Latest news with #proIsrael
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Attack at the Iranian Embassy: Two pro-Israel protesters taken to hospital after being set upon - as police arrest six men
Police have arrested six men after two pro-Israel protesters were attacked in a major incident outside the Iranian Embassy today. Detectives have launched an urgent probe after the two men were set upon outside the embassy, which is opposite Hyde Park in west London, just before 10am. Officers and paramedics swooped on Princes Gate, Knightsbridge, scrambling to detain suspects and treat the injured activists. Witnesses told MailOnline how pro-Israeli protesters were chanting support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and calling for the Iranian regime to be toppled before violence erupted and two of the activists were attacked. It comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Iran and Israel locked in a brutal conflict that has escalated over the last week. The two victims were treated for injuries at the scene and have been taken to hospital. Dramatic pictures from the scene show the protesters being treated by paramedics on stretchers and receiving oxygen, while the alleged attackers were seen being hauled away in handcuffs. Police said six men have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and are being quizzed in custody. The Iranian Embassy became a focal point for protests in 2022 after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. Protest organiser Shahla Rostami, described the violence outside the Iranian embassy as a 'bloody scene'. The university chief executive said that the protest in favour of Israeli's military actions against Iran and the toppling of the Ayatollah was a brutal attack by Iranian agitators. 'We have been here for a week with a permit from the Metropolitan Police. 'This was a completely peaceful protest without any violence until a man kissing an Iranian flag came up to us and attacked one of our group. He came right up and started punching one of our group. 'It was quite a bloody scene, and although we do not know this, it would not surprise me if the man was paid by the Iranian government to carry out the attack.' It is understood that the victim of the assault had his ankle sliced off by the attacker. Police officers arrested the attack and one man was sent to the trauma unit at a nearby hospital. Police officers split up the protest and told those gathered that they would not be allowed back outside the embassy until Sunday at 1pm. A diplomat from the Dominican Republic saw the fight from his office window. 'I was on my phone taking a call when I saw a man rush over. He was a very big guy and he hit one of the men in the leg with something. 'Then as the man he was attacking fell to the ground he began to hit him repeatedly until people came over and dragged him off.' Speaking about the Iranian embassy more generally the diplomat observed that the staff observed strict security measures and are rarely seen. 'They are straight into the cars and then out. It is very quick and we never really see them.' A spokesman for the Met Police said: 'At 09:53hrs on Friday, 20 June officers responded to reports of an altercation in Princes Gate, SW1. 'Six men have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm – they remain in police custody. 'Two men were treated for injuries at the scene and have been taken to hospital for further treatment by the London Ambulance Service. 'Police have cordoned off the area while initial investigations take place.' A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: 'We were called at 9.56am today (20 June) to reports of an assault in Princes Gate, SW7. 'We sent a number of resources to the scene including ambulance crews, paramedics in fast response cars and our Tactical Response Unit. 'We treated two patients at the scene and took one to hospital and one to a major trauma centre.'
Al Jazeera
5 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
US senator introduces bill to curb Trump's power to go to war with Iran
Washington, DC – A prominent Democratic senator has introduced a bill to require United States President Donald Trump to first seek authorisation from Congress before ordering military strikes against Iran. The measure, put forward by Virginia Senator Tim Kaine on Monday, came amid growing calls by pro-Israel groups for the US to join the Israeli bombing campaign against Iran as the attacks between the two countries intensify. 'I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict,' Kaine said in a statement. 'The American people have no interest in sending service-members to fight another forever war in the Middle East. This resolution will ensure that if we decide to place our nation's men and women in uniform into harm's way, we will have a debate and vote on it in Congress.' The bill invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973, passed during the Vietnam War to constrain unilateral presidential powers to engage in military hostilities. The US Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, but successive US presidents have used their positions as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces to mobilise troops, initiate attacks and start conflicts without clear congressional authorisation. Kaine's proposal adds to the pressure Trump is facing from antiwar advocates in both major parties, advocates said. Hassan