Latest news with #resistance
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Kneecap in Fairview Park review: Defiant, considered and celebratory
Kneecap Fairview Park, Dublin ★★★★★ Far from the gloomy halls of the Westminster Magistrates' Court, Kneecap arrive to Fairview Park defiant and full of energy. 'Quite the culture change' is how they describe their new surroundings. Here, the trio are conductors, orchestrating their congregation skilfully and punctuating an explosive set with humour and powerful monologues. A phrase penned by American poet Toi Derricotte, and borrowed by punk outfit Idles , comes to mind: joy is an act of resistance. [ Fans rally behind Kneecap after London court appearance: 'If you're supporting Ireland, you're supporting Kneecap' Opens in new window ] Detractors fundamentally and deliberately misinterpret what Kneecap are doing. Even softer-sounding labels of 'controversial' and 'agitating' are forged to distract from a very simple, innocuous objective – drawing attention to Israel's ongoing massacre of Palestinian people , and to the political inaction, or participation, that renders western governments complicit in a genocide. No one needed to be persuaded on Thursday in Fairview, but it doesn't diminish their importance. READ MORE In north Dublin, the night holds the communal intensity of a football song. In lieu of scarves and match programmes, Tricolour balaclavas are hung up for sale on temporary fencing at the park's entrance. Inside the marquee, where temperatures run high, many peel the headgear back to cool their faces. In an early monologue, the court case is addressed. Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), who has been charged with a terrorism offence in the UK over allegedly displaying a flag in support of Hizbullah at a gig last year, says that Kneecap have beaten the British government before and promises to do it again. It is a reference to the group's successful legal challenge in November over withheld arts funding. Fans take selfies before the Kneecap concert in Dublin's Fairview Park on Thursday. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni Later in the night, Mo Chara spends several considered minutes issuing a diatribe against the suffering of the Palestinian people. He acknowledges that the crowd here is in agreement with him, but pledges that 'until something changes, Kneecap will always use their platform'. Amid the sombre moments, there is no deviation from the tenets of Kneecap's performance routine – riotous, pulsating tracks that alchemise everyone in attendance. Fenian C***s and Your Sniffer Dogs Are S***e are early defibrillators. This is a rave that relies on participation, and pits open readily when ordered by those onstage. By the end of these bursts, the interludes work well as breathers. They even feature singalongs of The Auld Triangle and Dirty Old Town. A poignant dedication is made to Conor Biddle, an acclaimed Irish lighting designer who died earlier this year. The moment best captures the celebratory blend of emotions that Kneecap foster, as they dedicate the next song, Sick in the Head, to their friend in the knowledge he would have appreciated the joke. As the night winds to a close, the practised rhythm of the band's big finish becomes evident. DJ Próvaí forays beyond his mixing desk as Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap dovetail slick, emphatic vocals. Gone are the pauses, and the tent erupts for C.E.A.R.T.A., Get Your Brits Out, Parful and Hood. In the niche of Irish language punk-rap, very few acts stand alongside Kneecap musically. The message and identity of their work, however, is mirrored by an array of their national contemporaries. Explorative, parochial, socially conscious artists that echo the voices of young people around the country; this could describe Fontaines DC , Lankum , CMAT and many more. It is not an ethos to be feared.
LBCI
13 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Hezbollah's Naim Qassem backs Iran, says group is not ‘on the sidelines'
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem declared Iran a global symbol of resistance and vowed unwavering support for its leadership amid rising tensions with the United States and Israel. In a statement issued Thursday, Qassem praised Iran for championing the oppressed and backing regional resistance movements, particularly in Palestine and Lebanon, adding that Tehran's support for liberation movements has come at a high cost but remains principled and consistent. He dismissed U.S. and Israeli claims that Iran's nuclear program poses a threat, calling the program peaceful and legitimate under international law. 'Their only pretext is uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes—something that poses no harm and serves the Iranian people,' he said. Qassem warned that American threats against Iran's leadership represent a broader attack on the region's people and on global freedom movements. "The U.S. is dragging the region into chaos and instability, but it will gain nothing but shame and failure,' he stated. Hezbollah, he stressed, does not stand on the sidelines. 'We are not neutral between Iran's legitimate rights and the aggression of the United States and Israel,' he said. 'We stand firmly alongside Iran against this global injustice.' Qassem called on 'all free people, the oppressed, and voices of reason' to publicly support Iran and rally around its leadership. 'Unity is the only way to block the path of domination and stop the goals of this aggression,' he declared. He concluded by stating that neither the U.S. nor Israel would succeed in bringing down the Iranian people or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
LBCI
a day ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Hezbollah condemns death threats against Iran's Supreme Leader
Hezbollah issued a strongly worded statement condemning recent threats made against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, calling the remarks "reckless" and "foolish" with potentially dangerous consequences. The statement emphasized what Hezbollah described as the Supreme Leader's "great and far-reaching stature" not only in Iran but across the Islamic world, among both Muslim and free nations. The group said any threat to his life is an insult to "millions of believers, supporters of Islam, and the path of resistance and dignity." Hezbollah reaffirmed its loyalty to Khamenei, stating: "We are more determined than ever to uphold the path of the great Leader and Imam Khamenei, and to stand by the Iranian people in resisting the Israeli-American aggression." The group further accused the United States of leading the region into a deep crisis through its backing of Israeli actions in Gaza and its stance toward Iran, warning that Washington would ultimately pay a heavy price. The statement concluded by asserting that the forces of resistance would ultimately prevail: "Millions of the free stand with the leadership of the Supreme Leader, and even if the world's tyrants and oppressors unite, they will not defeat us. The era of falsehood is fading, and the signs of faith and resistance are rising."
