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PROTESTORS: Hey, hey, ho, ho, it's got to go.
KWAME HOLMAN: This morning protesters began to protest for the first
of the week's major demonstrations. Marchers from across the country
chose economic equality and an end to homelessness as the theme for
day one. Negotiations between protesters and the City of Philadelphia
had failed to produce an agreement that would allow a march down the
city's main north-south thoroughfare, Broad Street.
As things stood, police were prepared to arrest anyone who stepped
off the sidewalk. As they said they would, marchers attempted to enter
Broad Street and walk the three and a half miles to the First Union
Center, site of the Republican National Convention. In a surprising
response, Philadelphia police retreated.
PROTESTER: I thought that maybe they would let us go a few blocks and
then try to block it, but they really assisted all the way along with
traffic and everything else.
KWAME HOLMAN: But in fact, police let the march continue for more than
two miles, assisting with traffic control along the way. Activists like
Mary Ann Baker stayed focused on the message as she walked.
MARY ANN BAKER: We want to get the message across that there should
be universal health care for all. There should not be people living
on the streets, this is the richest country in the world. Why should
we have poor?
KWAME HOLMAN: Today's crowd was small compared to yesterday, when more
than 5,000 marched from downtown, along Benjamin Franklin Parkway, in
a city-approved demonstration. The theme was unity 2000, as demonstrators
voiced opposition to a nuclear missile defense system, the death penalty,
and the Republican conventioneers' recently adopted anti-abortion platform.
No arrests have been made so far this week, and Philadelphia Police
Commissioner John Timoney says there's no reason that has to change.
JOHN TIMONEY: Arrest for us is a last resort. We're looking to bend
over backwards to see if we can't facilitate some kind of a compromise.
However, some people don't compromise. They don't want to... Some actually
don't even want to meet with us. We'll kind of deal with them when we
meet them. You know, it's... We have been quite clear in our message
to demonstrators, everybody's welcome. Please don't engage in violence
or serious property damage. We can live with almost everything else.
KWAME HOLMAN: As for today's unapproved march, Timoney's officers diverted
it to a park well away from where Republican delegates were meeting,
and marchers complied. Police officials said they decided to allow the
partial demonstration after discussions with leaders among the activists,
but protesters say there are more unsanctioned events as the week goes
on.
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