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There Are Now 40 Million Recorded Cases; Protesters Face Police At Prague Anti-Lockdown Rally; Czech Republic Sees Record Number Of New Cases. Aired 10-11a ET
Aired October 19, 2020 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[10:00:34]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The world past 40 million confirmed cases. 40 million.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Europe is in the midst of a second wave of coronavirus cases.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Czech Republic has more new cases per million people than any other major country on Earth.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An extraordinary act of defiance from the mayor of Manchester.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Imagine having to negotiate these restrictions town by town, city by city while the virus spreads through the population.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number of new cases is erupting in Italy, and the peak of this wave is far off.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Records being shattered across Europe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN Abu Dhabi, this is CONNECT THE WORLD with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Tonight, the big number, 40 million recorded cases. That's right, 14 million. Our global disaster gets
worse by the day. And it's no coincidence that our complacency is growing amid the pandemic too. They go hand in hand, don't they look we get it.
It's draining. It's exhausting. It's exasperating. We all feel the same way. You could almost suggest that this virus preys on our sense of fatigue
and confusion spreading to infect even more people.
So, just when we get tired and feel like we are flailing, it it seems is just limbering up. Like we know the facts we need to socially distance, we
need to wash our hands and wear a mask. That is how we combat this plague. Let's start in Europe for you this hour. Early on the Czech Republic seemed
to be getting that message in a big way. The masks were on and the virus was under control.
But now it looks like this. Protesters with pandemic fatigue, facing police in Prague on Sunday showing their fury over the latest set of restrictions
and there was hardly a mask inside. Even though the Czech Republic is now recording the most confirmed coronavirus cases in Europe by country mile.
And that is really shocking because less than two months ago, the Czech Prime Minister was calling his country among the best in COVID. So how did
it all go so wrong?
CNN's Scott McLean is just next door in Germany. Let's get to him. He's live for you in Berlin tonight. Scott, we are going to get to Italy, and
indeed to the U.K. in Manchester, as we travel across Europe this hour. But we are coming to first because of the situation in Prague, we have been
showing videos of these protests. Do help us understand exactly what has been going on and what's the situation now.
SCOTT MCLEAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Becky. So, the first wave of the coronavirus was difficult for people in every country but especially
burdensome for those in the Czech Republic. Not only did they have to deal with lockdown and travel restrictions, but they also had to wear a mask
anytime they left the house. The strategy was pretty unusual at the time, but it seemed to pay off. Checks didn't see mass casualties.
They didn't see overflowing hospitals and so you might forgive them for thinking well, this virus isn't that big of a deal. Since then, though,
well, the virus has made a big comeback. You saw those pictures from over the weekend. The protesters clashing with police, no social distancing,
very few masks. The real question here though, is how does Czech Republic go from being the envy of Europe to having more new per capita cases of the
virus than any other country on Earth?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCLEAN: In this Prague ICU the sickest coronavirus patients are treated by staff in full hazmat suits. Some are hooked up to ventilators, others
placed face down. For now, there is still a bed for everyone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (SUBTITLE): We have other back up beds prepared in other departments in case the capacity exceeds our current possibilities.
MCLEAN: The government is also building a temporary field hospital it expects to need in just weeks. The Czech Republic has more new cases per
million people than any other major country on earth. This is technically the second wave of infection. The first was barely a blip on the radar
after the government moved quickly to close borders and implement the lockdown. Just like many other countries.
What set the Czech Republic apart?
PETR LUDWIG, DATA SCIENTIST: We were the first country in Europe with the mandate for masks from the government.
[10:05:05]
MCLEAN: In mid-March, months before the WHO was recommending masks, Czech data scientist, Petr Ludwig, read the scientific evidence supporting masks
and made this video to explain why he was convinced they were the answer.
LUDWIG (SUBTITLE): More importantly, masks protect you from spreading COVID-19.
MCLEAN: The video went viral and a few days later, the populist Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babis, made masks mandatory everywhere outside the home.
With medical masks still scarce, Czechs started sowing. The mask mandate was unpopular but wildly effective. By late June Prague threw a party to
mark the end of the pandemic. Dr. Roman Prymula is the newly appointed health minister.
