Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/16/2022

Eleven protesters at the Coutts border crossing in Alberta have been arrested and charged with plotting to commit violence. The rest of the truckers have left the crossing, and the border is open again at Coutts. Meanwhile, the Ottawa chief of police has resigned, and the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police are preparing to take over the policing of the anti-mandate protest in Ottawa.

In other news, Prince Andrew has reportedly reached an out-of-court settlement with his accuser, and will pay her $10 million.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Dean, DV, Fjordman, Reader from Chicago, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

USA
» 30 Retirements and Counting: Moderate House Dem Kathleen Rice Throws in the Towel
» 74% of Americans Think They Will be Involved in a War Within 12 Months
» Amazon, Walmart Drop Mask Requirements for Vaccinated Employees
» Are You Sure, Alec? Baldwin Posts ‘Everything’s Going to be Alright’ Hours After He Was Sued by Family of Rust Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as They Recreate Moment He Accidentally Shot and Killed Her With Prop Gun on New Mexico Set
» Breaking: Protesters Descend on Canadian Embassy in New York to Oppose Trudeau’s Crackdown on Freedom Protests
» Breaking: Twitter Suspends ‘Defiant L’s’, Account Best Known for Highlighting Liberal Hypocrisy
» Butler School Board Takes Steps to Ban Critical Race Theory
» California’s Health Secretary Says School Children Still Can’t Remove Masks Despite Maskless Super Bowl
» Chicago Alderman Found Guilty of Lying to Regulators, Filing False Income Tax Returns
» CNN Hits Historic Lows After Scandal-Filled Year
» CNN Poll: Majority of Dems Reject Biden 2024
» DeSantis: Florida is Drawing More Tourists Now Than it Did Before the Pandemic
» Even Redditors Find Forced TV Diversity Weird
» Exclusive: Clinton Cornered: Hillary Refuses to Answer Questions Again About Durham Revelation That She Paid to Spy on Trump Campaign After Arriving at Daughter Chelsea’s NYC Home and Going to Queens Restaurant With Film Crew
» Feds Encourage Ex-Lovers to Grass Each Other Up for “Fun” On Valentine’s Day
» ‘Fire Everywhere’: 9,000+ Gallons of Gasoline Explode, Light Up Rockville Centre
» Journalist Suspended From Twitter After Sharing Video of Gunman in University of Chicago Shootout
» Jury Sides With NY Times in Palin Libel Lawsuit, One Day After Judge Said Case Lacked Evidence
» Kansas Lawmakers Want Schools to Post Class Lessons Online as a Tool Against Critical Race Theory
» New York City Fires Nearly 1,500 Workers for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine: Mayor
» South Dakota Senate Committee Considers Bill to Ban Financial Discrimination by Big Banks
» Survey: Majority of Americans Support Canadian Truckers, Would Support Similar Movement in U.S.
» These Chicago Hit and Run Numbers Are Pretty Terrible
» Too Weird to Check: Attempted Assassin in Mayoral Shooting a Gun-Control Activist?
» Trafalgar Poll: Republicans Show 12 Point Lead Over Democrats on Generic Ballot
 
Canada
» Arctic Residents Looking Forward to Warmer Weather Amid Climate Alarmism
» Banks Grapple With New Emergencies Act Powers to Curb the Flow of Funds to Support Blockades
» Breaking: Feds Ease Travel Measures for Vaccinated Canadians
» Breaking: GiveSendGo Back Up and Running After Cyberattack
» Breaking: Ottawa Police Chief Resigns
» Bridge Protest Arrests Swell to 46, 90 Charges Laid
» Canada’s Use of Terrorist Laws Against Peaceful Protest Draws International Condemnation
» CBC and CTV News Journalists Target Donors to Freedom Protesters
» CNRL Intends to Bring Back Employees Fired Over Vaccine Status
» Doug Ford Says World is ‘Done’ With COVID and it’s Time to Move On
» Exclusive Video — Ottawa Protester: Nobody Should ‘Suffer From Isolation’ Or be ‘Stigmatized for a Personal Decision’
» Feds Seeking Help With Facial Recognition Technology
» Food, Massages Offered Freely to Anyone in Need as Convoy Protest Continues in Ottawa
» High School Students Protest Mask and Vax Mandates — Principal Closes the School
» In Windsor, One Blockade (Demonstrators) Has Been Replaced With… Another Blockade (Law Enforcement)
» Indian Politician Calls Out Trudeau’s Hypocrisy on Civil Rights
» Massive Calgary Rally Opposes Mandates and Applauds Truckers
» Quebec to Drop Vaccine Passport March 14
» RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police Set to Take Over Law Enforcement of Protests in Ottawa
» Sickkids Justifies High Rates of Vaccine-Related Myocarditis by Leaning on Unrelated Studies
» Statue of ‘Gassy Jack’ Torn Down During Vancouver’s Annual Women’s Memorial March
» The Implications of Trudeau’s Tyrannical Power Grab
» ‘Thought Crimes’: RCMP Sabotage Private Farm Equipment That ‘Might’ Have Been Used for Protest
» Three Coutts Protesters Charged With Conspiracy to Commit Murder
» Truckers Depart Coutts Border, Ending Blockade
» Watch: David Menzies Joins Steve Bannon’s War Room Live From Ambassador Bridge
» Watch: Justin Trudeau Expresses ‘Admiration’ For China in Resurfaced Video
» What’s Happening With Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests?
 
