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IAEA Team Arrives at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant; Lukoil Executive Dies after Falling from Hospital Window; U.K. Sending $17 Million Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan; U.N. Accuses China of "Serious" Human Rights Abuses against Uyghurs; Faceoff over Materials Seized from Mar-a-Lago; Mississippians Told to Shower with Closed Mouths; Street Racers a Nuisance in L.A. Aired 10-10:45a ET
Aired September 01, 2022 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[10:00:00]
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ELENI GIOKOS, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A team of international nuclear inspectors have arrived at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia
power plant. How much will they achieve? We are live in Kyiv.
Team Trump responds to the U.S. Justice Department's Mar-a-Lago search filing, doubling down on its demand for an independent review into
classified documents found in his Florida mansion.
And Serena Williams stands her fans again, turning her swan song performance into another thrilling victory.
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GIOKOS: I am Eleni Giokos, welcome to CONNECT THE WORLD, live from Abu Dhabi today.
Now a dangerous mission, finally underway. International nuclear inspectors are now inside the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, for what's the IAEA
calls an indispensable review of the plant's safety status.
It was not an easy or quick journey. Let's give you the details on. That the team was delayed several hours in Ukrainian territory and that is amid
reports of intense shelling in the city next to the Russian occupied plant.
Now Ukraine's nuclear operator says that Russian shelling forced the shutdown of one of the plant's two functioning reactors. Both sides have
accused the other of firing at the facility and around it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS (voice-over): I'll just show you this video of overnight shelling posted on social media.
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GIOKOS: Melissa Bell is tracking developments for us from Kyiv.
Melissa, good to see you. We heard Grossi explain how difficult it was to arrive in Zaporizhzhia. And it gives you perhaps some kind of sense or
clarity of the situation around the nuclear power plant. And they are basically on a strict timeline to be able to conduct this inspection.
MELISSA BELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is, right. The question of what this is going to be showing where this you're going to be able to, see Eleni. It
was difficult journey, not going to be easy, it was passing from Ukrainian held territory to the power plant in the hands of the Russians since March.
And when the day of the shelling around the plant it was the worst the town had seen since the occupation began in March. That is according to the
town's mayor. That gives you an idea of the risks that they took as they went.
The Ukrainian energy minister made plain once on the other side of that line, their security can no longer be assured by Ukrainians. And yet they
have done. It we expect that Rafael Grossi will be back in Zaporizhzhia city by tonight. Again this is according to the Ukrainian energy minister.
And leave a team behind. That is the plan.
We've also been hearing from the Russian side; Sergey Lavrov says that the inspection will be allowed to carry on. They will allow it to carry on in
the best possible conditions, showing them, Lavrov some of the damage done by Ukrainian shelling.
You get a sense that although they are, there although they will be able clearly to understand better what damage has been done, as you, say one of
the two remaining reactors that were functioning is now shut down as a result of that shelling, this morning.
And we also hearing from the nuclear power plant, the one that accompanied (INAUDIBLE) which is the Ukrainian, company saying that some of the power
lines were damaged as well.
So it is an extremely worrying situation in terms of the functioning of the Zaporizhzhia plant. They are going to able to inspect some of that. But you
have to remember, Eleni, this is a plant that is in Russian hands but still run by Ukrainians.
We have been speaking to some of those workers about what conditions are like for them in the plant, what they think inspectors are going to be able
to see. And what they speak of is a reign of terror that has gone over the last months.
They say they have been held like hostages and it is very difficult for them to carry out their duties and what they expect will happen is a lot of
the military equipment may still be there by the time they visit.
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BELL: But it is very difficult to see exactly what the inspectors will be given in terms of the workers. And what freedom they are going to have to
be able to speak to them about what has been going on and what kind of dangers they face day to day.
They have been speaking to them with extreme concern. These are after all people who know the dangers of the site they are functioning on. Clearly on
the facts that Rafael Grossi is there, a huge step forward. And we will have to wait to hear from Zaporizhzhia and more from him about exactly what
he has found.
