton, England. Thanks for being with us. Could you please just
remind our viewers what happened to your brother and how that inspired your work Sitting in Limbo?
STEPHEN S. THOMPSON, CREATOR, SITTING IN LIMBO: Yes. So it's quite a convoluted story, so bear with me. He came to the U.K. in the mid-60s with
my mother and my other sibling, my oldest brother. And I've been here for 50 years since, I've never left the country. In 2016, he decided that he
won't go back to Jamaica to see my mom who had retired and gone back to the Caribbean. So, obviously he did a pass because he didn't have one of his
own.
At that point, he became entangled in the system of immigration who wanted to -- wanted him, sorry, to prove that he was a British citizen. He was
unable to do so and was subsequently detained by the Immigration Service.
GORANI: Yes. Even though he had the right to remain in the U.K., and this really led to a huge scandal in this country. Some members of the Windrush
generation were actually deported. How traumatic was this for not just your half-brother, but for your entire family?
THOMPSON: Yes. I mean, trauma is a strong word and an accurate word, and we're still dealing with the fallout of it. My mother, who was, you know,
she's getting on a bit and I was ailing at the time, couldn't understand it at all. I haven't spent most of her working life in the U.K., she worked
for the NHS, ironically. And it felt like a bit of an insult to her giving an orgy there contributed to the U.K.
The rest of us, all of whom, I would say consider ourselves to be British. If that were to happen to our brother that meant, of course it could happen
to any of us. Even though most of us were born here. So, it's quite traumatic. And for the first time in my life as a black Britain, I was
questioning the whole notion of what it means to be -- to be British and I'm still wrestling with that a little bit.
GORANI: So, for the first time in your life as a black Britain, you're saying this made you question your -- what did it make you question
exactly?
THOMPSON: Well, you know, the flimsiness of this this idea of British identity what does it actually mean, does it mean if you have a passport
you're British? Does it mean if you're white, you're British? Does it mean if you were born here you're British? Does it mean as in the case of my
brother who came here in the 60s and spent 15 years of his life here, paid his taxes, paid his national insurance, made his contribution based his
family does it mean that he's British?
Who gets to decide? And if it's the toss of a coin, then, you know, how easy would it be for myself and my other siblings to be removed if the
government of the day -- of the day so (INAUDIBLE)
GORANI: That's a very interesting way to put it the flimsiness of just the sense of belonging and identity and very few things hurt as much as having
your identity questioned and not knowing where you belong of not feeling necessarily accepted by the collective and your work Sitting in Limbo was
turned into a film, aired on British television and the release was delayed because of coronavirus restrictions. And one of the things you said was
that that was kind of a blessing in disguise. Why?
THOMPSON: Well, quite rightly, the pandemic was front and center of people's consciousness. I mean, we were -- we were afraid for our lives.
And, you know, governments around the world were scrambling to try to put systems in place to protect us. Some have succeeded, and some haven't done
so well. I mean --
GORANI: Segment? Have you?
THOMPSON: Sorry.
GORANI: No. Go ahead, Stephen. Sorry. Apologies.
THOMPSON: I was saying that we've been quite rightly trying to protect ourselves. So, anything else, including, you know, the story of the
Windrush scandal was shoved off the news agenda. But of course, it's -- in the context of the U.K. it's a very big story. And deserves its own level
of attention. You know, we were -- we were concern that it wouldn't get that level of attention amidst the coronavirus.
[10:50:11]
THOMPSON: So, in a strange way, an accident of timing it's managed to find its moment in the -- in the news agenda.
GORANI: I just want to run a quick clip there of the film, Stephen.
THOMPSON: Okay.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't believe a word I say. They decided I'm a liar. They want me to be a liar.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Come and sit down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They even trying to say that my (INAUDIBLE) it's like having to beg to stay in my own country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GORANI: What response Have you gotten from this?
THOMPSON: Oh, it's been overwhelming, overwhelmingly positive as well. The vast majority of people who've seen it have said and been in contact to say
that this drama has really brought it home, the full impact of what the scandal meant. Obviously, as a news story, it's powerful. But until you see
the effect its had on ordinary people, it's difficult to really comprehend. So the vast majority of the responses have been, I would say, one of
gratitude for showing the real effects that it's having.