Europe and the EU
» Forced Vaccination Policy in Austria Has No Impact on Jab Uptake
» ‘My Duty Was to Save France From the Great Replacement’ — Zemmour Says France Could be ‘Lebanon’ In 5/10 Years
» ‘No Surprises’ — Top EU Court Expected to Rule Against Hungary and Poland Tomorrow
» Poland: Conservative Ruling Party Creating New Judicial Reform Plan to Unlock EU Recovery Plan Money
» Prince Andrew Settles Pedo Trial, Will Pay Accuser $10 Million
» Spain: Right-Wing Vox Party Becomes Kingmaker in Castile and Leon Regional Parliament
» ‘Stay Courageous!’ Trump Offers Zemmour Words of Wisdom During Telephone Exchange
» Tennis Star Djokovic Vows to Boycott Major Tournaments if They Demand He Gets Vaxxed
» The Very Untimely Death of Luc Montagnier
» UK: “Woke Psychodrama” Causing Harmful Division in Western Societies
» Weird Flex But OK: Orban Rival Claims Fascists and Communists Part of His Opposition Coalition
 
Russia
» Breaking: Biden Warns a Russian Attack on Ukraine Still Possible, Urges Diplomacy
» ‘Let’s Not Create Enemies!’ — Former Czech President Tells Government to Stay Out of Conflict in Ukraine
» Russia Withdraws Troops From Ukraine Border After Media Said Invasion Was Imminent
 
South Asia
» India: Public Interest Litigation Against Mosque Loud Speaker Noise in Gujarat
 
Far East
» TikTok Can Bypass Apple and Google Security Protections to Access User Data: Report
 
Australia — Pacific
» Breaking: Avi Yemini Files Lawsuit to Unmask ‘PRGuy’
» New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern to Skip Lockdown for Harvard Address
» QR Breach Exposes 500,000 NSW Addresses
 
Immigration
» Channel Migrants Should be Deported to Processing Centres on South Atlantic Islands if an Agreement With France Fails, Report Suggests
» Criminal Deportations Plummet Under Ireland’s Amnesty-Giving Justice Minister
» Czech PM on Ukraine: We Are Prepared for All Scenarios, Including Mass Influx of Refugees
» France: Young Teen Sexually Assaulted by African Migrant Aboard Train
» Matteo Salvini Laments ‘Collapse’ of Lampedusa From Illegal Migrant Onslaught
 
Culture Wars
» France Going Full LGBTQI+ With Ban on ‘Conversion Therapies’ And Listing Men as Mothers on Birth Certificates
» Germany’s Catholic Church Goes Woke
» UK: Schools Told to Drop ‘Mr, ‘ ‘Mrs, ‘ ‘Sir, ‘ and “Madam’ in Favor of Gender-Neutral Terms When Addressing Teachers
 

30 Retirements and Counting: Moderate House Dem Kathleen Rice Throws in the Towel

By comparison, just 13 House Republicans have announced their retirements so far. That tells us all we need to know about how the two party establishments view their respective chances this fall.

House Dems are caught in the same predicament they were in January 2010, after rumblings of an earthquake in that fall’s midterms had already begun. On the one hand, Pelosi wanted anyone who was thinking of retirement to announce early and give the party time to recruit a credible nominee in their district. On the other hand, a slew of early retirements would raise anxiety within that the midterms were destined to be a bloodbath, possibly spooking some Dems who otherwise intended to run again into quitting as well.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

74% of Americans Think They Will be Involved in a War Within 12 Months

The prospect of a “high intensity” armed conflict involving major military powers has been a subject of reflection and concern in expert circles and the media for some years now, and as Statista’s Martin Armstrong notes, this issue has become even more topical with the recent rise in geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.

According to a survey conducted by Ipsos between September and October 2021, this threat is also of concern to the public, at least they seem aware if it, in many countries.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Amazon, Walmart Drop Mask Requirements for Vaccinated Employees

Private sector companies like Amazon and Walmart are following suit with what some state governors are doing by removing mask requirements. However, there’s still a case-by-case treatment of the matter when it comes to company policies.

In regards to specifics about the change in outlook from the retail giants:

Amazon says fully vaccinated staff no longer have to wear masks, per MarketWatch. “There has been a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the country over the past weeks,” the outlet said, citing a company memo.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Are You Sure, Alec? Baldwin Posts ‘Everything’s Going to be Alright’ Hours After He Was Sued by Family of Rust Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins as They Recreate Moment He Accidentally Shot and Killed Her With Prop Gun on New Mexico Set

Alec Baldwin posted a video to Instagram Tuesday afternoon of a sign that read, ‘Everything’s going to be alright’ just hours after the actor was sued by the family of slain Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins for wrongful death as her lawyers recreated the moment he accidentally shot and killed her with prop gun on a New Mexico set last October.

Baldwin was holding a Colt revolver during a rehearsal on set at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe when he fired a live round on October 21, 2021, killing Hutchins.

He has maintained that it was Hutchins herself who asked him to point the gun just off camera and toward her armpit before it went off. Director Joel Souza also was wounded in the shooting.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Protesters Descend on Canadian Embassy in New York to Oppose Trudeau’s Crackdown on Freedom Protests

Protests outside the Canadian Embassy in New York drew crowds on Tuesday as New Yorkers stated their support for the Canadian truckers’ Freedom Convoy that shut down the Ambassador Bridge and gridlocked Ottawa. Despite the new force being used against their protest, the truckers on Monday said in a press conference that they would “hold the line.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Twitter Suspends ‘Defiant L’s’, Account Best Known for Highlighting Liberal Hypocrisy

On Tuesday evening, Twitter removed the “Defiant L’s” account from their social media platform. At the time of its suspension, it had amassed over 350,000 followers due to its highlighting the hypocrisy of prominent liberal figures.

This spotlight on a particular subset of modern online life is also a specialty that made Libs of TikTok popular.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Butler School Board Takes Steps to Ban Critical Race Theory

The Butler Area School Board has taken another step towards articulating their position on an issue that has received a lot of political attention in recent months.

At their meeting Monday night, the board approved a resolution concerning a pledge that the district will not teach students or train teachers to teach theories such as Critical Race Theory. The exact language of this resolution will be posted to the district’s website.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

California’s Health Secretary Says School Children Still Can’t Remove Masks Despite Maskless Super Bowl

Following images of thousands of attendees at the Super Bowl not wearing masks, including big name celebrities and even LA’s Mayor Eric Garcetti, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said that students will still be required to wear masks. He then assured viewers that change is coming.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Chicago Alderman Found Guilty of Lying to Regulators, Filing False Income Tax Returns

Chicago Alderman Patrick Daley Thompson was found guilty by a jury on two counts of lying to regulators and five counts of filing false income tax returns.