Do you think you maybe did a victory lap a little bit too soon?
ROMAN PRYMULA, CZECH HEALTH MINISTER: That's true because we had many experts, and those were not epidemiologists, not virologists but they were
arguing that, OK, the disease is there but it's very mild. So, they tried to push politicians just to skip out of strict countermeasures.
MCLEAN: With almost no restrictions the number of cases started to slowly bounce back in late summer. The top government epidemiologists called on
the prime minister to reinstate the mask mandate.
Why do you think the prime minister said no?
LUDWIG: I think it was because we had an election. After the election they started to push some harder rules again but it was much too late because we
already had an exponential growth.
MCLEAN: The government close schools and bars but the same strict mask rule so effective in the spring still hasn't been fully reinstated.
You don't think a mandatory mask mandate would have prevented you being in the situation that you are in right now?
PRYMULA: I think just now we have a mandate for protective masks but indoor. There is discussion if to introduce it outdoor as well. But it's
not only wearing a mask, it's an issue of other countermeasures, and particularly social contact. This is the reason why the situation is still
not under control.
LUDWIG: I think that one of the main causes is really populism. During the first wave they were convinced that people want masks, so they pushed
masks. Now they are convinced that people don't want to wear a mask, so they are against it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: All right. Scott, that's the story in what was -- one of the countries that got it right, but then took its foot off the pedal too
early. And look, we get that, people are fed up with restrictions be that a mask, or indeed a mandatory regional or nationwide lockdown. And that is
the dilemma that so many countries are facing at present. What's the story in Germany?
MCLEAN: Yes, Becky. So the number of cases in Germany continues to rise. Obviously, with really no slowdown in sight. The Chancellor Angela Merkel
has tried to bring in a series of new restrictions to get things under control. This weekend, though she was really pleading with people in this
country to follow the rules to follow the restrictions. The issue is that Germany's strategy in combating the virus is really relying heavily on
testing, contact tracing and isolating people.
The problem is, the kind of numbers that they're seeing right now really makes it difficult for that team of contact tracers to actually keep up.
And so, these restrictions come -- become that much more important. The issue though, is, well, some of those restrictions like the bars closing at
11:00 p.m. and any virus hotspots, including here in Berlin, well, they're getting challenged in the court and on Friday, at least in this city. Well,
that was overturned, Becky?
ANDERSON: Scott McLean is in Berlin for you. We are connecting you across Europe this hour as it's the most affected region on Earth at present. I
haven't been protest quite like Prague's on the streets of England, for example. But there's been an extraordinary revolt that is essentially a
northern rebellion. Take a look at this sign in Manchester from the council over one of the busiest parts of the country.
Act now to avoid a national lockdown, it tells people. That says the local leaders there still refusing to accept orders from down south in London,
orders that would put tight controls on who can go out when and where. A source telling CNN though ideal could be reached within hours. Connecting
all of that is our CNN's Salma Abdelaziz who is live for us in Manchester. And it's not for now to say would say up north, all this sum.
A number 10 warning that the city's intensive care units could be overwhelmed in just a matter of weeks. What do the people of Manchester
make of all of this and how does it compare to the mood for example that we've just seen out in the Czech Republic?
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN REPORTER: Well, here Becky has you've pointed out in the Czech Republic it's people facing off with the police.
[10:10:03]
ABDELAZIZ: Here it's regional leaders facing off with the central government. Now, there has always been tensions between the north of the
country and the south. But after months of controversy over Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of this coronavirus pandemic, people are fed up.
They feel that the central government in London particularly the ruling class that they see as elite is disconnected from those who are doing
ordinary working jobs.
The mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has really positioned himself as the leader of the common man, the working man, and he says that this is
not just about the spread of the virus. He says people's health is bigger than that. And he's now involved in a bitter dispute with Prime Minister
Boris Johnson over increasing the coronavirus alert levels of the city. Take a look at how this debate has played out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: After an extraordinary act of defiance from the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
ANDY BURNHAM, GREATER MANCHESTER MAYOR: We have unanimously opposed the government's plans for tier three. They are flawed and unfair.
ABDELAZIZ: The city faced an ultimatum from Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: If agreement cannot be reached, I will need to intervene.