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Bombed live on air, now a hero: state TV anchor becomes a symbol of resistance in Iran
Iranian state TV anchor Sahar Emami was delivering a live broadcast in Tehran this week when she was interrupted by loud booms. Shocked viewers – who have been closely following state media for news of the war between Israel and Iran – saw the room fill with smoke, dust and debris. 'The sound you just heard is the sound of the aggressor attacking our homeland, the sound of the aggressor seeking to stifle rightfulness and truth,' said Emami, wagging her index finger as the cameras kept rolling. 'What you just witnessed ... this smoke-filled studio of the news network,' she went on, before being forced to abandon her seat as a second explosion rocked the building. READ MORE Government figures and state media quickly seized on Emami's determination to keep broadcasting, making her an instant symbol of resistance dubbed the 'Iranian lioness'. [ Israelis under attack from Iran shift to full war mode Opens in new window ] Minutes after the second blast, Emami reappeared live from another studio, even as videos posted online showed fire and smoke rising from the glass headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting group. Within hours, her image was plastered across social media and featured in a large mural in the Iranian capital. President Masoud Pezeshkian called her a 'symbol of resilience, steadfastness and unyielding spirit'. Fatemeh Mohajerani, government spokesperson, likened the 'brave-hearted daughter of Iran' with Gordafarid, a legendary Persian heroine and one of the first female Iranian warriors, as depicted in Shahnameh, a 1,000-year-old epic poem by the Persian writer Ferdowsi. Foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said: 'Last night, in the midst of the Zionist regime's savage attack ... a courageous Iranian woman stood before the camera – fearless, steadfast and filled with love for [her] homeland.' According to the IRNA news agency, he added: 'She was the voice of Iran.' Less than 24 hours after the strike, a mural was unveiled in Vali-e Asr square in downtown Tehran, according to state media, depicting Emami on air with her index finger raised, clad in the black chador worn by conservative women in Iran. The mural used a verse from Ferdowsi about 'a maiden in the battlefield', another reference to Gordafarid. The references to pre-Islamic literature, which has often been sidelined by the Islamic republic, were seen as an attempt to inspire nationalistic sentiments. Mohajerani proposed that a courage in journalism award should be named after Emami. Sporting stars joined the rush to praise her, with karate athlete Amir Mehdizadeh and sport shooter Javad Foroughi dedicating their gold medals from international competitions to the broadcaster. Emami (40), who has a degree in agricultural engineering, joined IRIB in 2008 and became known for the current affairs show Pishkhan Khabar. The conservative broadcasting group has faced criticism from reformist politicians and many Iranians for serving as a mouthpiece for the autocratic state, which itself stifles freedom of expression. It is seen as highly selective in its coverage of international and domestic developments, such as protests that followed the death in 2022 of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who had been arrested by Iran's notorious morality police. But even some Iranians critical of the regime said they were inspired by Emami's example. Mansoureh (45), a reform-minded critic of the Islamic republic in Tehran, said: 'When I saw that woman on TV, I felt so ashamed of myself. What am I scared of? I told myself that I will have to remain where I am and defend my city.' Others remained sceptical, however. 'To me, it looked more like a performance. There had been an evacuation order and she seemed mentally prepared,' said Sara (58), a nurse, also in the capital. 'She knew that if she could hold her composure for a few moments on live television, she would be hailed as a heroine ... And the Islamic republic is using that to serve its own propaganda purposes.' Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called on Iranians to 'stand up for your freedom' against the regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since Israel launched its large-scale offensive against Iranian targets on Friday, prompting Iran to return missile and drone fire. But there is so far little sign of the war sparking anti-government protests, despite sporadic large-scale demonstrations in recent years. On Tuesday, IRIB released a video showing the damage to the building, including the fourth floor – the location of the newsroom and the live studio where Emami was presenting at the time of the assault. State television showed images of the building on fire again, saying wind had reignited embers from Monday's strike. Israel attacked the building about an hour after issuing an evacuation order for Tehran's district 3, where the IRIB headquarters is located, along with the police headquarters and three hospitals. Three people were confirmed killed in the strike, including Nima Rajabpour, news producer, and Masoumeh Azimi, a member of the office staff. The Committee to Protect Journalists said it was 'appalled' by the attack on state television. Emami told viewers the attack had 'targeted freedom of speech, the truth, and the voices of women, men and children who were martyred in recent days'. - Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2025