The 11th Ward council member is the grandson of late Mayor Richard J. Daley, and the nephew of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, according to the Chicago Sun-Time

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

CNN Hits Historic Lows After Scandal-Filled Year

CNN has hit yet another low last week, seeing its worst total day viewers in nearly eight years as its conservative counterpart Fox News continues to top the charts.

According to data reported by Fox News, the left-wing cable news network averaged just 444,000 total day viewers from Feb. 7 — 13, which is CNN’s worst performance in the category since November of 2015.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

CNN Poll: Majority of Dems Reject Biden 2024

Let’s put this in 1970s slasher-film terms: The confidence-crisis cascade is calling from inside the Democratic house! Joe Biden has stumbled badly enough that a majority of voters from his own party want a different nominee rather than a second Biden presidential campaign, according to the latest CNN poll. They attempt to make this about Donald Trump as well, but Trump actually scores better despite having lost his last election.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

DeSantis: Florida is Drawing More Tourists Now Than it Did Before the Pandemic

This is quite a feather in his political cap, and I don’t just mean economically by dint of the tourism revenue. The fact that Florida’s appeal as a vacation destination increased during the pandemic is a testament to DeSantis’s retail skill in advertising his state as a haven from COVID restrictions. His policies banning mask and vaccine mandates are no different from Texas’s, really, but ask the average pandemic-weary American where they want to visit for a taste of 2019-era normalcy and most will say without hesitation, “Florida.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Even Redditors Find Forced TV Diversity Weird

When even members of Reddit are expressing surprise at the contrived level of diversity on television, you know something is up.

The US black population is about 12.1% according to the 2020 census.

And yet they featured in nearly 40% of Super Bowl commercials.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Exclusive: Clinton Cornered: Hillary Refuses to Answer Questions Again About Durham Revelation That She Paid to Spy on Trump Campaign After Arriving at Daughter Chelsea’s NYC Home and Going to Queens Restaurant With Film Crew

Hillary Clinton refused to answer questions about allegations that her allies spied on the Trump campaign as the controversy continued to engulf her Tuesday.

Clinton continued to stonewall questions later the same day as she and Chelsea emerged from a Filipino restaurant in Queens after approximately three hours during which they appeared to be filming.

Head down and blanking all enquiries mother and daughter headed back into the city flanked by their Secret Service detail.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Feds Encourage Ex-Lovers to Grass Each Other Up for “Fun” On Valentine’s Day

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms marked Valentine’s Day by encouraging ex-lovers to grass each other up over “illegal gun activity” for “fun”.

Yes, really.

The ATF used Twitter to try to get jilted partners to rat on one another.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

‘Fire Everywhere’: 9,000+ Gallons of Gasoline Explode, Light Up Rockville Centre

Hundreds of homes were without power, and a major highway completely closed, after the Long Island gas tanker explosion

A tanker truck carrying 9,500 gallons of gasoline exploded overnight in Rockville Centre, setting two buildings and the streets on fire.

Authorities received a call about 1:10 a.m. Wednesday about an overturned tanker on Sunrise Highway between North Centre Avenue and North Park Avenue.

“When I came here, there was fire everywhere, the streets, the tanker, the two buildings, and when I looked down Sunrise Highway, there was fire coming out of seven or eight manhole covers,” Rockville Centre Fire Chief of Department James Avondet said.

“It’s one of the worst things I’ve seen in my 47-year career,” Avondet added…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Journalist Suspended From Twitter After Sharing Video of Gunman in University of Chicago Shootout

UPDATE: Foldi’s account has since been restored. Twitter told Foldi in the notification: “Our support team has reviewed your account and it appears we made an error. We’ve determined there was no violation and have restored your account to full functionality. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate you taking the time to submit your appeal request to us.”

Twitter locked journalist Matthew Foldi’s account after he posted footage of a gunman running towards the University of Chicago’s campus and reported on the subsequent police shootout that then sparked calls to defund the university’s police.

“Twitter said the content is ‘intimate media of someone without their express consent.’ Wtf?” tweeted Washington Free Beacon executive editor Brent Scher.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Jury Sides With NY Times in Palin Libel Lawsuit, One Day After Judge Said Case Lacked Evidence

Yesterday the judge in the Sarah Palin libel case decided she hadn’t produced enough evidence of the Times’ reckless disregard for truth and therefore the jury’s decision in the case wouldn’t matter. However, he let the jury continue to deliberate the matter on the grounds that their decision might matter in the future if the case was appealed. In fact, Monday afternoon Palin spoke very briefly to the media saying that she was waiting on the jury to issue its verdict in the case:

Today, the jury came back with a unanimous decision siding with the NY Times.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Kansas Lawmakers Want Schools to Post Class Lessons Online as a Tool Against Critical Race Theory

In the battle over critical race theory and how to teach about topics like racism or history in Kansas schools, conservative activists and lawmakers have a new clarion call: curriculum transparency.

They want schools to be more open about what they’re teaching, and they want districts to put classroom and training materials online for the public to see. They also want more oversight of materials centered on race, gender or sexuality, or other topics they think are inappropriate for youngsters.

A proposed Parents’ Bill of Rights would require Kansas school districts to create an “academic transparency portal” on their websites to post information on learning materials and activities.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

New York City Fires Nearly 1,500 Workers for Refusing COVID-19 Vaccine: Mayor

Authored by Isabel van Brugen via The Epoch Times

New York Mayor Eric Adams announced on Monday that 1,430 public-sector workers in the city were fired for failing to meet a Feb. 11 deadline to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

South Dakota Senate Committee Considers Bill to Ban Financial Discrimination by Big Banks

Tuesday February 15th, South Dakota Senate Bill 182 will be heard in Senate Commerce Committee. Before Tuesday, take a moment to reach out to your elected representatives in the legislature and to Governor Noem and let them know — financial industry discrimination against 2nd Amendment companies is real, and, South Dakota should push back.