GIOKOS: Yes. And those findings are going to be vital not only for Ukraine but also regionally as well. Melissa, thank you for breaking that down for
us.
Vladimir Putin has been paying his last respects to Mikhail Gorbachev. Earlier, the president laid flowers on the coffin of the last Soviet leader
who died at age 91. The Kremlin says Putin will not be at Gorbachev's funeral on Saturday.
Senior international correspondent Fred Pleitgen has more on this story, from Moscow, for us.
We saw those, images, Fred, of Vladimir Putin laying those flowers on the coffin and really impactful images. But he will not be attending the
funeral.
Do we know why?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You are, right he won't. You are also absolutely right, Eleni, to say those were very
impactful images. Certainly that the Kremlin wanted out there, which I think was very important for the Kremlin.
Vladimir Putin did go to the central clinical hospital where the open casket, Gorbachev's body, is currently lying in state there. He not only
lay down those, flowers but also had his moment of silence, touched the casket and bowed to it, then moved. On
We're hearing from the Kremlin the reason the Vladimir Putin will not be at the official farewell ceremony in the House of Unions in the Hall of
Columns, that is a very important place here in Central Moscow and next to the Duma, is simply Vladimir Putin's work schedule on the 3rd of September.
The press secretary saying that work schedule is very full. So Putin isn't going to make t. But there's been a little bit of, talk of, course Eleni,
as we've been moving about, on whether not there is going to be a state funeral. Obviously that is a big question here in Russia and also
internationally, some people have been asking as well.
What the Kremlin is saying is that there will be elements of a state funeral. There will be a guard of, honor. There will be a farewell
ceremony. And the state is going to help organize the farewell ceremony. It is not really clear how that would differ from a full-on state funeral.
But certainly there do seem to be differences there. Of, course Mikhail Gorbachev, after that ceremony, will be laid to rest at the Novodevichy
cemetery here in Moscow. Pretty much the second most important cemetery here in Russia.
Nikita Khrushchev also buried there as well, as well as Gorbachev's wife, Raisa, who, of course, he was very close, to loved very much until she
passed away in 1999. SO the Kremlin is saying it is not a full-on state funeral. There will be elements of a state funeral and Vladimir Putin will
not be able to attend.
Also today, by the way, after going there to the clinical hospital Vladimir Putin has already moved on to Leningrad, already at an event with school
students there, also the beginning of the school year here in Russia as well, Eleni.
GIOKOS: All, right Fred Pleitgen in Moscow, thank you so much.
In the meantime, Russian state news agency's report a Russian oil executive has died after falling out of a 6th floor hospital window. Ravil Maganov
chaired oil and gas giant Lukoil.
Now the country's second largest oil company called for a fast resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine. That was back in March. Anna Stewart is
following the story for us in London.
Peculiar news headline, this board, member this executive, falling out of a window.
What do we know about what the Russians are saying with regard to his death?
And importantly are we also looking at Lukoil's stance against the war of Russia in Ukraine?
ANNA STEWART, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's start with how the reporting of his death has been within Russia.
According to Russian state media we have a law enforcement official quoted as saying the business man most likely committed suicide. Tass quote a
source saying the man fell out of a 6th floor window and died as a result of his injuries.
Meanwhile, the company's statement from Lukoil simply says that he passed away following a severe illness with no mention of the fall.
Of course, though, this death raises questions. At least five other prominent Russian business men have reportedly died by suicide since late
January. And as you say, Lukoil particularly, a very high profile company, the second highest oil company in Russia, was really very publicly critical
of Russia's invasion of Ukraine back in March.
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STEWART: We can bring you the statement they released then from the board of directors. They said they express their deepest concerns about the
tragic events in Ukraine.
They called for the soonest termination of the armed conflict and expressed their sincere empathy for victims who were affected. They strongly
supported a lasting cease-fire and a settlement of problems through serious negotiations and diplomacy.
