Elian Gonzalez Case: Tensions Ease in Little Havana; Cuba Remains Calm After Reunification of Father and Son
BRIAN NELSON, CNN ANCHOR: And tensions have eased somewhat on the streets of Miami's Little Havana neighborhood tonight. The protests have died down. Still, Miami police remain on alert there. CNN's Gary Tuchman joins us now with more on the mood and the situation down in Miami -- Gary.</s>GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brian, three days ago, after an appellate court ruling went their way, the people of Little Havana were out in the streets celebrating. What a difference 72 hours make: anger, confusion, disbelief, disgust, and, yes, violence have marked the day today in the Little Havana section of Miami. A short time ago this evening in a neighborhood nearby -- we're on Flagler Street right now -- where the street has been shut down to regular traffic to quell potential violence -- and about 40 police officers stand behind me in case of violence. But a short time ago, just a few blocks away from here, a fire was set in the streets. A tire was thrown in the streets, some more garbage was thrown there, and that's what we've seen much of the day in the Little Havana section of Miami. Police say at least 100 fires have been set in this neighborhood. There have been countless confrontations between police and demonstrators. Four police officers have been injured. Three of them remain in the hospital for allegedly getting hit by a demonstrator with a baseball bat. Some of the demonstrators have also been injured. We need to point out, this is very important: there have been no life-threatening injuries all day. That is the good news. But police have had to use tear gas and pepper spray to quell some of the violent protests throughout the day here in the Little Havana section of Miami. Now what they've been very concerned about all day is the potential that this could grow even more. They were very concerned that when the sun went down and it became nighttime here in Miami they'd have more problems. Right now, at this point, what they've had tonight is nothing as serious as they had this afternoon, and that is the good news here in Miami. Now, there has been a backlash against the news media after this decision. About four hours ago, a tent that CNN has used throughout this episode in front of the Gonzalez household was torn down by a group of angry protesters. There are many people here in Little Havana angry that CNN has a news bureau in Havana, Cuba. CNN is the only television network to have a bureau in Cuba, the only one allowed to, and it enables us to cover the story just as easily in Cuba as outside of Cuba. That has always angered people here in Little Havana, but especially tonight after Elian was taken away from their neighborhood that resulted in this. We have taken steps to protect all of our people here who are covering this story right now in Little Havana. Frankly, many people here are just stunned. They knew it was possible that some day federal agents would come in to remove Elian, but many of them had a dream that Elian Gonzalez would spend years here in Little Havana, and their dream has been shattered like fragile crystal. Brian, back to you.</s>NELSON: Gary, the scene behind you and some other pictures I've been looking at show a lot of police cars out in the streets of Miami tonight. Are they out in full force? Is this a somewhat more heightened state of alert than you expected after things had quieted down today?</s>TUCHMAN: The police have had plenty of time to think about how they would handle a situation like this, and this is a tactic. You have a large presence out on the streets and that discourages violence. Wherever you go here in Little Havana, you see police, you see blockages. There's a major highway that runs through Little Havana, Route B-36, and you can't get off of the exits in Little Havana. And they're doing everything they can to show they mean business and they will not tolerate any violence. And it's very important to point out that although there has been some violence and lots of demonstrating, there have been no serious injuries, not only here but also when they went inside the house, the federal agents today, and that, if you can say, is the good news about what's happened here today.</s>NELSON: Thanks, Gary. Gary Tuchman in Miami. Across the Florida Straits, a study in contrast: Cubans reacted to today's news of the reunion with joy and restraint. The government has urged Cubans to remain calm. Still, hundreds of thousands of Cubans have turned out at government-sponsored gatherings in support of Elian Gonzalez. Here now is Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman.</s>LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): It was one of so many government-organized rallies to demand the return of Elian Gonzalez to Cuba. But on this day, there was more joy than outrage. And few were more overjoyed than Elian's grandmothers.</s>RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ, ELIAN'S MATERNAL GRANDMOTHER (through translator): Apart from feeling so happy and thrilled that the boy is with his father, I'm even more happy because now I know my daughter will be able to rest in peace.</s>NEWMAN: Many people say they were moved to tears by the news that Elian had been seized -- or rescued, as they call it here -- from the home of his Miami relatives, an operation Cuban state television retransmitted in full.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): That made me very happy to wake up to such good news after so many months of anguish and not knowing what was going to happen.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): This option was the only choice and had to be done a long time ago.</s>NEWMAN: Elian's paternal grandmother thanked the people of the United States for what she called their support. While addressing the rally, President Fidel Castro had nothing but scorn for a federal appeals court which refused to rule out the possibility of Elian applying for political asylum in the United States.</s>FIDEL CASTRO, PRESIDENT OF CUBA (through translator): They are telling parents from the Third World that they have no rights over their children, a child that's six years and four months old in that inferno can ask for asylum against the expressed will of his parents.</s>NEWMAN: In fact, this rally was the only public demonstration in response to the reunification of Elian with his father. (on camera): The government has specifically called on the Cuban people to use restraint. The real victory, say officials and many ordinary Cubans, will be when Elian is allowed to return to his land of birth. Meanwhile, President Fidel Castro has praised the INS and the Justice Department, saying that this is a day for a truce with the United States. Lucia Newman, CNN, Havana.