Following the committee hearing, on the 15th, join NSSF, our partners and the general public in the Capitol Rotunda for hunting and shooting sports and 2 Amendment day at the Capitol. From 9:00 am to 2:00 pm industry members like HS Precision, Stag Arms, Magpul, ONeill Ops and Silencer Central (along with partners like the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation) will host displays, activities and have giveaways in the Capitol Rotunda.

Senate Bill 182, “An Act to prohibit discriminatory actions against persons engaged in the firearms industry” — the South Dakota Firearm Industry Nondiscrimination (FIND) Act, asks that the State only contract with those financial service providers who commit to fairness in banking.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Survey: Majority of Americans Support Canadian Truckers, Would Support Similar Movement in U.S.

Most Americans support the Canadian truckers standing for freedom against coercive coronavirus mandates in the country and would support a similar movement in the United States, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Tuesday found.

“Multiple cities in Canada and border crossings with the United States have been the site of protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates by convoys of Canadian truckers. Do you support or oppose the Canadian trucker protests?” the survey asked.

Fifty-nine percent, overall, said they support the movement, and of those, 42 percent “strongly” support it. Those who support it include 77 percent of Republicans, 60 percent of independents, and 40 percent of Democrats.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

These Chicago Hit and Run Numbers Are Pretty Terrible

Saturday night there was a hit and run accident in Chicago. A white sedan drove through a red light and t-boned an SUV being driven by a 26-year-old woman. There were four children in the SUV and two of them were ejected when the vehicle rolled over from the force of the impact. Those two children, aged 6 and 9, were taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The driver who hit the SUV fled the scene. The car was later located but as of Sunday night the driver still hadn’t been located.

According to figures gathered by NBC Chicago, hit and run accidents are pretty common in Chicago.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Too Weird to Check: Attempted Assassin in Mayoral Shooting a Gun-Control Activist?

Fortunately, an assassination attempt on mayoral candidate Craig Greenberg missed him entirely. The Louisville Democrat felt the bullet graze his sweater before his campaign workers successfully and courageously barricaded the door against the assassin.

Who would pick up a firearm and try to kill a mayoral candidate? You’ll be surprised.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Trafalgar Poll: Republicans Show 12 Point Lead Over Democrats on Generic Ballot

Republicans lead Democrats by double digits on the latest generic midterm congressional ballot from Trafalgar Group, as the first primary elections are only weeks away.

The latest poll from the Trafalgar Group revealed Republicans had a commanding 12 point lead over the Democrats on a generic ballot when the respondents were asked which party they would vote for if the election for Congress was held “today.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Arctic Residents Looking Forward to Warmer Weather Amid Climate Alarmism

A climate study conducted by Earnscliffe Strategy Group has determined that people aren’t quite as alarmed by “The Climate Crisis” as the mainstream media portrays.

The report, titled “Public Opinion Research On Extreme Temperatures And Alerting Programs In Northern Canada,” was delivered to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in September 2021.

In a story published by Blacklock’s Reporter, the report features the results from researchers found while surveying Arctic residents on their preparedness for global warming.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Banks Grapple With New Emergencies Act Powers to Curb the Flow of Funds to Support Blockades

Canada’s largest banks held a flurry of meetings and calls on Tuesday as they tried to grasp how far the federal government expects them to go in wielding emergency powers to cut off financial support for blockades that have disrupted Ottawa and major border crossings.

After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act on Monday, senior bankers spent Tuesday awaiting details on the extent and legal ramifications of temporary powers the government expects them to use to monitor and halt transactions that would channel money to demonstrators.

For many bankers, two urgent questions were top of mind: how aggressively banks should target those suspected of soliciting funds to support the blockades, and how the government will assure the banks they have enough legal protection to freeze customers’ accounts without risking costly repercussions.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Feds Ease Travel Measures for Vaccinated Canadians

Federal health minister Jean-Yves Dulos announced on Monday that the federal government would be easing multiple travel restrictions for vaccinated Canadians.

As of Feb. 28, Canadians will have the option of presenting a negative rapid antigen test or a molecular PCR test in order to meet pre-entry requirements.

Unvaccinated Canadians will still be required to be tested on arrival, and a mandatory 14-day quarantine is still in force, but unvaccinated children will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days before returning to school or daycare.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: GiveSendGo Back Up and Running After Cyberattack

Crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo released a statement on Tuesday after experiencing a cyberattack on Sunday.

The cyberattack included a hack that revealed the names of thousands of donors to the Canadian truckers’ freedom convoy, as well as the dollar amounts that each person donated.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Ottawa Police Chief Resigns

Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly has resigned, on the 19th day of the freedom convoy in the city’s downtown core.

The CBC reported that Sloly resigned due to accusations of bullying and volatile behaviour. The police chief made a public announcement later Tuesday.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Bridge Protest Arrests Swell to 46, 90 Charges Laid

Windsor police laid 90 charges against 46 people arrested during a week-long anti-mandate protest that choked off access to the Ambassador Bridge.

In an updated enforcement tally released Tuesday, police said 43 charges laid during the lengthy demonstration were for mischief over $5,000, and 43 were for breaching a court order.

One person faces an obstruction of justice charge, one is charged with failing to attend court, and one is charged with dangerous driving.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Canada’s Use of Terrorist Laws Against Peaceful Protest Draws International Condemnation

Politicians in the United States and around the world condemned the Canadian government after it announced it would use anti-terrorism laws to quell a peaceful protest of its own citizens.

“We are broadening the scope of Canada’s anti-money laundering and terrorist financing rules, so that they cover crowdfunding platforms and the payment service providers they use,” said Canadian deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland at a press conference yesterday.

“These changes cover all forms of transactions including digital assets such as cryptocurrencies.”

“The illegal blockades have highlighted the fact that crowdfunding platforms and some of the payment service providers they use are not fully captured under the Proceeds of Crime and Terrorist Financing Act.”

The Canadian government’s use of terrorism laws against a peaceful movement of its own citizens drew international condemnation.