It is worth, noting actually, that the founder of CEO and a major shareholder of that company resigned the following month. And he was also
targeted by U.K. sanctions, which at the time reported that his position was somehow, you know, affecting the company's operations.
The following month in April, another Lukoil executive, also a member of the board died, under pretty mysterious circumstances as well. This was
Alexander Subbotin. According to state media Tass, he died from a heart attack in the home of a shaman where Jamaican voodoo rituals took place,
reportedly, according to this article.
He arrived there in a state of severe alcohol and drug intoxication. So another death and another mysterious death from a Russian business man. And
another one from this company, Lukoil.
GIOKOS: Mysterious circumstances, Anna Stewart, thank you so much.
And still to come, a long awaited and damning report about China and its treatment of Muslim minorities. A U.N. document says that China maybe
committing crimes against humanity.
Another major Chinese city is under lockdown. Is China's zero COVID, plan working or take a look?
Coming up.
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GIOKOS: Floodwaters have already wiped away entire villages. Pakistanis are worried about waterborne diseases since there's no clean water to
drink. Take a look at all the standing water.
Monsoon rains left people without shelter or food. The World Health Organization is helping, $10 million in emergency funds. Right now the U.K.
has stepped in with $17 million in humanitarian support.
Here to tell us all about this is Christian Turner, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan.
High Commissioner, thank you very much for joining us. You've seen some of the devastation firsthand.
What is your assessment of the situation?
CHRISTIAN TURNER, BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER TO PAKISTAN: It's absolutely heartbreaking the scenes we're all seeing. The scale of it is staggering.
We are still only really coming to terms with it.
About a third of the country is underwater, a scenario roughly about the size of the U.K. As you, say the immediate need is to get relief and rescue
for those who have lost their homes, their livelihoods. That's why today we've announced this money.
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TURNER: So $17 million U.S., that's over 10 percent of the U.N. flash appeal to provide urgent lifesaving support for the people of Pakistan.
GIOKOS: Let's talk about the $17 million in humanitarian support.
Where will this money go?
Is it going to go to the government to allocate?
Or are you going to be doing work on the ground?
TURNER: No, we coordinate very closely with the government of Pakistan, who are doing an extraordinary job of responding. The money will go in two
ways.
First of all it will go through the disasters emergency committee. It's the consortium of NGOs which announced their emergency appeal today and have a
good representation on the ground here in Pakistan.
That will be about 5 million pounds of the amount. The rest will be distributed. My team working closely with local NGOs on the ground here to
go directly to the people who need it most.
We are focusing on three areas in particular. The first is water and sanitation, the basic need of fresh water and food. The second is shelter,
not just tents but helping people repair their homes. And then health care, as you said, primary health care, especially for women and girls, who are
the most vulnerable in the situation.
GIOKOS: High Commissioner, a macro issue, here. Pakistan in terms of its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, very low. The U.K. has actually
been one of the biggest donators to the climate investment fund and committing a lot more to tending to the climate disaster.
Do you believe that the developed world is doing enough to assist emerging markets that are bearing the brunt of the climate catastrophe?
TURNER: I agree there is no doubt that this is a climate catastrophe. These sorts of extreme events which the climate scientists said would
happen only once every hundred years are much more frequent.
This is not a normal monsoon, it's much more extreme than that. That's why the U.K. is the president to the COP26 climate talks last year tried to get
people behind that. That why we have to think of climate change as central to our energy policy, our security policy.
And here, the $100 billion that was promised through Paris and at the Glasgow talks to be mobilized to help countries like Pakistan respond and
adapt to climate change becomes absolutely critical.
So as we focus on these urgent humanitarian needs, there's a much longer term question about how the world adapts and becomes resilient to these
sorts of disasters.
GIOKOS: High Commissioner, Christian Turner, thank you very much for joining us.
A damning new U.N. report is accusing China of serious human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. It goes so far as saying the
violations could amount to crimes against humanity.
Beijing denies that. They call it a farce and a political tool for the West. CNN's Anna Coren brings us details on the accusations and some of the
personal stories that back them up.
