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Some Suspects Fled to Taiwanese Embassy; At Least 70 Killed in Hospital Fire in Iraq; Departing U.S. General: Military Sides Must Make Peace; Soldiers Deployed in the Streets As Looting Spreads; Some Calling Out Politicians Like Priti Patel Who Did Not Speak Out Earlier; Outrage Over Racist Abuse Directed at England Players. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired July 13, 2021 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live from CNN London. This is "Connect the World" with Becky Anderson.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNNI HOST: Warm welcome back. This hour the assassin hung in Haiti continues with the arrest of a new suspect deepening the mystery.
I'm Becky Anderson. Hello and welcome to "Connect the World".
That suspect a Florida based doctor who police in Haiti say had designs on becoming Haiti's President, they allege Christian Emmanuel Sanon recruited
the man who kills Jovenel Moise at the presidential residence and CNN has learned several of the suspects worked as informants for U.S. law
enforcement.
Now police say the suspects were originally tasked with providing security for Sanon before their mission changed more than 20 are in custody. Most of
them are Colombian nationals, the others are Haitian American.
Well, CNN has exclusive new details of the events that happened from just after the assassination to the point where police captured or killed most
of the suspects Matt Rivers now with a timeline of how this plots unfolded, and eventually unraveled?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Gunfire echoing through Port- au-Prince after the president was assassinated. Then just 36 hours after group of more than two dozen Colombians and two Haitian Americans allegedly
killed the president. Most would either be detained or declared dead.
This is how that happened, according to a source with knowledge of the operation to track them down. Nighttime video from around the time of the
president's death quickly went viral, where you can hear a suspect claiming there was a DEA operation on going.
Later a convoy of five cars can be seen leaving the area with ease, but down the road, a trap was being set. As the convoy traveled down Kenscoff
road a roadblock was ready. Heavily armed security forces would not let them pass without a fight.
Arriving and seeing they couldn't go any further the convoy stops, part of which you can see here. Our source says the suspects jumped out and saw
this building across the road. They raced toward it immediately taking the stairs to the second floor.
RIVERS (on camera): It's in this building that these alleged mercenaries will begin defending themselves. But at the same moment they're coming in
here according to our source, Haitian security forces are making a crucial decision. They know that these alleged attackers have limited food, water,
ammunition, and no power. So they essentially decide to wait them out.
RIVERS (voice over): About 12 hours later after baking in 90 plus degree Haitian heat authorities throws tear gas in front of the building. It's
enough to force negotiations and the Colombians inside eventually send out four people, including this man, one of two Haitian Americans who
authorities have detained.
He's joined by the other Haitian American and two Haitian hostages, a pair of police officers who were at the president's house.
RIVERS (on camera): According to our source at some point during the negotiations, a group of the Colombians still here come out of this
building and start heading up this hill on the backside of the building. And eventually they make their way to a seemingly strange destination.
RIVERS (voice over): Just about 100 meters up the hill from the building lies the Taiwan Embassy. Our source things the Colombians went there
because it wasn't an easy place for police to enter given its diplomatic immunity.
RIVERS (on camera): In order to get all the way here to the embassy though they had to walk through a pretty residential neighborhood. And according
to our source, someone tipped off authorities that this group of heavily armed men was here. When they arrived at the embassy they found a largely
empty building except for two security guards, whom they tied up.
RIVERS (voice over): Security forces quickly surrounded the embassy and then turn their attention back to the building below where they believed a
few suspects remain. It was time to go in.
[11:05:00]
RIVERS (voice over): A small assault team went in on the ground floor and were met with fierce fire that you can hear from the handful of Colombians
that were still inside. The hour long firefight, shattered windows, scarred concrete ceilings and walls. And in the end, the government says at least
three Colombians died in the fighting.
The next day with Taiwan's permission authorities went into the embassy. Our source says authorities checks CCTV cameras and found nearly a dozen
Colombians in a room who ended up giving up without more fighting nearly a half dozen still haven't been found.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Matt Rivers connecting us now from the Haitian Capital of Port- au-Prince. And what is the latest on this investigation? And Matt, this Florida resident who supposedly wants to become Haiti's President, what
more do we know about him?
RIVERS: Yes, so let's start there then, the 63 year old man Christian Emmanuel Sanon. He apparently was the one who recruited and organized this
group of mercenaries not only recruiting them, but also organizing them here on the island in the months leading up to this assassination.
He apparently according to authorities wanted to, "Capture the presidency" exactly what that means. They didn't say we don't know if he has legal
representation. We don't know what he has officially been charged with, if anything, but that is basically what we know about him.