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
Only the Iranian people can kick the fascist mullahs out
The conflict between Israel and Iran marks a profound shift in the geopolitical landscape and demands a fundamental reassessment of the United Kingdom's approach not only to Tehran but to the entire Middle East. Many long-held illusions have been shattered; stark realities have emerged with unprecedented clarity. Foremost among these is the exposure of the Iranian regime's profound weakness. The end of tyrannical rule is now far from a mere fantasy. Crucially, however, any genuine and enduring change must emanate from the Iranian people themselves and their organised resistance. For too long, the British Government has prevaricated on designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation. This inertia persisted despite growing pressure from within the UK and across the wider Western world. Had we emulated the United States' decisive 2019 action, we might have significantly deterred and disrupted Iran's state-sponsored terrorism and its egregious human rights abuses. Such action might even have helped avert hostilities between the Islamic Republic and Israel, along with the suffering that has been inflicted on the Iranian people. The Tehran regime has faced the real threat of domestic overthrow for years, evidenced by nationwide uprisings in January 2018, November 2019 and, most significantly, September 2022. Those revolts were the product of four decades of public discontent and reflected a profound desire for change. A silent war has been raging between the Iranian people and the tyrants who have usurped their nation's leadership. The principal instrument through which the regime has maintained its stranglehold is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its paramilitary militia, the Basij. Had this hardline paramilitary, which is undoubtedly a terrorist organisation, been designated as such and comprehensively sanctioned, earlier risings might perhaps have been effective in breaking the mullahs' grip on power. Despite the regrettable failure of the UK and EU to take such action, the IRGC is now suffering a similar fate to its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. For all its huge significance, this development does not negate the need for the UK and its allies to proscribe the IRGC; quite the contrary. With the organisation now effectively leaderless, additional economic and legal pressures at this critical juncture would further cripple it and accelerate the collapse of the regime itself. The current dramatic events have definitively debunked several myths. One fallacy was the notion that, when challenged, the IRGC leadership might stage a coup. For those familiar with the IRGC's structure – effectively the Ayatollah's personal army – such a prospect was always delusional. The decapitation of the IRGC's senior command has now utterly extinguished any lingering credence in this theory. These rapid developments have also laid bare the absurdity of assertions by some, including Reza Pahlavi, the former Shah's son, that elements of the IRGC might dismantle the very regime that created it. In charting the future, it is critically vital to grasp that it will and must be the Iranian people themselves who deliver the final blow to religious fascism and establish a new, secular democracy. Their calls of 'down with the oppressor, whether Shah or Supreme Leader' during the 2022 uprising unequivocally demonstrated their rejection of dictatorship and readiness to embrace genuine democracy. Recent history suggests that change will most likely manifest as a massive, popular rebellion that overwhelms the regime. Recent years' uprisings have progressively grown in scale, daring and power. They have been underpinned by the underlying organisation of 'Resistance Units' affiliated to the People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran, or MEK. As over 550 cross-party Members of Parliament and peers declared in a May, the MEK's umbrella body, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), led by Maryam Rajavi, offers a viable alternative to the current chaos. The NCRI, according to the declaration, 'calls for national solidarity and provides a roadmap to end the religious dictatorship and transfer sovereignty to the people's representatives.' This compelling vision of a secular, democratic and, crucially, non-nuclear Iran presents the genuine prospect of lasting peace in the region. We stand at an historical crossroads. Instead of confronting an aggressive, nuclear-armed theocracy, we may be on the cusp of witnessing a free, democratic and friendly Iran. It is time to change the paradigm on Iran and, in doing so, help facilitate the domestic change the Iranian people so desperately seek.