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ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tears for missing family, harrowing details of torture, of imprisonment and even death.
MEHRAY TAHER, WIFE OF MAN DETAINED IN XINJIANG: The next thing you know your husband is in a detention center and you can't even see him, you can't
even communicate with him.
COREN: Now a vindication of some of that pain suffered by Muslim minorities in China's West at the hands of the state apparatus.
Four years after stating its initial concerns, the United Nations has documented that abuses are occurring in Xinjiang and says China may have
committed crimes against humanity in its internment of some 1 million people in what Beijing calls vocational education training camps.
The damning report published minutes before U.N. Human Rights Chief Michelle Bachelet left her post, China vehemently opposed its release.
RAYHAN ASAT, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, UIGHUR ADVOCATE: Since World War II, this is the second time ever seeing a government, a powerful government
building massive and large scale concentration camps to collectively punish a population, for just being who they are.
China insists its camps are used to deradicalize religious extremists and that the facilities are closed, a claim the U.N. says it couldn't verify.
Its propaganda paints a picture of violent separatism in the Xinjiang region.
The U.N. says ultimately, China's anti-terror campaign has led to the large scale arbitrary deprivation of liberty, the liberty of people like Ekpar,
brother of New York human rights lawyer Rayhan Asat.
A successful entrepreneur, Ekpar traveled with a Chinese delegation to the U.S. in 2016 for a month long trip, even visiting CNN headquarters in
Atlanta.
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ASAT: It was in weeks returning from the United States he was forcibly disappeared by the Chinese government into the shadows of one of these
camps and it's been six years, four months and still counting.
COREN: China has kept the world away from its alleged crimes in Xinjiang. Bachelet herself was not allowed to speak to any Uyghurs in Xinjiang for
her report. But for years, rights groups and news organizations, including CNN have uncovered alleged abuses in Xinjiang, including sexual violence
and forced sterilization inside the Xinjiang camps.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: "Don't do this, don't do this," I cried. "Please don't do this."
COREN: Human rights group says the international community can no longer remain silent.
SOPHIE RICHARDSON, HUMAN RIGHST WATCH: The States should be going into the Human Rights Council thinking, armed with this report, what best can we do
to end violations in that region and find justice for the victims and survivors. That's what should be driving their next actions, not blowback
from Beijing.
COREN: Despite the mounting evidence, Beijing refers to the Human Rights allegations as the great lie of the century. It says the report is a farce
that the United Nations has succumb to a Western plot to discredit China.
The report itself accuses China of intimidating Uyghurs abroad, threatening those who are brave enough to speak out against the system they say is
designed to destroy them -- Anna Coren, CNN, Hong Kong.
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GIOKOS: The city of Chengdu in southwestern China is under a lockdown at this hour. This after 700 local COVID cases were reported. Now as part of
the zero COVID plan, the entire city of 21 million people must stay at home, except to be tested for COVID. Steven Jiang has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVEN JIANG, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER, BEIJING BUREAU: The latest lockdown is a stark reminder that the authorities here are doubling down under zero
COVID policy ahead of a major meeting for the ruling Communist Party, set in October, where the president is almost certain to have assume a third
term as the supreme leader.
The 21 million residents have been ordered to stay home starting Thursday evening through at least Sunday, except for taking a mandatory mass COVID
testing. Most businesses have also been ordered shut.
This is the biggest citywide lockdown in China since Shanghai, the country's financial hub, which emerged from a brutal lockdown in early
June. When Shanghai went into full lockdown mode in March, they were reporting thousands of new infections on a daily basis.
Chengdu on Wednesday, reported fewer tan 200 cases. It's clear that the strategy is not working well against the highly contagious Omicron variant.
But the authorities are sticking to their old playbook of mass testing, strict quarantine and extensive digital surveillance and contact tracing.
In spite of all of that, in the past 10 days new local cases have been recorded in all of China's 31 provinces and regions. All of this has been
crippling economic growth, with youth unemployment hitting a record high in July, reaching 20 percent nationwide.