Interestingly, another part of this is that my colleague, Evan Perez, in the United States, yesterday reported last night that several of the
suspects involved in this assassination, were also directly connected to U.S. law enforcement agencies as informants, including at least one who
worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The DEA actually confirming that and as you saw on the piece, Becky, during this assassination, one of the suspects says DEA operation, DEA operation,
the DEA acknowledge that they say they're aware of it, but said no one involved in this assassination was working on behalf of the DEA.
But still it just feels like the connections between the United States and what happened here in Haiti keep growing and growing and growing. And so
you're going to see the continued involvement of U.S. law enforcement agencies during the prosecution of these assailants. It's going to be
fascinating to see where this ends up.
ANDERSON: Yes, absolutely. Matt Rivers is on the ground for you in Haiti Matt thank you. Well, the Cuban Government clamping down on protests
roiling cities across that island nation. Rights groups, including - says at least 100 activist protesters and journalists have been arrested since
Sunday.
Well, these demonstrators are calling out their government over an ongoing severe shortage of food medicines, and an economy crippled by the COVID-19
pandemic. The Cuban regime accuses the U.S. of economic asphyxiation; passed harsh sanctions have been in place of course for years. But this is
not just about the economy anymore. CNN's Patrick Oppmann has this report from the Cuban Capital of Havana.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICK OPPMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The protests that swept across Cuba, the largest in decades, stun the communist run government and
quickly turned violent. Demonstrators pelted patrol cars with stones and police forcibly arrested scores of people.
Repression this woman told CNN, although we have here is repression. Counter protesters organized by the government tried to shut them down.
Some chanting that they are Fidel Castro, but Fidel Castro died in 2016 and his brother Raul retired in April.
Now the job of managing Cuba's worst crisis in a generation falls to their handpicked successor, Miguel Diaz-Canel, who called the protesters
criminals. They stone the police force damaged cars he said a behavior that's completely vulgar completely indecent.
Tensions have been building for months in Cuba over increased sanctions first imposed by the Trump Administration. The pandemic has further wounded
an already ailing economy. Cubans wait for hours in crowded lines each day to buy what little litter is as the number of COVID-19 cases surge.
OPPMANN (on camera): Cuba's food crisis appears to be getting worse and worse as the pandemic goes on longer and longer. The people here said they
didn't want to be waiting hours in these lines. But they feel the choice they have is run the risk of getting infected or going hungry.
OPPMANN (voice over): The Biden Administration warned the Cuban government not to crack down on the protesters.
JOE BIDEN, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We calm the government, government humidors refrain from violence their attempts to silence the
voice of the people of Cuba.
[11:10:00]
OPPMANN (voice over): But after a day of angry clashes that warning may have already fallen on deaf ears.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Patrick Oppmann reporting for you from Havana. Many leaders across England condemning the racism that was targeted at Euro 2020
footballers, in just a few minutes, I'll ask the Head of Football against racism in Europe where this outrage has been during countless other calls
to end discrimination.
Ahead of that the Pope offering condolences and the Iraqi Prime Minister is demanding arrests after a hospital fire took dozens of lives in Southern
Iraq. I'll be talking to the Editor-in-Chief of the National which is based in Abu Dhabi.
Taliban accused of brazen killings in Afghanistan, the disturbing video of an apparent execution and what the Taliban are saying about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson for you. It is 13 minutes past four here in London. Fury raging
through Iraq's corridors of power after a deadly fire swept through an Iraqi COVID ward.
For the second time in just a few months, at least 70 people didn't stand a chance Monday night, trapped by flames from what are thought to be
exploding oxygen tanks at the Al-Hussein in the Southeastern City of Nasiriya where hospitals' Director and the Head of the Regional Civil
Defense have been suspended and detained after the prime minister held an emergency meeting a short time ago.
And Iraq's President speaking out blaming the tragedy on "Corruption and mismanagement", well Pope Francis sending a message of condolence to all
those touched by the fire. And of course, those touched by the fire are regular Iraqis.
Let's bring in Mina Al-Oraibi Editor-in-Chief of the national a daily newspaper based out of Abu Dhabi, this shows regular home city in the UAE
of course. Mina, it's good to have you. Reports say the fire began in an oxygen tank when it exploded. You've got sources on the ground. What are
they telling you about how this happened?
MINA AL-ORAIBI, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, THE NATIONAL: Well, we've had our reporter Head of Hussein. They're also on the ground that we've been speaking to
people in Iraq. It seems that there were three oxygen tanks that burst. And it seems like many of Iraq's hospitals this was neglected as a hospital.