The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, said Canada had lost its credibility on matters of democracy and freedom.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

CBC and CTV News Journalists Target Donors to Freedom Protesters

CBC and CTV News journalists have reportedly been contacting people who donated to the truckers’ freedom convoy in an attempt to “understand why they support this.”

CTV News reporter Graham Richardson said on Tuesday that he has spent the last two days calling people “who have donated to the trucker convoy,” including a former MP, business owners, health care professionals, and a property developer.

He likely has the information because of a cyberattack that was executed on crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, that left the site shut down for a number of days, and made a list of donors publicly available.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

CNRL Intends to Bring Back Employees Fired Over Vaccine Status

A staff memo provided anonymously to Rebel News indicates that Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) is inviting employees suspended for refusing to provide proof of vaccination back to work.

“With the announcement by the province of Alberta, outlining the upcoming changes to ease or remove public health protocols in respect to COVID-19, Canadian Natural is reviewing our COVID-19 Policy,” the memo explains.

“In conjunction with this review, we are planning a staged safe return of employees, currently working remotely, to their respective Canadian Natural work location… It is Canadian Natural’s intent that once COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted to include employees that are currently suspended in the return to work.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Doug Ford Says World is ‘Done’ With COVID and it’s Time to Move On

TORONTO — It’s time to move on from public health restrictions aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19 because people are “done” with rules like vaccine certificates and masks, Ontario’s premier said on Tuesday.

A day after his Progressive Conservative government announced plans to speed up its business reopening plan and end its vaccine certificate system within a few weeks, Doug Ford said he’s eager to “get these mandates moving.”

“I hate as a government telling anyone what to do. We’ve just got to get moving forward and get out of this and protect the jobs,” Ford said at a manufacturing announcement in Hamilton, Ont.

“The world’s done with it, so let’s just move forward.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Exclusive Video — Ottawa Protester: Nobody Should ‘Suffer From Isolation’ Or be ‘Stigmatized for a Personal Decision’

Governmental coronavirus vaccine mandates make people “suffer from isolation,” Wayne, a demonstrator supporting the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, ON, told Breitbart News on Saturday.

Wayne, who travelled to Ottawa from Toronto, told Breitbart News why. “I’m here to support all the people here. It’s about time…. It’s about time, because people can’t live in fear. They can’t be isolated. They can’t suffer from isolation and being alone and also being stigmatized for a personal decision that should be nobody else’s business.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Feds Seeking Help With Facial Recognition Technology

Citizenship and Immigration Canada is seeking support for the agency’s facial recognition program.

The program, first proposed in 2018, requires a new vendor to maintain the current facial recognition program used by the federal government.

According to the initial 2018 solicitation, the technology was to be used to provide enhanced security for passports.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Food, Massages Offered Freely to Anyone in Need as Convoy Protest Continues in Ottawa

I have been in Ottawa covering the Freedom Convoy since it arrived on January 28, 2022.

Personally, I can only share with you what I am seeing from a first-hand perspective. Being on the ground and talking to truckers and their supporters daily, I can’t express enough how peaceful the environment is here.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

High School Students Protest Mask and Vax Mandates — Principal Closes the School

Recently, some students at Holy Names Catholic School in Windsor, Ontario staged a walkout demonstration in order to protest various COVID-19 measures.

Correction: they were going to stage a walkout, but when the principal got wind of what was about to occur, he cancelled classes for the entire student body and locked-down the entire school.

Then again, this closure was likely done in the name of safety.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

In Windsor, One Blockade (Demonstrators) Has Been Replaced With… Another Blockade (Law Enforcement)

The seven-day long blockade of the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., ended on Sunday morning as various police forces descended upon the remaining demonstrators. Police arrested those who wouldn’t leave (charging them with mischief) and towing away the few vehicles that remained.

By late Sunday evening — just after the Super Bowl had concluded — the Ambassador Bridge was open to vehicular traffic once again.

But there was something very noticeable in Windsor after law enforcement made the demonstrators disperse: namely, the city still seemed somewhat paralyzed.

That’s because on a snowy Sunday night, large concrete blocks were put in place at strategic points that lead to the Ambassador Bridge. This was done in order to prevent demonstrators from assembling at the bridge yet again.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Indian Politician Calls Out Trudeau’s Hypocrisy on Civil Rights

The head of Foreign Affairs for the Bharatiya Janata Party — one of India’s two largest political bodies — has called out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for invoking the Emergencies Act to quash ongoing trucker convoy protests.

Dr. Vijay Chauthaiwale, who is a molecular biologist, blasted Trudeau’s hypocrisy on Tuesday, pointing to the fact that the prime minister supported ongoing protests in India in 2020.

“And this was (Justin Trudeau) when there were street protests in India ‘Canada will always be there to defend the rights of peaceful protesters,’ Chatuhaiwale tweeted in response to an article about the Liberals pledging to freeze the bank accounts of protestors.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Massive Calgary Rally Opposes Mandates and Applauds Truckers

On Saturday, thousands of Calgarians once again took to Central Memorial Park to rally against vaccine mandates and to show support for truckers across Canada who have undeniably shifted public and political opinions on vaccine mandates.

Despite Justin Trudeau’s unscientific steadfastness when it comes to pushing vaccines and ineffective restrictions, many politicians who have been apathetic or altogether complicit in lockdown culture are finally beginning to call for mandates and restrictions to end.

One of the most notable things about the gathering, aside from the usual friendly faces and comradery, was the reaction from folks at various venues along trendy 17th Ave. to the protesters as they peacefully marched through the streets.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Quebec to Drop Vaccine Passport March 14

Health officials in Quebec have announced that the province will drop vaccine passport requirement for bars, restaurants, and all other public spaces starting on March 14.

According to Health Minister Christian Dube, the situation in Quebec hospitals has improved so much so that measures can be gradually eased.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police Set to Take Over Law Enforcement of Protests in Ottawa

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Ontario Provincial Police are set to take over enforcement of the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa, the federal government announced Tuesday.

