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CNN Live Event/Special
Protestors Hope to Save Ten Commandments Monument
Aired August 25, 2003 - 19:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on, in Montgomery, Alabama, supporters of the Ten Commandments monument in the state's judicial building, well, they are turning to a federal judge to block the stone monument's removal from the building's rotunda.
Meantime, a tug of war continues between supporters and critics of the 5,300-pound slab of stone.
Our David Mattingly is in the thick of it, has been all day -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, we're approaching five full days now since that federal deadline passed. And if you walk up these steps and go inside the building, you'll find that monument to the Ten Commandments still sitting in the rotunda, just where Justice Roy Moore put it a couple of years ago.
But there is something new out here I want to call your attention to. This metal barricade up here at the top of the stairs was erected by building management. They were worried about security for the building. We have some video to show you of it being put up.
They were also worried about safety of the demonstrators outside. They felt that if someone manages to break the glass doors for whatever reason, then someone could be seriously injured.
Now there are no indications that anything but peaceful protests that are planned when and wherever they decide to move that monument. Justice Roy Moore came out earlier this afternoon, talking to a very enthusiastic crowd of supporters, letting them know once again he has no intentions of backing down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTICE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA SUPREME COURT: Today I stand before the court of the judiciary not because I've done anything wrong. not because I've violated any law, because I've taken money, none of those things. I stand before the court of the judiciary because I've done my oath. I've kept my oath.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: In the meantime, everyone still doing just as they have done for almost a week now, staying outside, waiting and watching, wondering when anyone might attempt to move that monument and wondering where they might move it to, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. David Mattingly, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 25, 2003 - 19:03 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Moving on, in Montgomery, Alabama, supporters of the Ten Commandments monument in the state's judicial building, well, they are turning to a federal judge to block the stone monument's removal from the building's rotunda.
Meantime, a tug of war continues between supporters and critics of the 5,300-pound slab of stone.
Our David Mattingly is in the thick of it, has been all day -- David.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, we're approaching five full days now since that federal deadline passed. And if you walk up these steps and go inside the building, you'll find that monument to the Ten Commandments still sitting in the rotunda, just where Justice Roy Moore put it a couple of years ago.
But there is something new out here I want to call your attention to. This metal barricade up here at the top of the stairs was erected by building management. They were worried about security for the building. We have some video to show you of it being put up.
They were also worried about safety of the demonstrators outside. They felt that if someone manages to break the glass doors for whatever reason, then someone could be seriously injured.
Now there are no indications that anything but peaceful protests that are planned when and wherever they decide to move that monument. Justice Roy Moore came out earlier this afternoon, talking to a very enthusiastic crowd of supporters, letting them know once again he has no intentions of backing down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUSTICE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA SUPREME COURT: Today I stand before the court of the judiciary not because I've done anything wrong. not because I've violated any law, because I've taken money, none of those things. I stand before the court of the judiciary because I've done my oath. I've kept my oath.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: In the meantime, everyone still doing just as they have done for almost a week now, staying outside, waiting and watching, wondering when anyone might attempt to move that monument and wondering where they might move it to, Anderson.
COOPER: All right. David Mattingly, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