This is also why a once supportive public has become frustrated and resentful of the policy. But the authority is insisting it's saving lives,
especially considering the low vaccination rate amongst the elderly population.
That's why the increasingly disillusioned public hope the policy will become more relaxed once the major Communist Party meeting is over. As of
now, the government has offered no timeline to relax, let alone abandon, their zero COVID policy -- Stephen Jiang, CNN, Beijing.
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GIOKOS: A high stakes hearing is set for the coming hours. Donald Trump's lawyers are expected to appear in a Florida courtroom, later. They'll argue
for what's called a special master, a third-party attorney. That's to review documents seized by the FBI at the former president's Mar-a-Lago
estate.
They claim it's no surprise agents found classified material. But the U.S. Justice Department takes a different view. It's accusing Trump of hiding
and moving documents to obstruct its investigation.
CNN's Kara Scannell will attend that hearing, she joins us live from West Palm Beach, Florida.
Fascinating developments, here.
What can we expect from this hearing?
KARA SCANNELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This hearing gets underway in the courthouse behind me in just under three hours.
[10:25:00]
SCANNELL: There the federal judge will hear arguments from both attorneys from Trump and the Justice Department. Trump's lawyers are asking for the
special master to review over 320 classified documents that were seized when the FBI searched Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
The Justice Department is saying they don't need a special master. They've already conducted a review using an FBI filter team. But Trump's lawyers
say that that team had unchecked discretion and they want an independent person to come in and review these materials.
The Justice Department is saying that this review has already taken place, that there is a limited sets of documents that have any kind of privilege
with them. They also make the point that these documents belong to the U.S. government, not to the former president.
He is asking the judge to not only appoint a special master but also to give him copies of the materials that were seized and to give them a copy
of this affidavit that has been filed, mostly redacted. But it gives the court rationale for why they executed that search warrant.
They can conclude a lot of information about this investigation. Trump wants to see a copy of that. The Justice Department opposes that as well.
So a few hours from now the judge will hear arguments. The judge was appointed by the former president in 2020.
She has said she is inclined to grant the request for a special master. But she'll hear arguments today. We'll see which side has persuaded her in
making this decision. Eleni.
GIOKOS: In the lead up to this narrative, some of these documents were declassified. But according to the documents we've seen, the word
declassified wasn't included in Trump's arguments.
Do we know why?
SCANNELL: Yes, that's right, Trump has been making the point that this is much ado about nothing because these classified documents, he said, he
declassified all of them. This investigation is because Trump took these documents with him to Mar-a-Lago.
The National Archives had discovered that they did not have a lot of materials. They've been going back and forth with him for more than a year.
After they received some documents, they referred the matter to the Justice Department.
That's why we're here today, because they are trying to understand if there was obstruction. They've said in this filing this week that they believe
that Trump's team may have obstructed this investigation by not turning over these records and that they are also looking into whether it was
illegal for him to maintain these records which have to be in secure facilities within the National Archives. Eleni.
GIOKOS: Kara Scannell, thank you so much.
Now constant shelling and sirens at Ukraine's second largest nuclear power station, as workers scramble to avert disaster at more than one nuclear
plant. We have a full report ahead.
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GIOKOS: Welcome back, I'm Eleni Giokos. You're watching CONNECT THE WORLD.
We are getting an idea, now, of just how long a critical U.N. mission to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power plant will last. A team of nuclear experts
from the International Atomic Energy Agency arrived at the Russian occupied plant a short time ago after traveling through a active war zone to reach
the facility.
Russian state media now quoting an official there, who says the team will be staying until Saturday. The plant has endured constant shelling,
including a reported attack today that forced one of the plant's two working reactors to shut down.
The experts aim to assess the security situation at the complex. But this isn't the only nuclear power plant under threat right now in Ukraine. Sam
Kiley has the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM KILEY, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ukraine's second-largest nuclear power station is under Russian missile threat, even
as warnings of a nuclear disaster are causing international horror at its largest plant.
