Later at a news conference called by the government leaders. There's a lot of clamor, all asking questions, looking for answers.
REPORTER 1: Why are they sending troops into the L.A. area?
REPORTER 2: Yea and the marine regiment from Pendleton, what's happened?
REPORTER 3: Why a special press conference at five-o-clock on a Sunday?
SPOKESMAN: Gentlemen, you'll just have to wait.
REPORTER 4: Why all these V.I.P.s from Washington?
REPORTER 5: Has the Cold War gotten hot?
OFFICIAL: Gentlemen, come in now.
OFFICIAL: Gentlemen, you've been called here to be informed about the most serious crisis this city has ever faced. There's no time for questions. Please listen carefully, so you can report the facts accurately to your newspapers.
This is Dr. Harold Medford of the Department of Agriculture. General Robert O'Brien, Air Force Intelligence. General James, Army Intelligence. The others, you know. (to camera man) Are you ready, sir?
CAMERA MAN: One moment, please. . . You set, Charlie? You're on.
NEWSMAN/CHARLIE: We interrupt all radio and television programs for an indefinite period. Please keep your radio and television sets turned on. This IS an emergency. I repeat, this is an emergency.
O'BRIEN: By direction of the President of the United States, and in full agreement with the Governer of the state of California, and the Mayor of Los Angeles, the city of Los Angeles is in the public interest of it's safety, hereby proclaim to be under Marshall Law. Curfew is at eighteen hundred hours. Any persons on the street or outside their quarters after six PM tonight, will be subject to arrest by the military police.
O'BRIEN: Now as for the reasons for this most drastic decision. A couple months ago in the desert of New Mexico, gigantic ants were discovered. Thes ants are similar in appearance and characteristics to the household and garden ants, except they are mutations. Ranging is size from nine to twelve feet in length. The New Mexico colony were destroyed, but two queen ants escaped.
O'BRIEN: One has been accounted for and destroyed. The other has not yet been found. It is now known to have established a nest somewhere in the storm drains beneath the streets of Los Angeles. It's not known how long this nest has been established or how many of these lethal monster have hatched. Maybe a few, maybe thousands.
O'BRIEN: If new queen ants have hatched and escaped this nest, other American cities even now may be in danger. These creatures are extremely dangerous. They have already killed a number of persons. Stay in your homes. I repeat, stay in your homes. Your personal safety, the safety of the entire city, depends upon your full cooperation with the military authorities.
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