In a statement to the press, Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino said that the government is setting up an integrated command centre for the RCMP and the OPP to share and assume command and control over the ongoing protests that brought the capital city’s downtown core to a halt, the Canadian Press reported.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Sickkids Justifies High Rates of Vaccine-Related Myocarditis by Leaning on Unrelated Studies

The hypocrisy involved in the COVID response continues with institutions at the forefront.

In this interview, financial investor and data analyst Kelly Brown and I discuss the concerning studies referenced by the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), in their e-mail response to me from a previous report. The Science(tm) being used to rationalize the injections for children and youth appears to be more simply a top-down following of orders without hesitation, even if the cure is showing in real time to cause harm.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Statue of ‘Gassy Jack’ Torn Down During Vancouver’s Annual Women’s Memorial March

Demonstrators for the annual Women’s Memorial March this year saw the statue of John ‘Gassy Jack’ Deighton dragged to the ground by ropes. The bar owner’s significance to local history is that the Gastown neighborhood of Vancouver is named after him.

In response to the incident, Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart labeled it as “dangerous.”

“The City of Vancouver has been in consultations with [the] Squamish Nation on the right way to remove the Gassy Jack statue & recognize the truth of John Deighton’s harmful legacy,” he tweeted.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

The Implications of Trudeau’s Tyrannical Power Grab

Joel Pollak Joins Ezra Levant

Yesterday, Justin Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act, a successor to the War Measures Act.

On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Joel Pollak (follow @JoelPollak on Twitter) joined Ezra to discuss the implications of Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act to quell the peaceful Freedom Convoy protests in Canada.

This is just an excerpt from the full Ezra Levant Show.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

‘Thought Crimes’: RCMP Sabotage Private Farm Equipment That ‘Might’ Have Been Used for Protest

On yesterday’s Rebel News DAILY Livestream, Sheila Gunn Reid and Adam Soos discussed the outrageous story of Alberta RCMP covertly disabling private heavy equipment — because they believed they might be used in the future as a part of the border blockade in Coutts, Alberta.

You can see all of Rebel News‘ freedom-convoy coverage, and donate to help support our journalism, at ConvoyReports.com.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Three Coutts Protesters Charged With Conspiracy to Commit Murder

At least three protesters who were arrested at the Coutts blockade have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder, with more forthcoming charges on the way.

As reported by Rebel News on Monday, police arrested 11 people who were involved in what the RCMP called a “criminal organization.”

The RCMP said they obtained a search warrant for a house in Coutts, Alberta late Sunday, the border village where truckers and farmers have been blocking border access for two weeks in protest of COVID-19 restrictions.

Police confiscated 13 “long guns” along with handguns, body armour, a machete, and ammunition in the home and trailers that were raided.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Truckers Depart Coutts Border, Ending Blockade

The border blockade in Coutts, Alberta has officially come to an end.

A pair of the protests spokesmen spoke to Rebel News’ Sydney Fizzard last night, telling him that following the arrests of 11 people involved at the Coutts border blockade, those still remaining at the crossing would be leaving to maintain the peaceful nature of their demonstration.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Watch: David Menzies Joins Steve Bannon’s War Room Live From Ambassador Bridge

Rebel News reporter David Menzies joins Steve Bannon on The War Room to discuss the Freedom Convoy protests and the effect they’ve had on Canada and its prime minister Justin Trudeau.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Watch: Justin Trudeau Expresses ‘Admiration’ For China in Resurfaced Video

Far-left Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is under fire for his poor handling of his country’s anti-mandate protests, praised China’s dictatorship in a resurfaced video from 2013.

At a women’s night town hall in November 2013, then-Liberal Party Leader Trudeau was asked, “Which nation, besides Canada, which nation’s administration do you most admire and why?”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

What’s Happening With Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ Protests?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made history on Monday when he invoked the Emergencies Act for the first time to give law enforcement extraordinary powers in a bid to end the ‘Freedom Convoy’ protests that have affected cities from Canada’s prairie in the west to its economic center in the east.

Enacting the sweeping, temporary law signals the Canadian’s leader most defiant response to the protestors since the demonstrations began at the end of January. “We will not allow illegal and dangerous activities to continue,” Trudeau said during a Monday press briefing.

Canada’s ‘Freedom Convoy’ started when a group of truckers drove from Canada’s west coast to the national capital of Ottawa to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates for truckers. Over the past few weeks, ordinary Canadians fed up with pandemic restrictions—some claiming the mandates cost them their jobs and affected their families—also joined the movement…

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

Forced Vaccination Policy in Austria Has No Impact on Jab Uptake

Austria’s best-selling newspaper says the government’s introduction of a mandatory vaccination policy has had no discernible impact on jab uptake in the nation’s capital and could have even caused a drop-off.

Since the compulsory jab mandate came into force on February 5, Kronen Zeitung reports that the law actually caused a reduction in the number of people being vaccinated.

“There is no mandatory vaccination effect — and if there is, then rather in the other direction,” the newspaper reported.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

‘My Duty Was to Save France From the Great Replacement’ — Zemmour Says France Could be ‘Lebanon’ In 5/10 Years

France’s presidential election is heating up, with Zemmour saying that it is his duty to ‘save France’ from the ‘Great Replacement’, and that the country will be ‘Lebanon’ in five to ten years should he not win the race to the Élysée Palace.

French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour has told voters that France will be like Lebanon in five to ten years, should they fail to elect him as president.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

‘No Surprises’ — Top EU Court Expected to Rule Against Hungary and Poland Tomorrow

This week will be an important week, with the European Court of Justice expected to announce its ruling tomorrow on whether the European Union can issue sanctions for violations of the so-called rule of law.

Hungary and Poland challenged the regulation last March, arguing that it was incompatible with EU law, circumventing the EU’s founding treaties and violating the principle of legal certainty.