ABDELAZIZ: Downing Street implemented a three tier COVID alert system to curb a second wave of coronavirus cases. Not abiding by these new measures,
the government says means more people will die. Afzal Khan, a member of parliament from Manchester says it's the Prime Minister, not the mayor who
is putting lives at risk.
AFZAL KHAN, BRITISH LABOR M.P.: I'm disappointed. I think they've been incompetent. I've never seen anything like this from the British
government.
ABDELAZIZ: So why won't you just implement tier three restrictions as the government has requested?
KHAN: Of course it's going to help but it will not be what we need. We need more. I think that's my first concern. And second point is the impact
economically will be huge.
ABDELAZIZ: Take a look around me, this shopping district is absolutely packed. And that's what this debate is about. Even under the country's
highest level restrictions, pubs and bars would be shut down. Households would be banned from mixing together but this would still be allowed.
That's why some including the country scientific advisors say a nationwide lockdown is needed.
A lockdown would also come with more financial support to help businesses survive. Pub owner Tim Flynn says if he closed under the current system, he
may never be able to reopen again.
TIM FLYNN, PUB OWNER: A local lockdown will not do. It I have no problem with the sharp two-week, three-week lockdown but this local lockdown will
not do it. And the packages they're offering the businesses is only peanuts.
ABDELAZIZ: Do you support the mayor and him --
FLYNN: I do support Andy Burnham 110 percent.
ABDELAZIZ : He is not alone. On the streets of Manchester, it is hard to find support for the prime minister.
ABDELAZIZ: We are asking whether you support the mayor or the prime minister on coronavirus restrictions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the mayor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The mayor. I'm on the mayor's side, definitely. Yes, I'm siding with the mayor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, the mayor, yes.
ABDELAZIZ: What's your opinion of prime minister Boris Johnson?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't say it on TV.
ABDELAZIZ: And while the government holds drawn out negotiations, infections continue to multiply.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ABDELAZIZ: Now as you mentioned, Becky, the ICU capacity of Greater Manchester could run out in just a matter of weeks. We have had a
breakthrough though today the mayor of Greater Manchester has said that he's held constructive talks with senior officials. We've also heard from
one member of Boris Johnson's government that the city will be offered a larger financial package for businesses that will be affected under these
tier three restrictions.
But ultimately, this does not quell the rebellion against the Prime Minister, you still have the scientific advisors calling for a nationwide
lockdown, you still have each region and autonomous area trying to act on its own. Let me give you just one example. Wales will be essentially going
into a complete shutdown. Of course, that is in opposition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's strategy of a region by region approach, Becky.
ANDERSON: Yeah. I'm going to cover Wales in the show in the next hour. Thank you for that. So, we've gone from protests in Prague to revolt in
Manchester and now to a sense of weary resignation in Italy, what was once the hardest hit the country in the region, then in called break but for now
for the past five days in a row at least it has hit new records again for daily infections. That leaves us with a familiar message from the Italian
Prime Minister.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIUSEPPE CONTE, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER (through translator): That is hitting not just Italy but the whole of Europe. We cannot waste time. We
have to act using all the possible measures to avoid a new total lockdown. The country cannot afford a new stop that would end up seriously harming
our economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, connecting us to this is Ben Wedeman who is in Naples. One of the hardest hit areas in Italy. And Ben, you've been watching us go from
to Manchester, help us understand what is going on where you are and how it compares and contrasts to what is going on elsewhere and how decisions are
being made.
[10:15:14]
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: What we're seeing, Becky, here is that people are resigned to the fact that a second wave of
coronavirus is well underway, but by and large there is an understanding that measures needs to be taken to try to at least slow down this second
wave. And as you heard the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte saying they do want to avoid the kind of lockdown that went on for more than two months
here.
It did succeed in slowing down the first wave but certainly now everything is different. Sort of if you start crunching the numbers, essentially, the
conclusion you come to is that what we learned in the first wave, we're going to have to unlearn and the second wave because so many of the
contributing factors are different. And so, really the people here, nobody is complaining about wearing masks in public, which is now mandatory. The
attitude is really we're just going to have to keep calm and carry on.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: Italy is well into the second wave of coronavirus though it's not immediately apparent in Naples, the capital of the Campagna region, which
has one of the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
Infectious disease specialist, Alessandro Perrella, says it's not just about the numbers.