El-Tayyab, legislative director for Middle East policy at the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said the bill sends a message to Trump against going to war with Iran and to the Israelis that 'they're not going to just get blank-cheque US support'. It could also gauge the level of opposition to war with Iran in Congress, especially among Republicans. A growing contingency of right-wing lawmakers has been warning Trump against being dragged into a conflict that they said does not serve US interests. While Trump's Republican Party controls both houses of the US Congress, the resolution may pass if conservative lawmakers who oppose foreign military interventions join the Democrats in backing it. To become law, the bill needs to pass in the Senate and House of Representatives and be signed by Trump, who would likely block it. But Congress can override a presidential veto with two-thirds majorities in the House and the Senate. During his first term, Trump successfully vetoed two war powers resolutions, including a 2020 bill that aimed to curb his authority to strike Iran, which was also led by Kaine. El-Tayyab said the 2020 push helped warn Trump against further strikes against Iran after the killing of top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani despite the presidential veto, adding that the current measure may have a similar effect. 'Even if it passes and Trump vetoes it, it still sends a de-escalatory signal, and it reminds the administration that only Congress can declare war,' El-Tayyab told Al Jazeera. Trump has not ruled out US strikes against Iran. 'We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved,' he told ABC News on Sunday. At the same time, the US president has called for ending the war. Israel launched a bombardment campaign against Iran on Friday, targeting military and nuclear sites as well as residential buildings and civilian infrastructure, killing dozens of people, including top military officials and nuclear scientists. The assault came just days before US and Iranian negotiators were to meet for a sixth round of nuclear talks in Oman. Iran has responded with hundreds of ballistic missiles, many of which have penetrated Israel's air defences, causing widespread damage across the country. With Israel under fire and seemingly unable on its own to take out Iran's nuclear programme – including facilities buried deep underground and inside mountains – the US ally's supporters are calling on Trump to come to its aid. 'The US has the bombers to carry deep-penetrating bombs that Israeli jets can't. … This will be a missed opportunity if some of Iran's uranium enrichment capacity survives when US participation could have made a difference,' The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board wrote on Saturday. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also said the US should 'go all-in to help Israel finish the job'. However, many US politicians have cautioned against American involvement in the war. Trump ran last year as a 'peace' candidate, slamming his Democratic opponents as 'warmongers'. Right-wing Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said in a social media post on Sunday that Americans are 'sick and tired of foreign wars'. 'We have spent TRILLIONS in the Middle East and we have dealt with the aftermath of death, blown apart bodies, never ending suicides, and disabling PTSD,' she wrote in a post on X. 'All because they told us propaganda as to why we must sacrifice our own to defend some other country's borders and some other country's borders.' Some US lawmakers have also stressed that war with Iran without the approval of Congress would be illegal. 'The president cannot circumvent congressional war powers and unilaterally send US troops to war with Iran,' Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib said last week. 'The American people do not want another endless war in the Middle East that will cost lives and tear their families apart.' Antiwar advocates have long called on Congress to assert its powers over conflict. On Monday, several groups expressed support for Kaine's proposed legislation. 'This is a critical moment for Congress to step in and exercise its constitutional authority to prevent the US from being dragged into another war,' Raed Jarrar, advocacy director at Democracy for the Arab World Now, told Al Jazeera. 'Democrats and Republicans should unite in rejecting any US involvement in a devastating regional war launched by a genocidal maniac – one that would needlessly risk American lives and squander national interest,' he added, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel, which is carrying out a military campaign in Gaza that major rights groups have described as a genocide, has been warning for years that Iran is on the verge of acquiring a nuclear weapon. While Israel has portrayed its strikes as 'preemptive' to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Tehran says the war was unprovoked and violates the United Nations Charter's rules against aggression. US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard had certified in March that Washington 'continues to assess that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon'. Last week, the International Atomic Energy Agency accused Iran for the first time in 20 years of breaching its nonproliferation obligations. Israel is widely believed to have an undeclared nuclear arsenal.