Both on the community itself, so those who have actually suffered, and people that my brother and the wider community so the black community, the
Windrush generation and beyond into wider U.K. demographics.
GORANI: Thanks so much for joining us, Stephen S. Thompson. And Sitting in Limbo is available on the BBC iPlayer for people watching us around the
world who are interested in seeing that. Thanks so much for joining us.
Next, more of our conversation about racism and the role athletes like Lewis Hamilton are playing trying to force change.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GORANI: Prominent athletes are playing a bigger role in the Black Lives Matter movement globally, and few have a bigger reach than the Formula One
star Lewis Hamilton. Don Riddel, and tell us more about that. Don?
DON RIDDELL, CNN WORLD SPORT CORRESPONDENT: Thanks very much. You know, the Mercedes drivers won six world titles and will be remembered as one of the
greatest races. If not the greatest in the history of the sport but he says that he doesn't want to be remembered just for his titles in recent weeks.
Hamilton has become increasingly outspoken about this moment of racial or awakening.
He's criticized his own sport for not being more inclusive. He marched in London over the weekend, and he's partnered up with the Royal Academy of
Engineering to create the Hamilton Commission whose mission is to break down the institutional barriers that have kept Formula One so exclusive.
Lewis Hamilton, Bubba Wallace Raheem Sterling and many other footballers in Europe and now joining the protest movement began by Colin Kaepernick,
LeBron James and others in the United States several years ago.
And the power of their voices simply cannot be underestimated. How contributed Darren Lewis has more perspective on this. Darren, you and I
have talked at length about the European football players, especially those in the Premier League who've really found their voices in the last 12
months or so. Now, Lewis Hamilton has a lot to say. How much will his involvement move the needle do you think?
DARREN LEWIS, CNN WORD SPORT CONTRIBUTOR: Massively done. I think as far as Lewis Hamilton is concerned. First of all, what he does is highlight many
of the statistics that have come up in the CNN report in relation to the disparity between different demographics and highlights just how difficult
life is for black people in the U.K. And he is one of a number of sports, as you rightly say, to stand up and be counted on the issue.
What he's done is set up a diversity commission. He says that Formula One aren't doing enough to develop young black men to give them the positions
that their talents deserve. So he has decided himself to take the bull by the horns exactly what the footballers have done in trying to reverse
government policy on the one hand, but also using their platforms that commercial power to change life for black men, as well as black sportsmen,
as well as black coaches, as well as black administrators done in the sport of football.
RIDDELL: You know, we've seen what football players have had to deal with over the years and it's still not going away with the racism that they
experienced in the stadium. We've now seen Bubba Wallace in the United States having a news left in the vicinity of his garage because he has
spoken out. And he's called, for example, for the Confederate flag to be banned at NASCAR races.
For so long black or minority athletes were reluctant to speak up because of how it might have impacted their employment potential. But it now seems
as though the dam really has burst. Can we ever go back from this, Darren, do you think?
LEWIS: No, we can't. I think now that players have decided, and sportsmen competitors have decided that they're going to use their power, they going
to use their platforms, and because of the support that they are getting, not just from ordinary people, but like you and me, but also from big
business, the massive organizations that are putting their weight behind the sports and I don't think we can go back nor should we.
And we at CNN, we know how big our voices around the world. We too should be using that voice to be able to empower these young men to change the
world. I think as far as what has happened with the new situation, it reminds me very much you know of an incident a few years back when a
footballer here in the U.K. Anton Ferdinand spoke out about rape being racially abused and he received a bullet in the post.
That chilly and I think for a lot of people, it will be what they are up against, but we have to stand alongside them and ensure that they can
continue to work as they should do in safety.
RIDDELL: Yes. Quite right. Well said, Darren. You know, Trent Alexander- Arnold wore Black Lives Matter boots to the weekend, he said on social media, we have to use our profile, the platforms we have and the spotlight
that shines on us to say it is time for meaningful change. Darren Lewis, thanks very much. Hala, back to you.
GORANI: All right, Don. Thanks very much. We'll see you next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
END