There is reason to believe that the court will dismiss the lawsuit. Advocate General Campos Sanchez-Bordona at least took that position last December, and while his opinion is not binding on the judges’ panel, it is usually followed. In any case, recent years have taught us not to expect much from the EU’s institutions.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Poland: Conservative Ruling Party Creating New Judicial Reform Plan to Unlock EU Recovery Plan Money

The European Commission has been blocking money which Poland should have received from the EU Recovery Fund, creating a political quandary for the Law and Justice (PiS) party. This fact is being abused by the opposition, which has accused the government of violating the rule of law and is pushing the idea that the ruling camp cares more about Solidarity Poland leader Zbigniew Ziobro’s judicial reform than EU loans.

According to the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, Law and Justice (PiS) has a plan to resolve the conflict. In the upcoming weeks, a new project concerning the Supreme Court is to be voted on.

“The moment is significant. In terms of geopolitics, this is a moment of huge tensions. This is the right time for both us and the European Commission to take a step forward,” a government politician emphasized.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Prince Andrew Settles Pedo Trial, Will Pay Accuser $10 Million

Update (1745ET): A senior palace source told the Daily Mail that the settlement is for US$10 million (£7.5million) — and that the deal may only be a “settlement in principle” at this point because he’s still waiting on the sale of his Swiss chalet.

Prince Andrew and accuser Virginia Giuffre have reached an out of court settlement for an undisclosed sum of money in a lawsuit which accused the disgraced UK royal of “rape in the first degree” after she was trafficked by Andrew pals Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Spain: Right-Wing Vox Party Becomes Kingmaker in Castile and Leon Regional Parliament

The right-wing, populist Vox party has won 13 seats in the regional parliament of Castile and León, a result which effectively makes the party the kingmaker in the formation of the autonomous community’s government.

The center-right People’s Party (PP) came first without obtaining an absolute majority in Sunday’s election, and thus will need the support of the Vox lawmakers to govern effectively. PP received 31.4 percent of the vote, giving them a slender victory of Pedro Sanchez’ Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE) who obtained 30 percent.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

‘Stay Courageous!’ Trump Offers Zemmour Words of Wisdom During Telephone Exchange

Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly offered words of encouragement to one of France’s conservative presidential hopefuls, Éric Zemmour, in a telephone call between the pair on Monday, Zemmour’s campaign has confirmed.

As reported by French broadcaster, BFM TV, the telephone call took place late on Monday evening after a member of Zemmour’s entourage contacted a former member of Trump’s cabinet, who then offered either a physical meeting with the former U.S. president or a telephone call.

“The firm accepted both, but with a trip to Florida being complicated, the team organized this telephone exchange,” a source close to Zemmour told French media.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Tennis Star Djokovic Vows to Boycott Major Tournaments if They Demand He Gets Vaxxed

World tennis ace Novak Djokovic is sticking to his guns and refusing to take COVID vaccines, vowing to boycott both the Wimbledon tournament in London and the French Open in Paris if organisers say he must be vaxxed in order to take part.

Following his incarceration and eventual deportation from Australia last month, Djokovic has spoken for the first time, asserting that “my body is more important than any title or anything else.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

The Very Untimely Death of Luc Montagnier

The renowned French biologist and virologist, Luc Montagnier, who isolated the HIV virus and received the Nobel Prize for it in 2008, died in Paris on February 8 at the age of 89 as FWM reported. The cause of his death is not yet known. On February 12, Montagnier would have given an expert witness statement at the hearing at Peoples’ Court of Public Opinion on “Covid-19 crimes against humanity”.

He was an outspoken opponent of Covid-19 mRNA gene therapies, calling them “poison”. The Grand Jury was set up by international lawyers to conduct criminal investigations into those actors who had helped devise and execute a collective plan to launch a pandemic. The charge is that world governments have fallen under the control of corrupt and criminal power structures which had been planning the pandemic for years.

Witness to “Crimes Against Humanity”

The evidence is being presented to a citizen jury. Montagnier’s expertise would have been very valuable and insightful. In 1983 he discovered the lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV), later referred to as the HIV virus, and was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2008. The HIV virus attacks the body’s immune system and can lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). To date, there is no vaccination against it, only drug treatment.

Laboratory virus — mutations due to vaccination

Montagnier rejected the current Covid-19 gene therapies. He spoke of “scientific error, medical negligence and an unforgivable historical error”. As early as 2020 he described SARS-CoV-2 as an artificially generated “chimera virus”, the starting point for its construction was a natural virus, he said in an interview for the Corona virus documentary Hold up — return to chaos. According to Montagnier, the virus variants are triggered by the vaccination. Because the virus is then looking for a way out, it therefore mutates.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: “Woke Psychodrama” Causing Harmful Division in Western Societies

The new obsession with cancel culture and “woke psychodrama” is causing harmful division in western societies and represents a “dangerous form of decadence,” according to UK Conservative Party co-chairman Oliver Dowden.

Dowden made the comments on Monday during a speech at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank.

“When our attention should be focused on external foes, we seem to have entered this period of extreme introspection and self-criticism,” said Dowden, adding that the west has become “obsessed by what divides us rather than what unites us.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Weird Flex But OK: Orban Rival Claims Fascists and Communists Part of His Opposition Coalition

Péter Marki-Zay, the chosen candidate for Prime Minister among the broad coalition of parties united against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has boasted that both communists and fascists are represented among his coalition.

Speaking at the town of Fonyód on Saturday, Marki-Zay gave a speech ahead of the Hungarian national elections, which are set to take place in April.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Biden Warns a Russian Attack on Ukraine Still Possible, Urges Diplomacy

President Joe Biden addressed reporters and the nation on Tuesday to explain the “situation on the ground” in Ukraine, the “steps” the US is willing to take in any potential conflict between Ukraine and Russia. Biden said that diplomacy would be ongoing.

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‘Let’s Not Create Enemies!’ — Former Czech President Tells Government to Stay Out of Conflict in Ukraine

Former Czech President Vaclav Klaus has penned a letter to Prime Minister Petr Fiala requesting that the government ends its “incomprehensible passivity” in Ukraine’s affairs, it has emerged.

According to him, Czechia has to engage in negotiations to find security guarantees for all sides involved.