There were no sprinklers. There were no fire alarms. There was no chance for any of those poor victims to survive. The death toll at the moment is
standing at about 92 and we know dozens more are wounded and they will be suffering for many years to come. What's incredible is as you said we had a
fire in Ibn al-Khatib Hospital in Baghdad only in April.
[11:15:00]
ORAIBI: At the time the prime minister said there would be an investigation within a week. He's promised this thing today and investigation within a
week, and yet very little actually happens after these investigations. And so the reporting--
ANDERSON: Where is buck stop here? Yes, that's the big question, isn't it? The Iraqi President has said today corruption, mismanagement is to blame.
And he's called on those responsible to be held accountable. You've just mentioned the fact that the prime minister, you know, he called for an
investigation the last time this happened.
We do not need to point out that much of Iraq's healthcare system is in complete disarray. After years of conflict and financial mismanagement,
that pandemic, only making matters worse. Who should be held responsible here? Where does the buck stop?
ORAIBI: Becky, the buck stops at the very top as far as I'm concerned. You know, I believe that on this program, we've discussed Iraq many times.
We've said that we have a reformist government. We've tried to give them the benefit of the doubt.
But frankly, there's no excusing this, especially since what happened in April, exactly the same thing, a COVID isolation ward, with oxygen tanks
without any safety measures. Surely after April, we would have checked every single hospital has, at the very least sprinklers, fire
extinguishers, something to safeguard these people for the same thing to happen again, in less than six months, the buck stops at the very top.
Then the Minister of Health was fired. How does that help anyone to make people go home? No accountability, even if they're arrested, we've seen the
Iraq time and again, people get arrested a few weeks later; they're released quietly so nobody actually gets held accountable.
At the end of the day, it's the political system. It's the corruption. You politely call it financial mismanagement. It's beyond that. It's criminal
negligence, amount of money that Iraq has. Iraq is not a poor country. There is no reason for this. Everybody's on the ground.
The World Health Organization's on the ground, the UN is on the ground. They're all saying this, and everyone's keeping quiet. So as far as I'm
concerned, everyone's held liable, particularly the government. You have the Head of Parliament - sending out a tweet saying this is unacceptable.
Where was Parliament putting in the legislation saying that there are health and safety regulations to safeguard people's lives? They're too busy
talking about what women should wear or shouldn't wear. They're too busy talking about which public holiday they can get benefits from? Where's
Parliament?
ANDERSON: How does that culpability get translated into justice, Mina?
ORAIBI: There are multiple ways. The first is those who were responsible for the welfare of these patients, from the Hospital Director to the
Ministry of Health, all have to be arrested and have to get the right punishment, frankly.
But secondly, who's responsible for the Ministry of Health? What political party there should be questions? They should not be given the
responsibility for public health, or for that matter, any other public services, we know which political parties demand having certain ministries
in order to have influence, and they know they are money making machines.
The Minister of Health particularly has been incredibly politicized, because it brings in so much money and power. So frankly, that is another
route that can be taken. Thirdly, there has to be a surveillance of every single hospital and clinic to go in and make sure that they have the basic
needs, for functioning hospital facilities.
That should be everything from the Ministry of Planning, to the Ministry of Health, to the local authorities, we have local authorities, you know, one
of the things that we were promised after 2003, with the great political system that was brought in after 2003 was that there would be
decentralization, and each governance would be responsible for many of these functions.
And yet local politics is all about who can stuff more money into their pockets? You know, Becky, I'm really emotional. You know, I usually don't
talk like this. But it's because it is unfathomable that this can happen again after only a few weeks from the last tragedy.
The last tragedy over 80 people was killed. Now we're talking over 90 people and dozens of wounded who will not even have a hospital to go to be
taken care of. And so the anger that you're hearing in my voice the anger that you're feeling on the streets of Baghdad and Iraqis all over actually
the whole world.
You know, you're talking about this, the world is talking about this, because it's unbelievable that an isolation ward where people are supposed
to act--
ANDERSON: Yes Mina, and it's interesting that you are pointing out the anger in your voice. I know you well, I mean, it's very rare to see you
quite this emotional and rightly so.
[11:20:00]
ANDERSON: I fully understand why it is that you feel so outraged by what we are seeing happening on the ground. And we have seen situations sadly like
this happen not just in Iraq, Jordan, for example, another example where a hospital explosion killed nearly 10 people Lebanon as well, of course
currently in the throes of an economic calamity there.
What we are seeing here all symptoms aren't they of a much wider disease, which is ineffective and poor governance.
