Demonstrators Defy Hong Kong Emergency Ban on Masks; At Least 41 Deaths in Iraqi Demonstrations
ALLEN: Protesters in Hong Kong just finished a march there. Many wearing masks, defying the government's new ban on face coverings. Demonstrators are angry about that restriction.</s>HOWELL: But the city's chief executive says the ban is justified because of the violent protests. And we saw some of that violence Friday night.</s>ALLEN: Paula Hancocks was in the middle of this protest just a short time ago and she joins us with the latest on how it went. Paula, hello.</s>PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Natalie. At this point, there seems to be more press that protesters in this area, essentially. But just a couple of hours ago, there were several hundred, potentially a thousand protesters wearing masks because this march through the streets was to make sure the government knew that they were not happy with this anti-mask law. This is part of the emergency law that was brought in by the chief executive, Carrie Lam, on Friday. This is a colonial-era emergency law that hasn't been enacted for more than half a century. But she is defending this Saturday her decision to do that.</s>HANCOCKS: She's saying it proves it was necessary because you look at what happened on Friday night, what she calls very scary riots. And we did see a fair bit of destruction. Certain subway stations were targeted and were burned. All of the subway has been shut down this Saturday. They said it was so they could try and repair some of the subway stations. But they haven't reopened. That is 161 stations across the territory. Some of the shops have shut down, some of the big department stores are shut, usually a very busy shopping day, because there was a rumor that protesters might try to occupy some of these department stores. So much of the city appears to have shut down. There has been some anger with some people not being able to get home. They can't use the subway and some of the roads were shut for the march. But at this point, you can see things have ended for the time being. The march, though, was peaceful.</s>ALLEN: This is not a Hong Kong that people around the world are accustomed to seeing. Are people there still coming to grips with what has happened to Hong Kong since these protests began?</s>HANCOCKS: Unfortunately, this appears to be the new norm for Hong Kong. This is the 18th weekend we have seen these protests. In recent weeks they have become more and more violent. Friday night was no exception. There was a protester shot by an undercover policeman, as we understand. He was in plain clothes, dragged out of a car, beaten by protesters and then the police say he discharged his weapon. They say it was necessary. Carrie Lam also defending that but that does play into the arguments of the protesters. They believe that the police have acted with excessive force. They believe the police should not be using these tactics on the streets of Hong Kong. But the police aside, they say, if the protesters don't use force, then they don't use force. But Friday night marks the second time live fire has been used by police. At that time it was a 14-year-old boy that was hit in the left thigh. He is now out of the hospital and in stable condition.</s>ALLEN: That's some good news but where this goes from here, we just don't know. But it's not looking good as far as safety in the streets. Paula, thank you so much.</s>HOWELL: Also following the situation in Iraq, violent protests that have been taking place there, so far, 73 people have died. More than 3,200 others have been injured.</s>ALLEN: Meanwhile, the prime minister has lifted a curfew in Baghdad which was imposed after the demonstrations broke out. He's also creating a new committee to address the grievances.</s>HOWELL: On the story, our senior international correspondent Arwa Damon, live in Baghdad. Arwa, the government easing some of the previously imposed restrictions. Is it making a difference with the frustration we've seen clearly vented on these streets?</s>ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, at this stage, as you were mentioning there, all they've really done is remove the curfew. But Internet throughout the better part of the country Internet is still shut down. And one has to recognize that these demonstrators have heard these types of promises from the government before, that their grievances will be addressed, and they have yet to see any sort of action. These demonstrations that we have been seeing over the last four days are leaderless and they are countrywide. And they have -- the level of anger expressed within them has to a certain degree taken the government and the security forces by surprise. As we consistently see in these types of demonstrations, the more violence that is used, the more determined people become and the angrier they become. The protesters here are demanding an end to corruption, that they want to see an effort being made to resolve the country's widespread unemployment, especially among the youth. People are higher education, university degrees, are unable to get adequate jobs and they also want to see basic services improve. This is a population that is only too aware of the fact that their country sits on the world's largest oil reserves and yet, for decades, they have not been able to see the benefits of that. The government is holding a parliamentary session that is meant to be focusing on the protesters' demand. There is meant to be the establishment of that independent committee. But until these protesters see those promises turn into action one can only assume the anger is going to continue.</s>DAMON: Also now have the voice of anti-American Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, who has a bloc that is fairly powerful, as is his voice, saying the government should be dissolved and early elections should be held. He has yet to call on his people to take to the streets. That is something many observers are very concerned about, should he take that step. So it's still a very unresolved and tense situation at this point.</s>HOWELL: Arwa Damon, thank you for the report.</s>ALLEN: Up next here, we're back to the scandal rocking the Trump White House. We will take you live to both Beijing and Kiev to get reaction there to how this is playing out in Washington.</s>HOWELL: Plus, U.S. presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders released from the hospital and doctors reveal he had a heart attack. Stay with us.