KILEY: There's just been a dramatic air raid siren. Do you know what the threat was then?
POLOVYCH (through translator): Yes. We received information from the military that the air raid alert was for the danger of flying missiles by
aircraft.
KILEY: Can we carry on or do we have to go down again?
POLOVYCH (through translator): There are planes over Crimea with guided missiles on board. Nobody knows where they will fly.
POLOVYCH: Let's go.
KILEY: Down again?
So the directors just said that they've got information that aircraft have been seen in Crimea. They're in this oblast -- this province -- or heading
in this direction, so they pose an immediate threat.
This is something that happens several times a day. Very often, they say the sirens are almost back-to-back.
KILEY (voice-over): The director is told that the Russian aircraft crossing the Dnieper have fired missiles. Ukraine's military are tracking
them, trying to figure out if his nuclear power station is the target.
POLOVYCH: Welcome.
KILEY (voice-over): This monitor shows the background radiation remains normal. Working in this bunker has become a new normal for the teams
running the south Ukraine nuclear power plant. The maintenance of Ukraine's four power plants and 15 nuclear reactors is stressed.
POLOVYCH (through translator): Part of the factory that produced spare parts were bombed by Russian army. That is at the moment, there is nowhere
to make some types of spare parts.
KILEY (voice-over): And Russia has stored army trucks in Zaporizhzhia's turbine hall. It's identical to south Ukraine's turbine. Both use highly-
explosive nitrogen as a coolant. Fire here could be disastrous. And Russia is accused of shelling the plant, which it denies.
This man worked at Zaporizhzhia under Russian occupation but fled in June.
OLEKSANDR, EX-ZAPORIZHZHIA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT WORKER (through translator): The Russians shoot at the territory of the plant where the storage facility
for solid waste is. Where the dry storage facility for nuclear fuel is.
KILEY (voice-over): At least three Russian missiles have been recorded flying over the south Ukraine plant.
Back above ground, the director is amazed by Russia's threats to Ukraine's nuclear industry.
POLOVYCH (through translator): They were so smart they shelled the nuclear power plant. Either the military was not aware of the danger or they did it
on purpose.
KILEY (voice-over): But as this plant generates 10 percent of Ukraine's electricity and Zaporizhzhia up to 20 percent, there's no wonder that both
are such tempting targets -- Sam Kiley, CNN, in South Ukraine nuclear power plant.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GIOKOS: U.S. President Joe Biden is ordering federal assistance for the capital of Mississippi, which is desperate for water after a treatment
plant was damaged in recent flooding.
The governor says a new pump has been installed at the facility, which moves clean water to tanks around the city. But it has mechanical and
electrical issues and needs new parts.
Residents of the city of 150,000 are getting dirty water from those tanks. Jackson's mayor says he hopes clean water can be restored by the weekend.
But the governor warns of more interruptions.
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GOV. TATE REEVES (R-MS): I do want to be clear and set expectations that there will be future interruptions, including the one today.
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REEVES: They are not avoidable at this point and they will be as limited in time as we can possibly make them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GIOKOS: All right, the mayor of Flint, Michigan, says his heart goes out to the people of Jackson. Flint dealt with a water contamination crisis
when they switched water supplies to cut costs.
Let's get you up to speed on other stories on our radar.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabian authorities seized 47 million amphetamine pills in a record drug bust. The pills were hidden in a flower shipment at a
warehouse in the capital city of Riyadh. Six Syrian ad two Pakistani nationals were arrested on suspicion of drug smuggling.
The Palestinian health ministry says two Palestinian men have been killed in separate incidents during raids by Israeli forces. Israel says its
troops were in the West Bank conducting counterterrorism activities and they began shooting after coming under fire.
Hundreds of mourners held a funeral procession for one of the men killed, with some firing rounds in the air.
Also on our radar, to $1.4 billion and beyond, that's how much a new deal between SpaceX and NASA's now worth. The pair have agreed to extend their
partnership to cover five more astronaut launches to and from the International Space Station until 2030.