ORAIBI: Becky, you're right. I mean, we cannot undermine the fact that or undercut the fact that COVID-19 has overwhelmed healthcare systems around
the world. This crisis has impacted healthcare systems around the world, but the difference is in certain countries, you have governance and
accountability, and then they rectify the situation.
And Lebanon, we see a crumbling state, not only a crumbling healthcare system, and of course, Iraq we've discussed. In Jordan, what happened is
that the oxygen actually ran out and an assault, oxygen ran out, and people were dying simply out to the lack of oxygen.
And so here you have incompetence, and you have negligence. And the difference is, is important that negligence is the sort of thing that comes
about without a sense of accountability. There's impunity. And to be fair to the Jordanians, it was a one off incident, it was really quickly
managed.
But in Lebanon and Iraq, you have militias that have infiltrated the state that are not held responsible, that largely ruled by gun, their stronghold
be Hezbollah be it other militias inside of Iraq, that have infiltrated governance and able to wield power because they are strong by the gun, and
they shouldn't be ruling.
They shouldn't be political parties, these are armed groups. And so the failure of the state is due to that reality in addition, of course, to
corruption, weak constitution. And what's really frustrating in both Iraq and Lebanon, is that we have been sold this idea that there are elections,
these are elected officials. They're not elected officials. The ballot boxes are put in--
ANDERSON: That is Mina Al-Oraibi. Let's just see whether we can get her back, can we get her back? Sounds like and she is back. Sorry, we just lost
you as you were sort of in full flow there. But it was - it's important that we just get you back. And I just want to sort of close this out.
You were talking about the militia that have infiltrated the system, that you know, had described as this system that was set up effectively, you
know, post 2003 to manage things which clearly it hasn't worked. And the U.S.'s involvement not just in Iraq, but in other parts of the region is so
often blamed for the situation that exists today.
And there are so many people you and I could go on a talking about those who are culpable. But I did just want to mark one thing with you because it
was only last week that marked the one year anniversary since Hisham al- Hashimi was assassinated a year of sustained attacks on activists and anti- militia voices in Iraq.
And I know that you and I talked about marking that anniversary Mina and we've just it sounds like we've just missed her again. But I did want to
just put a marker down on the anniversary of Hisham al-Hashimi's death, which is an important one and so speaks to the story on the ground in Iraq
Mina Al-Oraibi good friend of the show important words from her.
Well, America launched two of its biggest wars in Iraq, and in Afghanistan, of course, and in Afghanistan, another sign the U.S. withdrawal is nearing
its conclusion. General Austin Scott Miller, the top U.S. General there transferred his command to another American General at a ceremony in Kabul
on Monday, bellicose doubts on the prospects of peace being reached at the negotiating table. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. AUSTIN SCOTT MILLER, FORMER COMMADNER, U.S. FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN: One of the U.S. military officers who's had the opportunity to speak with the
Taliban and I've told them I said it's important that the military sides set the conditions for a peaceful and political settlement in Afghanistan.
We can all see the violence that's taking place across the country. But we know that with that violence that would very difficult to achieve is a
political settlement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:25:00]
ANDERSON: Well, the Afghan National Security Adviser is vowing "There will be no takeover by the Taliban. But the Taliban continue to take more
territory advancing into areas they previously left alone. And now we are seeing evidence of brutal tactics Taliban fighters are using on Afghan
soldiers.
My colleague Anna Coren shows us video of an apparent Taliban execution. I'm just going to give you a moment here if you want to look away because I
have to warn you that Anna's report does contain some graphic images.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After over two hours of heavy fighting, all ammunition spent Afghan commandos walk out with hands in the
air. Surrender commandos to render yells a Taliban member. But the rules of war don't exist on this battlefield.
Seconds later, more than a dozen members of the elite Special Forces have been executed. The Red Cross confirmed the bodies of 22 commandos were
retrieved. A village of pleads with the Taliban to stop shooting, asking how will you Pashto and you're killing Afghans?
CNN has spoken to five eyewitnesses to this massacre, which occurred last month in Dawlatabad a district of Faryab Province in Northern Afghanistan.
All confirmed these events took place. The commander has called for air and ground support but none came says this local resident. Then they
surrendered.
Among the dead 32 year old Commando Sohrab Azimi, the son of a Retired Afghan General this born leader did his military training in the United
States and was due to marry his American Fiance next month. His father said Sohrab tried to call in air support during the attack, but it never came.
Anyone would be angry if that happened to their son he tells me. Why didn't they support the operation? And why did someone tell the Taliban they were
coming? Ever since the U.S. announced its withdrawal and embolden Taliban has launched offensives across the country.