The National
09-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from 12 countries takes effect
A US travel ban on citizens from 12 countries takes effect on Monday, in what President Donald Trump says is a move to protect America from 'foreign terrorists'. People from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen are barred from entering the US as of one minute past midnight on Monday, Washington time. Citizens of those countries are deemed to pose a 'very high risk', the White House said. As well as the risk of terrorism, it said many were prone to overstaying their visas and that their home countries had poor vetting and documentation of travellers. The entry of people from seven other countries – Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela – will be partially restricted. 'We cannot have open migration from any country where we cannot safely and reliably vet and screen,' Mr Trump said. He gave an incident last Sunday in Boulder, Colorado, in which an Egyptian-born immigrant, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, attacked a pro-Israel gathering, as an example – although Egypt is not part of the travel ban. The ban is part of a wider immigration crackdown in Mr Trump's second term. During his first presidency he banned travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, sparking a court battle. Opponents say the ban is discriminatory and won't work. 'Our national security officers should be focused on investigating serious threats, not barring entry to our country based on bias and pretext,' said the Democratic Senator Cory Booker. Iran on Saturday said the ban on 11 mostly Middle Eastern and African countries was a sign of a 'racist mentality'. Alireza Hashemi-Raja, the foreign ministry's director general for the affairs of Iranians abroad, said it "indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian and Muslim people". Chad, anotherof the countries affected, is retaliating by no longer granting visas to US citizens, said its President Mahamat Deby. 'Chad has neither planes to offer nor billions of dollars to give, but Chad has its dignity and its pride,' he said. The ban makes exceptions for people on special Afghan visas who worked closely with the US government during the two-decade war in their country. Nonetheless, Afghans have expressed fears that the ban could force them back home, where they could face reprisals from the Taliban.
Fox News
08-06-2025
- Fox News
Wife of Colorado firebombing suspect brought Jewish neighbors welcome gift weeks prior to attack
BOULDER, Colo. – An observant Jewish couple described the horror of finding out that their neighbor, whose wife recently knocked on their door with a housewarming gift, was suspected of firebombing a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration in the heart of Boulder. The Costello family had barely begun unpacking boxes in their new Colorado Springs home when the FBI showed up at their doorstep and explained a neighbor, illegal Egyptian immigrant Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was arrested for allegedly injuring 12 people in front of the Boulder County courthouse. "I come home, and the FBI is waiting at my door. That's a scary moment," David Costello shared with Fox News Digital. "They told us, 'You're not in trouble,' but then they asked if we knew what happened in Boulder." The Costellos said they knew of the Solimans, having met Soliman's wife when she showed up on their front steps offering cupcakes to welcome them to the neighborhood. "The wife came over and gave us some cupcakes," David said. "We keep kosher, so we couldn't eat them, but we accepted them and then we just sort of threw them away." Unaware of the prior interaction, FBI agents told the Costellos it was important they were aware of the terror attack due to their visible Jewish identity, the couple said, with the family proudly displaying a mezuzah on the door. "He had to have driven right past our house to get to Boulder," David said. "He surely saw us moving in [wearing a] tzitzit and a kippah, and my wife's head being covered. It is really by the grace of Hashem, that we weren't attacked.… It's pretty obvious that we're Jewish, like he could have easily just thrown a Molotov cocktail at our door—we don't have an exit through the back—that would have been absolutely disastrous for us." Because the Costellos do not use phones or electronic devices during religious holidays, they had no access to news due to their observance of Shavuot. Their only awareness of the incident came through people knocking on their door asking for interviews and eventually the FBI sharing what had happened. "I didn't realize how big the story was until I turned on my phone after the holiday," David's wife, Rivkah, said. "We moved here to lie low, but suddenly we were in the headlines." The couple had left their former neighborhood due to what they described as persistent anti-Israel activism and discomfort in a Muslim-majority area. David said they were seeking "a place to go and be under the radar." Soliman is currently being held on a $10 million bond and faces multiple charges, including attempted murder and federal hate crimes. According to authorities, he admitted to planning the attack for over a year and expressed a desire to harm "Zionist people." "It's unnerving," Rivkah said. "They said bail was set at $10 million, but that still means there's a possibility he could be released—and we live right across the street. We have five young children. This is terrifying." "I hope people understand what that means for a Jewish family living across the street from someone accused of terrorism," she said. WATCH: Boulder suspect attacks pro-Israel supporters David said the holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates Jewish unity, made the timing of the FBI visit especially meaningful. "We really felt like it was a miracle. While symbols like a mezuzah might make you a target, they also offer spiritual protection," he said. The couple and their family shared that their hope is that antisemitic sentiment does not continue to escalate. "We really don't want to move again," David said. "But if it becomes dangerous, we may not have a choice." We're choosing to stand. Despite the fear, they say the experience has only strengthened their commitment to staying visible and vocal about their faith. "When you're pushed, you can either disappear or stand your ground," David said. "We're choosing to stand."