ALESSANDRO PERRELLA, INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST: We have an increasing number of positive people. Positive. Not an increasing number of patients.
It's very different.
WEDEMAN: What's different is the testing. Earlier this year only those showing COVID-like symptoms were tested, now everyone can do it.
The majority of people who prove positive are asymptomatic, isolating until recovery.
The number of people in intensive care now approximately a fifth of what it was before.
Day after day, Italy is reporting record increases in the number of new coronavirus cases. But at the same time, Italy is testing like never before
at this hospital here in Naples. Seven days a week, at least 1,000 tests are conducted quickly and for free.
Five times as many tests are being conducted now than at the height of the first wave in March. A once unwieldy process now routine.
How long was the wait? Half an hour, says Abramo.
When will you receive the result? I ask. The whole family did it. Tomorrow morning we'll get a message with the results by phone, he says.
There's no air of panic but there is concern.
We're not worried, says Valentina. What worries us is not being able to work.
The number of new cases is erupting in Italy and the peak of this wave is far off.
Better prepared this time, Italy is still bracing for a long, hard winter.
Ben Wedeman. CNN, Naples.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WEDEMAN: And Becky, I spent a lot of time crunching the numbers here in Italy. And it certainly is completely different than what we saw before.
For instance, as of yesterday, there were 126,237 active cases, that's more than 20,000, then the peak of the first wave. But the death toll yesterday,
the daily death toll was 69. We're still in double digits. Whereas, before on the 29th of March, when the number of active cases was lower, you had a
daily death toll at its peak of 969.
So, really, testing is making a huge difference in allowing the authorities to figure out where there are pockets of new outbreaks. But the problem is
we're really -- we're not even into winter yet. The weather here in Naples is lovely today, but wait until it starts to get cold and rainy. You're
going to have a lot more cases. And unfortunately, a lot more deaths. Becky?
ANDERSON: Yes. Ben, you're making a really good point. And it's very true that more testing may reveal more cases. It is important though to point
out is the increase of new cases of COVID infection for people who need ICU support that is worrying governments across Europe and you make a very good
point about just how much worse things can be as the weather comes in Southern Europe. Thank you for that.
We'll be sticking with showing you how people are feeling this hour just minutes from now. I'm going to speak to Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol who is a
French mayor who opposes the new curfews in France.
[10:20:09]
ANDERSON: And the next hour will speak to the First Minister of Wales, just after it declared a two-week lockdown. One of these circuit breaker
lockdowns. So, what's the bottom line here? Follow the advice is the bottom line. Don't give up. You want an example? Well, this isn't archive footage.
This is New Zealand after following the guidelines and crushing the virus. People out and about, again, Europe isn't a world away -- is a better way
to do things.
And I'll explain more, a little bit later on. Well, thanks for joining us here on CONNECT THE WORLD from Abu Dhabi. Of course in the UAE this hour,
Palestinian Liberation organizations, chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat is in critical condition. The latest on his battle with COVID-19 is ahead.
And Donald Trump pulling out the tricks of his trade that got him elected four years ago, but Will that work in 2020? We're going to have a look at
that as well. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: In the last few hours the world past 40 million confirmed cases of coronavirus. That's right. That is where we are now. And America has
more of those cases than anywhere else. Even as Europe catches up very fast. This is the former head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says
his country is at the beginning of the biggest wave yet.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT GOTTLIEB, FORMER COMMISSIONER OF FOOD AND DRUGS: Difficult situation heading into the Fall. I think the only way -- the only caveat is in terms
of us being better prepared for this wave is that we have dramatically improved clinical care in hospitals. I think we're going to have better
outcomes overall. But we're still going to have a lot of death and disease between now and the end of the year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: One of the country's top infectious disease expert, a man whose name you will know very well by now. Dr. Anthony Fauci says we are not on
the road out of this. We'll hear more from him in a moment. I want to show you this graph that does back up what he says. The U.S. now averages more
than 56,000 new cases per day. That is up more than 60 percent since mid- September.