The militants have gone to great lengths to show they're accepting the surrender of Afghan troops, but that - is contradicted by the commando
executions. A week before the massacre this video was taken of Afghan Special Forces in the same district attempting a clearing operation.
When that mission proved unsuccessful Sohrab's unit was called in. The Taliban said when foreigners leave; they will stop fighting and make peace.
How long will they continue killing our brothers in this country?
Eyewitnesses say they did not understand the language spoken by the militants. Evidence the fighters weren't local or that some may have come
from outside Afghanistan. And just last week, the Red Cross says it collected at least two dozen more bodies of Afghan commandos from Faryab
the result of new fighting.
U.S. President Biden says he believes in the capability of the Afghan forces despite the mass casualties, but when U.S. train soldiers like the
commandos are dying in such high numbers, many people in this traumatized country are questioning if the military can defeat the Taliban on its own.
These young Afghan warriors stretched thin and dying at an alarming rate. And now the last line of national defense. Without U.S. troops' support or
intelligence they alone are fighting for this country's survival.
COREN (on camera): We reached out to the Taliban for comment and they said the footage was fake, fabricated and government propaganda but from the
eyewitnesses we have spoken to in the vision that we have seen this is Taliban at trying to cover up war crimes.
In other developments we've been speaking to local journalists in areas now under controlled by the Taliban. They say that notices have gone up
ordering women to stay inside. They are not allowed to go outside without a male chaperone and are being threatened with punishment a chilling sign
that this group is just the same as it was back in 2001.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Anna Coren reporting for you. Still ahead, how numbered police get some helpers - vandalize businesses across South Africa. More on what
is sparking unrest in several cities. This weekend's Euro 2020 final triggered racist outburst in England, just ahead we'll look at how culture,
social, and media - social media and lawmakers are all under scrutiny for long failing to muzzle this dangerous and despicable hate speech.
[11:30:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has deployed troops to help contain widespread looting across his country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT: I address you this evening South Africans with a heavy heart. Over the past few days and nights have been
acts of public violence of a kind rarely seen in the history of our democracy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Just take a look at some of the chaos police outnumbered as people run from a mall after it was vandalized. Protests erupted days ago
after the jailing of the Former South African President Jacob Zuma. At least 30 people have been killed more than 700 have been arrested.
Let's get to David McKenzie, who is in the midst of well, certainly where the chaos has been in Johannesburg. David, what can you tell us?
DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Becky, that presidential address was an attempt to restore calm but the morning after we were at a mall in
the weather where people were just looting with impunity, no police to be seen.
And it's been a very long day in South Africa from that scene earlier today to the moments of the military being deployed onto the streets in Soweto
here in Johannesburg in parts of KwaZulu-Natal province to try and restore order.
But frankly, they stretched thin a few moments ago the police minister told local media that they need to now prepare against any looting or chaos.
Well, the - you know the horse has bolted on that one.
Many, many businesses warehouses export facilities have just been completely destroyed and looted even just individual business owner like
this man I spoke to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAHMAN, SOWETO SHOP OWNER: Right now we have - we're going to stay, what am I going to eat? What am I doing? We don't know anything really. We lose
everything.
MCKENZIE (on camera): How do you feel about what's happening?
RAHMAN: This is very painful. And I don't know what can I say about that? This is not our fault. I don't know what happened. The government we don't
know but this is not our fault. We didn't do anything. We just lose like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
[11:35:00]
MCKENZIE: There have been an easing of tension summit here in Johannesburg, but looting right now is still going on in parts of the country. It remains
to be seen whether the government can handle and control what has been a very bad few days for this country. Becky?
ANDERSON: David, this is happening of course as South Africa battles with a harsh what is it third wave of COVID now where the government has been
forced to extend its lockdown. And Cyril Ramaphosa making this point this violence is only going to make things worse, correct?
MCKENZIE: Well, there are fears of super spreading events in terms of people just gathering and the general chaos in the country, I think another
important aspect. And this is a very good issue to rise.
Many vaccination sites in key cities have stopped operating in the last few days, just during the week where South Africa was due to ramp up its
vaccination campaign. There was sort of glimmer at the end of the tunnel on this terrible third way that we have been reporting on.
And has been racking particularly the province, where I'm sitting on now. I mean, I've spoken to doctors who have been unable to get to their
hospitals, working over the phone to deal with patients.
In some cases, this couldn't be worse timed. And in the midst of all of this, the supporters of Jacob Zuma, who, in some way, sparked off this
protest, if not responsible for the expansion of the looting have been standing by and if anything, arguably inciting more looting.