Now street racing can look fun in the movies but, in real life, it can be deadly. After the break, you'll meet a group of neighbors trying to stop
the deadly races.
And could she go all the way?
That's the big question. Serena Williams has another remarkable night at the U.S. Open. Details in our sports update.
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GIOKOS: Street races are literally tearing up the roads after movies like the fast and the furious (sic) glamorized it. However, the dangerous races
and showboating can have deadly consequences. Stephanie Elam met some neighbors who want to put the brakes on street racing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From around the globe --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In the "Fast and Furious" world, Bob's market is an icon.
ELAM (voice-over): -- "Fast and Furious" fans come to this Los Angeles neighborhood to take pictures in front of this shop, made famous by the
movie franchise.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are here in L.A. So I want to see the market and also the house from "Fast and Furious."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's nice, it's really great.
ELAM (voice-over): But the movies, known for their fast cars and daring stunts, have left their mark on this neighborhood in another way. The scars
of street racing and donuts mark the intersection where so-called takeovers similar to these have invaded the neighborhood.
[10:40:00]
BELA, ANGELENO HEIGHTS RESIDENT: UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're coming around, spinning around like crazy with their mufflers sounding like
explosions.
ELAM (voice-over): For the people who live here --
BELA: The smoke that it leaves behind, from the tires burning, it lingers. It doesn't go away.
ELAM (voice-over): It's more than a nuisance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You hear these screeches and you have to call the cops.
ELAM (voice-over): It's dangerous and illegal. Takeovers like these happening at all hours of the day.
BELA: You're putting our lives at risk, you're putting our neighborhood at risk. They don't stop at the stop signs anymore.
ELAM (voice-over): Across the country, drivers are taking over streets, racing, doing donuts and burnouts. Just in the last week, an entire block
was damaged by out of control cars in Des Moines.
Police in Salt Lake City arrested six people for illegally racing. Another blocked police from getting to a shooting in Portland, Oregon.
Chandler, Arizona, police said an illegal drag race left one driver dead.
Near Chicago, a pedestrian was struck and killed, a city alderman saying higher fines and impounding vehicles has little effect.
BYRON SIGCHO-LOPEZ, CHICAGO ALDERMAN: We've seen these incidents not stopping. Then they haven't stopped. If anything, they've gotten worse and
worse.
ELAM (voice-over): Rumble strips in Compton, California, did little to slow down the takeovers.
Fed-up residents in L.A. are taking to the streets in protest.
ANNA MARIE PIERSIMONI, WIDOW OF STREET RACING VICTIM: That's Larry (ph) and that's Laurie (ph).
ELAM (voice-over): Anna Marie Piersimoni is one of them. She lost Larry Brooks, her husband of more than 30 years, when he went out for some
exercise and never came home.
PIERSIMONI: The driver revved his car to 90, spun out, lost control and hit my husband and six other cars. My husband had 10 minutes to live after
that. It's called vehicular manslaughter. But it was murder.
ELAM (voice-over): She and others are calling for a disclaimer to be added to the "Fast and Furious" films, convinced they glamorize street racing.
Universal Pictures did not return our request for comment.
PIERSIMONI: I feel furious. Yes, there's another meaning to that word in the movie, "Fast and Furious."
LILI TRUJILLO PUCKETT, FOUNDER, STREET RACING KILLS: And you can go to jail, you can kill someone, you can injure yourself.
ELAM (voice-over): Lili Trujillo Puckett started the nonprofit, Street Racing Kills, after her 16 year-old daughter Valentina was killed in 2013.
Now she mentors street racers who've been punished by the courts.
PUCKETT: Your whole dreams and your life has gone away for 40 years. And you're going to have the other party telling you, this is what you took
away from us.
ELAM (voice-over): Her message not heard nearly enough, she says, lost in a haze of burning rubber and roaring engines -- Stephanie Elam, CNN, Los
Angeles.
(WORLD SPORT)
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