And the U.S. map shows that cases are spiking in more than half of the states in the United States. Many of those are where President Donald Trump
is holding huge rallies, no social distancing and very few masks. Dr. Fauci says it is no surprise that indeed Mr. Trump got COVID himself.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He hasn't worn masks consistently.
ANTHONY FAUCI, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Yes. But --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pushed back against that. You said.
FAUCI: See, I think that's less than an anti-science than it's more a statement.
[10:25:04]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What kind of a statement?
FAUCI: You know, a statement of strength, like we're stronger we don't need -- we need a mask that kind of thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that --
FAUCI: Sometimes equates wearing a mask with weakness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does that make sense to you?
FAUCI: No, it doesn't. Of course not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Anthony Fauci. Rather than adapting to the fact that had. Many political experts say Mr. Trump is relying on his 2016 playbook being his
biggest hits like conspiracy theories and attacking political opponents. Casing point, demonizing Michigan's governor who federal prosecutors say
was the target of a kidnapping plot. Well, the Trump camp's response. He's just having a bit of fun.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARA TRUMP, DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADVISER: But this is -- he wasn't doing anything. I don't think to provoke people to threaten this woman at all. He
was having fun at a Trump rally. And quite frankly, there are bigger issues than this. Right now for everyday Americans people want to get the country
reopened. They want to get back to work.
RONNA MCDANIEL, CHAIR, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: The President and his FBI foiled this plot. And I think Governor Whitmer is really inappropriate
to try and lay blame at the president. These were sick individuals.
JASON MILLER, DONALD TRUMP SENIOR ADVISER: But the fact of the matter is people in Michigan want to get their state open back up, they feel that
it's been way too heavy of a hand, it's hurting their economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, the Biden campaign, taking nothing for granted. Don't forget, we are two weeks in change from November the 3rd of course. That is
the official day of the U.S. election. Biden warning supporters not to become complacent in this final stretch. All as voters are turning out and
record numbers in states that allow early voting. More than 27 million ballots have now been cast. That's about a fifth of the total ballots cast
in 2016 in their entirety already.
Those long lines and record voter turnout may -- for one candidate may not necessarily determine who wins the race. In fact, Hillary Clinton got more
votes in the last presidential election. But she didn't win. So how does that all work out? Well, it all comes down, of course to the Electoral
College. Here is Mary Maloney for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY MOLONEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Americans do not vote directly for their president. I'm not talking about a government conspiracy. I'm talking about
the Electoral College, a system that has been around since the birth of our nation. What is the Electoral College? The Electoral College is not a
building or institution. It's just the name given to a designated group of people who cast each state's official votes for President. This group is
made up of 538 people.
Each state has a different number of electors based on their representatives in Congress. So, states like California and Texas have more
votes than states like North and South Dakota. The only exception the District of Columbia, which has three electors despite not having any
voting members in Congress. How does it work? Each party selects their own group of electors, each state that empowers the electors who represent the
candidate who won the most votes.
Except Nebraska and Maine where ward electors based on a combination of statewide results and districts one. The candidate who receives at least
270 Electoral College votes becomes the next president. What if there's a tie? If there is a tie or if somebody doesn't get to 270? The House of
Representatives appoints the president and the Senate chooses the vice president. Why does this system exist?
In short, the Electoral College was created as a compromise of several different proposals by the nation's founders. Critics say the system allows
candidates to become president, without necessarily securing a majority of voters' support. Advocates argue it ensures less populated states aren't
completely ignored. How are these people selected? The electors are chosen by their political parties in each state.
The only rule is that they cannot currently hold office. Can an elector ignore the popular vote? Yes, it's called a faithless elector, but it's
rare, and it has never affected the outcome of an election. Some states require formal pledges enforced by fines and possible jail time. But
historically speaking, members rarely depart from the will of the people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, that's how it works. We want to take a look at how the numbers then may play out on Election Day. And we're joined by CNN politics
senior writer, Harry Enten in the house for you. It's a pleasure. So, what do we know then about these early votes?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN POLITICS SENIOR WRITER: I mean, look, there are a lot of people casting ballots from sea to shining sea in this particular point. I
mean, we have a map here and it really just sort of tells you look right now we have 27 million people who have already cast ballots at this
particular point.