And so the political backdrop of this continues and it's a very dangerous period, I think, in South Africa. Becky?
ANDERSON: David McKenzie is in Johannesburg in South Africa. David, thank you. Let's say on the continent and take you back to 1985. 36 years ago,
the group "Status Quo" kicked off a lineup of rock and roll's elite for what was the "Live Aid" concert to benefit Ethiopian famine relief.
Bands took to the stage in London at Philadelphia and millions watched around the world, Phil Collins performed on both continents. Event raised
more than $125 million. It was organized by Singer Bob Geldof. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB GELDOF, LIVE AID CONCERT ORGANIZER: Every senseless death in the world, the most senseless death in the world, the surface of starvation and
because it defies human morality and human logic, every death becomes an insult to humanity. I mean, of course one sees the pictures, of course you
cry and despair and rage and I don't understand that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: More than three decades later, the need for food in Ethiopia once again is unrelenting. The United Nations is warning another famine may be
imminent. Thousands of World Food Program trucks arrived in the war torn region of Tigray this week.
The trucks transported 900 metric tons of food and other emergency supplies, but the WFP says that is only a fraction of what is urgently
needed in Ethiopia today. Well, messages of love and support for an England football star who has been under fire just ahead in sport and beyond,
what's behind this racist hatred aimed at black athletes like Marcus Rashford.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
ANDERSON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just called on social media giants to tackle racist abuse. Now this comes after the extraordinary
hate aimed at Black football players after Sunday's England loss in the Euro 2020 finals in the hometown of England Forward Marcus Rashford many
locals are being openly supportive.
They've covered up the racist graffiti on a huge mural of Rashford and added hearts and messages of solidarity. In a statement Marcus Rashford
thanking them fans for the kind messages and said "I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty, which he missed was not good
enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologize for who I am and where I come from."
The communities that always wrapped their arms around me continue to hold me up. I'm Marcus Rashford, 23-years-old, black man from Withington and
Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that."
Some of the powerful and privileged in England now say they are disgusted by this overt racism. Now many wonder where these voices have been through
years of grassroots efforts to expose racism and inequality. CNN's Salma Abdelaziz kicks off this part of the show with this deeper look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALMA ABDELAZIZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What began as a joyous night for English football fans ended with a whimper as their team lost the
Euro 2020 final, the match came down to penalties. Three star players Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka missed the mark.
The heartbroken squad braced for impact, anger and grief was inevitable. And with it came a racist backlash from some with bigots blaming the trio
for England's lost and using the player's bad fortune yet again as a license for hatred.
Vile comments flooded the athletes social media accounts 19 year old soccer bearing some of the worst of it. In Manchester Rashford hometown vandals
defaced a mural of him with profane graffiti. It was quickly covered up.
Their teammates quickly took to social media on Monday to make clear they stood as one. Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke out to.
BORIS JOHNSON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: And to those who have been directing racist abuse at some of the players, I said shame on you. And I hope you
will crawl back under the rock from which you emerged.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): But many are calling out the hypocrisy. Campaigners say the government has long fueled a defensive backlash against the Black
Lives Matter movement. Earlier in the tournament, the Home Secretary refused to criticize fans who booed players for taking a knee for racial
equality.
PRITI PATEL, BRITISH HOME SECRETARY: God just supports you know, people participating in you know that type of gesture politics - right outcomes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So the England fans are right to boo?
PATEL: Well, that's a choice for them, quite frankly.
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): And a report commissioned by Johnson's government last year claimed there was no evidence of institutional racism in the UK.
That was condemned by the UN as normalizing white supremacy.
England's team manager Gareth Southgate and his players entered into this moment of racial reckoning, advocating for a more inclusive and tolerant
form of English nationalism. It drew fire.
GARETH SOUTHGATE, ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM MANAGER: For some of them to be abused is unforgiveable, really, I mean, we can't control that. We can only
set the example that we believe we should and represent the country in the way that we feel you should when you're representing England.
[11:45:00]
ABDELAZIZ (voice over): England lost the game, but Southgate and his team will keep fighting for a fairer, more equal England. Salma Abdelaziz, CNN,
London.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: My next Guest Piara Powar is Executive Director of the group "FARE" Football against Racism in Europe. He has worked years to try and
muzzle hate speech. And that's what this is. Its hate speech aimed at black players.
And he's been trying to change the culture that creates it. And so let's talk about that. Let's talk about that culture. Let's start there, that
culture that creates it. We heard Priti Patel who is the Home Secretary in the UK, refusing to call out English fans for booing players taking the
knee she says she's not up for what she described as gesture politics.