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Policeman defends teenager telling pro-Israel supporters that 'Jews kill children' and says it is 'in the same vein as displaying sign calling Hamas rapists'
A pro-Israel campaigner was left stunned when a police officer explained that saying 'Jews are baby killers' was 'in the same vein' as holding a placard stating ' Hamas are rapists'. The visibly shocked man was provided with that answer during a vigil in Brighton, East Sussex, which was held on Saturday to remember victims of the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, as well as the 55 hostages that remain in Gaza. Campaign group Sussex Friends of Israel, which has shared footage of the incident on social media, tonight accused Sussex Police of 'downplaying' antisemitism after the officer 'disagreed' that the evocative words amounted to racial incitement. The incident was sparked after a group of youths allegedly heckled vigil participants by saying 'Jews are baby killers'. As seen on the footage, one of the pro-Israel supporters approached a police officer to complain. He tells the officer: 'This man has just said that Jews kill children. That is a racially aggravated barb intended to incite hatred. 'I wanted to stress [that by saying that] he intends harm to me and other Jews.' The officer then responded that while he had heard the comment, people were allowed to 'express views'. He explained: 'I heard him say that, I'm not going to disagree that he didn't say it, but we are in a public forum where people can express views. 'I disagree that its a racially aggravated remark and at the same time there was a sign up there not too long ago saying 'Hamas Are Rapists', which I would suggest is in the same vein as the argument you have just made.' A second campaigner then stepped forward to say that he 'takes a great objection' to what the officer has just told them. 'Think about this for a second. 'Jews are baby killers' is in the same vein as stating 'Hamas are rapists'. Think about it,' he urges the officer. The officer responds: 'I'm simply saying that the tone of the messages that are used are very similar. 'I'm not going to get into an argument with you in the street...[they are] simply expressing their views in relative calmness. 'If they are going to start causing issues, we will be there to prevent them from doing that. 'But while we are having an argument and a simple back and forth discussion on the street we're not going to get anywhere are we?' The vigil participant however disagrees. He tells him: 'Jews are an ethnicity, Hamas are a proscribed terrorist organisation. Having a poster saying 'Hamas Are Rapists' is not in the same vein as saying 'Jews are baby killers.' There's no similarity whatsoever.' The officer shakes his head and tells the men: 'We will agree to disagree on that aspect.' He then asks the pair to return to the rest of the group 'to stop an unnecessary escalation.' One of the men however tells the officer: 'If they come and heckle us we have a right to respond.' In a post on X tonight, Sussex Friends of Israel accused Sussex Police of making a 'shocking false equivalence'. The group said: 'At today's peaceful rally in support of Israel, held to remember the hostages murdered and taken on October 7th, we were confronted by a group of masked, aggressive youths shouting antisemitic slurs, including 'Jews are baby killers.' 'When we raised this with the police, the liaison sergeant in charge refused to recognise the comment as racially aggravated. In a post on X tonight, Sussex Friends of Israel accused Sussex Police of making a 'shocking false equivalence'. 'Incredibly, he claimed it was 'in the same vein' as our placard stating 'Hamas are rapists.' 'This shocking false equivalence not only downplays vile antisemitism, but shows a complete failure by the police to uphold their duty throughout the event.' Tonight antisemitism campaigners told MailOnline the officer had seemingly failed to 'tell the difference between a minority and a terrorist organisation' and described the incident as 'appalling'. Stephen Silverman, director of Investigations and Enforcement at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: 'Britain has descended to a place where police officers cannot tell the difference between incitement against a minority that they are supposed to be protecting and a proscribed terrorist organisation that they are supposed to be defending our country against. 'This embarrassing, pathetic excuse for policing is the product of the appeasement of extremists and racists that our police have engaged in since 'Free Palestine' thugs first started shouting abuse and mobbing our streets 20 months ago. 'Sussex Police need to apologise for this appalling incident and find the perpetrator who had been right under their officers' noses, but more importantly the Government needs to take charge and tell our police forces to get a grip. 'When police can't tell the difference between a minority and a terrorist organisation, it's not just demoralising, it's actually dangerous.'