That is a very, very large number and you can compare that to four years ago and what you see is that there are about three times as many people who
have already cashed ballots so far than did four years ago at this point.
[10:30:09]
ENTEN: So there's a lot of enthusiasm so far among the American electorate to get out and vote.
ANDERSON: Right. OK. That's early votes. Do you expect that we will see a higher turnout in total this election?
ENTEN: Yes. One of the important things I always try and look at is not just the early votes, but how does it look in comparison to the polling
data. And what we know is that in the pre-election polls, what we see is that a larger percentage of voters say that they are certain to vote this
time around instead.
So, four years ago, at this point. 88 percent of registered voters in the CNN poll said that they were certain to vote in early October of this year
compared to just 83 percent. So the early vote is consistent with a larger voter turnout as compared to four years ago.
ANDERSON: And also, does that tell us anything about what will ultimately happen in this election.
ENTEN: I mean, look, no, probably not. We do know that the Donald Trump voters are much more likely to say they're going to vote on election day
than to vote early. So, I wouldn't necessarily subscribe or prescribe too much to the early vote in terms of the voter breakdown. All I could say at
this particular point is it does look like we're going to have larger voter turnout than four years ago.
ANDERSON: Yes, that's fascinating. Harry, I know that we -- you and I will be speaking in the days ahead. We are two weeks out on --
(CROSSTALK)
ENTEN: Sounds fantastic to me.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're with CONNECT THE WORLD. I'm Becky Anderson for you from Abu Dhabi. Massive crowds taking a stand in France despite a
skyrocketing coronavirus outbreak there. Rallies were held across the nation over the weekend to protest the horrific killing of a teacher near
Paris. He was beheaded after showing caricatures of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in his freedom of expression class.
With a number of coronavirus infections on a daily basis hit a new record over the weekend. In France but protesters did still turn out and forced to
fight what they see as another contagion. Violent extremism. Well, France is now cracking down on messages of support for the attack that were posted
on social media and investigators are going after dozens of nonprofit and other groups.
As Jim Bitterman reports, many protesters see the murder as an attack on core French values.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In a country that puts a high value on education, Friday's attack and beheading of a middle school
teacher has provoked a huge outpouring of grief.
[10:35:08]
BITTERMANN: In Paris and dozens of other cities, thousands gathered in tribute to Samuel Paty, the 47-year-old teacher who had conducted a class
discussion on freedom of expression centered around caricatures of the prophet Mohammed from the controversial satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo.
A discussion that became the focus of social media anger from Islamic fundamentalists.
France takes pride in Laicite, the secular nature of its institutions.
The brutal killing of Paty stirred memories of the other acts of Islamic terrorism that have occurred here.
But it raised questions too about whether Paty should have been better protected especially given the Internet threats teacher space.
ALBERTINE, SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER: It's a reality and nobody seems to take it seriously and our bosses do not protect us at all.
BITTERMANN: Still, police were not faulted in their response after the attack. As seen in this video, within minutes they had chased down the 18-
year old perpetrator and officers can clearly be heard in French ordering him to lay down his arms. And when he didn't police brought him down with a
volley of bullets.
More tributes including a national one on Wednesday are scheduled later this week with thousands of teachers expected to take part as they did
Sunday.
More than a million French are involved in the national education system here. It's viewed as a cornerstone to the country's principles of liberty,
equality and fraternity. Perhaps the reason the minister of education and others here have said that Friday's brutal murder was not just an attack on
a single teacher but on the French Republic itself.
Jim Bittermann. CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: We'll speak more about the killing in the battle with the coronavirus in France. We're joined by Nicolas Mayer-Rossignol who's the
mayor of the City of Rouen. And thank you for joining us. There have been, as Jim was reporting huge demonstrations over the weekend following that
beheading of a teacher who taught a class on freedom of expression. And what is the mood where you are sir?
NICOLAS MAYER-ROSSIGNOL, MAYOR OF ROUEN, FRANCE: Well, this is a terrible attack. And it's not just an attack of one single teacher in France, as
your agenda is to say it's an attack at the core of what actually the French Republic is. That is liberty, equality, fraternity, and what we say
in French, laicite, which means the ability to believe or not to believe and to live in East with different religions.