Boris Johnson has spoken out on the issue and yet a UK report last year found that there was no institutional racism. Let's draw a line under
what's going here as far as the politics are concerned. Is this is a government and a political establishment that is emboldening racism in
England and the UK at present?
PIARA POWAR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FOOTBALL AGAINST RACISM IN EUROPE: Yes, hi, thanks for having me on. I think that's the question actually that
we're grappling with at the moment.
How far is the government culpable in creating and allowing this culture to flourish, whereby we have three individuals who have, by all accounts at a
heroic month, taken England as far as they have in 55 years in any footballing competition and yet are racially abused online?
I think the issue that we all see is that we have a government that has, if you like, is up is up ending the consensus that we've had on racial
equality in this country for some time, it's been developing over a long period of time.
And this government seems to want to; to play it out in terms of cultural rules and seem also then to be signaling to a sexual electorate, where they
think that will play well, so Priti Patel's comments feed into that directly Boris Johnson's previous comments where he's been accused though
of making - comments against people of African heritage of Muslim women, so there's quite a record here.
And I think one of the reasons why we had such a ferocious backlash against their comments, their sympathetic comments in the last 24 hours is that
people just won't accept the signs that have been presented.
The government that has been fiercely against the consensus has been developed in terms of the need to tackle racism and now is jumping on a
bandwagon when they see it fit.
ANDERSON: Got it. OK. Let's talk about social media, because that is off times where this despicable vile racism is, is posted. UK ministers wrote a
draft online safety bill in May, which they say will help social media companies stamp out online abuse through tougher regulations, will it and
how does that compare to what you are seeing in other countries, for example, Germany and in other places across Europe?
POWAR: Yes, I think we're very much facing this sort of balance really between free speech. And in the U.S. you know, we see a lot of athletes, I
saw a survey I think, two weeks ago where LeBron James came out as the most abused athletes on social media globally.
But LeBron James doesn't often talk about it because of the framing of the debate in the U.S. is very much in the context of free speech, the First
Amendment. Here in Europe, we are focused more on the need to tackle hate speech.
And I think that's the context in which the government here is finally moving. The German government introduced some legislation two or three
years ago, which has been very effective.
And it's been effective because it throws the onus onto the social media platforms and heavily finds them up to 15 million Euros per posting, if
they do not take down those, those postings are saying - postings in a very quick timeframe.
And that's the sort of action we think, that is needed from the social media companies. But we also recognize that that's not going to happen on a
voluntary basis. The social media companies have a very long time to deal with this stuff and have refused to do so.
No, they have the technical capability. We know that there's businesses that are monetizing predictive technology that they could quite easily deal
with these sort of incidents, predict them understand what's happening in the world around them.
See the intent of somebody who's using a monkey emoji for example, another that can very rarely be a good intent if it's related to again. So there's
a lot to be done.
[11:50:00]
ANDERSON: And I think I want to talk to you about these, these you know, getting more, you know, the off time seasons are predictable. And so how
can we use that prediction to do more in the fight against racism.
Before we just talked about that the Football Association soccer's governing body in England, what is the government to criminalize online
harassment rather than simply putting the onus on social media companies with tougher regulations as it were? Is that what needs to happen now to
protect these players?
POWAR: What you know, one of the - we did a survey, look at close to 5000 tweets that were around football and informed by homophobia, sexism and
racism in August 2020. And these tweets really are coming from across the world. So there is a question of jurisdiction here.
All of the - on social media are those three players who miss penalties did not just come from the UK. The chances are also that they're in some kind
of bot involvement, that, you know, there may even be regimes out there organizations who are putting this stuff out there in order to take the
public debate in a certain direction.
So without sounding paranoid, I think the picture is quite complicated. As I understand it, criminal law already is sufficient in dealing with these
individuals if they're caught and we can quite catch them through their IPs.
I think the bigger issue that we all see is the lack of action by the social media companies who have sat down for too long, that's the real.
Because you know, even if you began to break down, the individuals knew that you have, say, 50 individuals from the UK.
It takes a lot of policing time to track them down to make the arrest and then prosecute them through the system. It would be far better to stop them
doing that a source if you like and putting that person out there in the first place.
ANDERSON: Yes and a very good point. And it's also very interesting to hear you say that this isn't just coming from the UK. And we know that social
media is a power for bad as well as good and clearly some malice of forethought in some of these, you know, in some of these postings, you
know, for intention to really move a narrative is there as well.