So, that's critical in France. And the problem is that many people are testing in showing machine in the streets, but we still have the virus
(INAUDIBLE)
ANDERSON: Yes, sure. And let's talk about that virus. Because as we showed these images of people protesting most people in those images, I have to
say we're wearing masks. What are your thoughts on the latest restrictions, this curfew that the national government has now brought into so many
cities across the country?
MAYER-ROSSIGNOL: Well, you know, I'm a local mayor of one of the cities cross, well, normally, we are very proud (INAUDIBLE) issues we have with
the Americans of course. And we know that we have to abide by the rules. I'm not a doctor, I cannot say whether the rules are good or bad and send
it to business. But when they are those who protect the people, the responsibility of the local politicians is to make the rules be
implemented.
So, that -- we are trying to do now. Now I'm not saying that it is easy because the rules imply especially the curfew that there will be -- there
is actually now economic damage, especially for certain sectors of our economy was that tourism, for instance. And (INAUDIBLE) effects as well.
And we know that we have to endure that for quite a few weeks important. So, it's not really the time for assessing the policy options, there will
be time assessing the policy options.
The current time is about action, is about unity, is about solidarity and about education action.
ANDERSON: Do you believe that the central government is doing enough in terms of fiscal support for local businesses in the areas where this curfew
is now in place? These are -- these are issues that so many parts of Europe are dealing with at present. In the U.K. for example, in Manchester, the
mayor of Manchester, really arguing the toss with central government about not restricting unless he is given more financial support, how are you
coping?
MAYER-ROSSIGNOL: Well, I mean, you need the two legs, you can have restrictions. But if you have strong restrictions, you must have strong
incentives and strong health on those areas of France, because as you know, the curfew is not imposed on the whole French director, it's only on about
one third of the population, 20 million or so. So, if you have strong restriction and you need left on help, at the moment, we do have some help.
I'm not going to argue about that.
But there are some specific sectors where help is desperately needed, especially the health sector to start, because obviously, the big
difference with the confinement period, like a few months, is that when it started in March a -- the whole health sector was, you know, you know,
fully mobilized and strongly committed to do everything they could (INAUDIBLE) and currently, they are just exhausted, so we need more help.
ANDERSON: This is the mayor of the City of Rouen speaking to us here on CNN. So, we appreciate your time. It is fascinating to hear how you are
coping and we do hope that things will improve in the days and weeks to come. Thank you for that. And new coronavirus lockdown will go into effect
in Wales. But it will be a different one? I'm going to speak to the Welsh First Minister, who will explain exactly what is going on in that country,
up next.
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ANDERSON: All right. Welcome back. We will talk to the world's first minister about his COVID decision making in hour two CONNECT THE WORLD.
That is through the top of this hour but before that we've got some sports news for you. Get a load of this. You are not looking at archive footage.
This is from this Sunday. You're looking at 46,000 fans pack together in Auckland as New Zealand beat the Aussies. And the fans didn't seem to mind
a bit. Incredible, huh?
It is possible to get scenes like this if you get your COVID-19 strategy right. Listen up, rest of the world. Let's get to World Sports Amanda
Davis. Amazing scenes. We want to see that again. How did the New Zealanders do it out of interest?
AMANDA DAVIS, CNN INTERNATONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes, I mean it's the stuff that dreams are made of. You know, for me sitting here in Europe, the idea
of being back in that scenario does seem a long way off, doesn't it? But it gives us hope, Becky, because it really is fantastic. 46,000 fans without
masks and I have to say you really felt the All Blacks wanted to put on a show for their fans, particularly in the second half, four tries to
Australia is one.
[10:45:04]
DAVIS: They did get the victory. The Australian fans maybe decided it would have been better to stay at home. but I think at the moment any of us would
give anything to be in that scenario, wouldn't we?
ANDERSON: Absolutely. I wouldn't say what I gave my right leg at least, it would be so good to be in a packed stadium of sports supporters. I'll be
staying tuned for more world sport. That is coming up with Amanda after this short break. I'll be back top of the hour for you.
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