I just want to focus on the players. Finally, Marcus Rashford, of course, was one of the three targeted along with Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka. He
wrote in a statement yesterday, this and I'm just going to bring it up on the screen for you now if I can.
You work with both UEFA and FIFA as part of the anti-discrimination network. You talked about predictability here. Should they have seen this
racism coming and put in better preventative measures? We're talking about how important is that the social media companies are not just across this,
but are almost in front of this.
What about the associations, those that hold themselves in, you know, in high regard, they would hope by those that play the game?
POWAR: Listen, I would say that we have been working with both of those organizations right around FIFA to prevent all forms of discrimination as
they occur in a stadium, because that's manageable. You know, one understands the action I take when understands how it develops, how to spot
it.
The problem comes is when something is on the internet, it's far more; it's far more difficult to control. And it's difficult, I think for those bodies
to control what people are doing as they're sitting at home watching the match.
ANDERSON: Yes.
POWAR: I could contribute a little bit more. But that would just be through messaging. And there's plenty of that type of messaging, that campaigning
messaging out there already, quite frankly, people haven't got that message through this tournament.
Then they don't want to listen to it. And if people haven't got the message, if they're in the UK hadn't seen the way in which this team has is
beginning to reshape the sort of national identity of this country making it far more inclusive, then I think those individuals never will.
So the question prosecutes and it keeps coming back to the platforms and the need for government regulation to force them to take action. You know,
Twitter yesterday said that they had closed down 1000 accounts, which are good; it's the furthest they've ever gone in giving information about the
actions that they've taken.
But we don't know where those accounts were; whoever being run by what else they found around those accounts, in order to make the football
authorities, you know, give them information in order to sort of do the prevention work that they need to do. This is tough.
ANDERSON: We're going to leave it there. But this - yes, I'm going to have to wind this up because we are at the back end of the show. But let's talk
again because this isn't going away and nor is the show going to stop talking about it until, you know, let's hope we're not the only show that's
doing it by any stretch of the imagination.
[11:55:00]
ANDERSON: My colleagues at World Sport have been working really hard, in conjunction with so many others to try and ensure that we can kick racism
out of this game.
And you know, just out of society as a whole, of course, but if we can start on the football field and when these football stadiums and that would
help the online stuff, as you rightly point out is where you know, we really need to focus. Thank you for that. And we'll have you back.
And it's just in to CNN the death toll in Monday night surrenders, Iraqi hospital fire now stands at 92. After flames swept through an Iraqi COVID
war, the victims were trapped by what official say was a fire. It caused by exploding oxygen tanks at the Al-Hussein in the Southeastern City of
Nasiriya.
My guests early - call it criminal negligence. And it is, quite frankly hard to disagree with that. But folks, the world aren't always bad news. I
know it can feel like that. So before we go, I do want to pause for some of what we call our more joyful moments as we close out our show today.
Dubai set another world record this time with the world's deepest pool divers can explore an underwater Sunken City, including arcade and
apartment and even a library beneath the surface. At 60 meters deep the facility called Deep Dive Dubai can hold the equivalent of six Olympic
sized swimming pools.
Now if this sounds up your street or up your waterway as it were. It's open to the public for booking from the end of July. In the UK, and nearly
extinct baby Beaver has been born in the region of Exmoor for the first time in 400 years finally caught on camera, this little fella known as a
kid is only six weeks old.
My mum would be pleased that I knew that that was a kid. It was spotted swimming with its mum at a National Trust estate in Somerset the baby's
parents to adult Eurasian Beavers were reintroduced back in 2020.
Species had previously been hunted to extinction but are now playing a vital role in flood management and restoring habitat. So with one more
addition to the family, it can only mean more hands on deck for their important work.
And here is something you definitely don't see every day a fish skydives. Well, that's certainly what it looks like at least. Thousands of fish were
dropped from a plane into lakes in the U.S. State of Utah to repopulate those lakes with marine life and due to the remote nature of the lakes
releasing the fish by air is actually more effective and safer.
And by road up to 35,000 young fish called fingerlings. Can we release at once and have a high survival rates - according to wildlife officials. And
since we're on this animal theme, let's go from small fish to big fish.
Believe it or not, these are goldfish they were found in a Minnesota lake and unsurprisingly have caused quite a splash online. The city of
Burnsville is urging people not to dump their pet fish into ponds and lakes saying they grow well "bigger" than you think and contribute to poor water
quality by mucking up the bottom sediments and uprooting plants.
Wow, just look at the size of those. Thank you for joining us today. Stay safe and well. I'll hand you over to my colleague Eleni Giokos with "One
World" which tonight is live from Dubai. That is out next.
END