Klaus further demanded responsible and dignified behavior of the government and rejected attempts to involve Czechia in the military escalation of the conflict or the search for a “single correct opinion” on the matter. He also wrote that the fears of the Russians are legitimate and without Russia, the conflict will not be resolved.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Russia Withdraws Troops From Ukraine Border After Media Said Invasion Was Imminent

Shortly after media reports suggested a Russian invasion of Ukraine was imminent, Moscow announced that it was withdrawing all troops from the border and then claimed “western propaganda” had failed.

Goaded by the Biden administration, major news outlets like the Sun reported that the invasion was set for tomorrow, with a “massive missile blitz” planned, along with 200,000 troops at the ready.

But within hours, it appeared the media had jumped the gun.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

India: Public Interest Litigation Against Mosque Loud Speaker Noise in Gujarat

Gujarat HC issues notice to state on PIL seeking ban on loudspeakers at mosques.

Satish Narayan Jha | HENB | Ahamedabad | Feb 15, 2022:: The Gujarat High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the state government on a public interest litigation (PIL being No. R/WPPIL/2/2022) seeking a ban on loudspeakers used for azaan or call to prayers at mosques across the state. The petition has claimed that these loudspeakers are “causing great disturbance to the public at large and it causes noise pollution.”

The division bench of chief justice Aravind Kumar and justice Ashutosh J Shastri after briefly hearing the contentions matter issued the notice to the state. While, the bench asked the petitioner’s lawyer Dharmesh Chandrakant Gurjar about guidelines prescribing noise pollution rules, he responded that “80 decibel is permissible but the loudspeakers at the mosques create sounds over 200 decibels.”

While issuing notice returnable on March 10, the bench also pointed out noise pollution during the weddings. Gurjar said weddings are once in a lifetime but loudspeakers at mosques create noise five times a day, and asked why people who don’t believe in Islam should listen to it. He also said that during festivals like Navratri there are guidelines and licences are issued for use of loudspeakers but in case of mosques there are no such provisions.

Citing several judgements, the petition stated, “Supreme Court has held that no religion prescribes that prayers should be performed by disturbing the peace of others nor does it preach that they should be through voice amplifiers or beating of drums. It is also held that in a civilised society in the name of religion, activities which disturb old or infirm persons, students or children having their sleep in the early hours or during daytime or other persons carrying on other activities, cannot be permitted because in case of student, he/she preparing for his/her examination is entitled to concentrate on his/her studies without there being any unnecessary disturbance.”

The petition has been filed by Dharmendra Vishnubhai Prajapati who runs a clinic in state capital Gandhinagar. He has said that “because of the use of loudspeakers at the mosque situated in the city, it is causing great disturbance to the public at large and it also creates noise pollution and, hence, appropriate orders and directions are required to be issued in the interest of justice.”

He has said that the five times a day prayers are offered from morning to night using the loudspeakers, which “cause great inconvenience and disturbance to nearby residents.” The PIL was filed back in 2020 but was registered only in January this year due to technical reasons.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

TikTok Can Bypass Apple and Google Security Protections to Access User Data: Report

Technical studies done by cybersecurity experts in late 2020 and early 2021 analyzed the innards of what makes video-sharing app TikTok operate.

Amid growing privacy concerns, researchers found an application that can modify behaviors on-the-fly without a user being made aware of it. This is on top of device identification that’s made easy for advertisers to harvest people’s data.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Breaking: Avi Yemini Files Lawsuit to Unmask ‘PRGuy’

Rebel News has taken action in the Federal Court of Australia to unmask the anonymous Twitter troll account ‘PRGuy’.

The PRGuy account has made it a mission to defame others while hiding behind anonymity to avoid scrutiny and consequence.

‘PRGuy17’ was established in March 2020, seemingly with the set goal of defending and justifying everything Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says and does.

The troll account has raised more than a few eyebrows on social media since the start of the pandemic for its non-stop sycophantic posts in support of the Andrews Labor government, as well as viciously lashing anyone with a dissenting opinion about the Premier’s performance.

It’s caused many online to question potential ties to the government after details emerged about the size, spend and focus of Andrews’ dedicated social media unit.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern to Skip Lockdown for Harvard Address

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will fly to Boston and personally address Harvard graduates in May — a full two months before her hermit kingdom reopens its borders to the rest of the world.

The left-wing NZ Labour Party leader and former president of the International Union of Socialist Youth will travel 9,100 miles from the capital of Wellington to appear before the prestigious 369th Commencement in the U.S. on May 26.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

QR Breach Exposes 500,000 NSW Addresses

A shocking data breach has resulted in 500,000 QR code check-in addresses being leaked to a public website where the data could be searched and viewed.

The data involved 566,318 locations collected by the NSW Customer Services Department in what has been labelled a ‘massive and dangerous’ violation of trust.

Addresses were not limited to NSW, and included other states and territories if those businesses or the parent organisation had registered with the government to comply with mandated Covid-Safe procedures.

Some of this data included the location of domestic violence shelters, secrete defence installations — including a missile maintenance unit — power stations, tunnel locations, and private addresses. Pretty much anywhere that people were required to check in to track Covid — which was everywhere.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Channel Migrants Should be Deported to Processing Centres on South Atlantic Islands if an Agreement With France Fails, Report Suggests

Channel migrants should be deported to offshore processing centres within 48 hours of arrival, a report will say today.

Think-tank Policy Exchange suggested processing centres should be set up on the British overseas territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic if the French government fails to take back migrants.

Alternative locations could include the Channel Islands or a 98 square mile area of Cyprus known as the Sovereign Base Areas which has been maintained under treaty by the UK since 1960, it added.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Criminal Deportations Plummet Under Ireland’s Amnesty-Giving Justice Minister

The number of foreign criminals deported in Ireland has collapsed under Ireland’s most recent Justice Minister, who recently launched an amnesty program to ‘regularise’ illegal immigrants.

Minister of Justice Helen McEntee of the ruling Europhile Fine Gael party has seen the deportation of criminal aliens from Ireland plummet under her tenure, according to figures recently released by the Irish Department of Justice.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Czech PM on Ukraine: We Are Prepared for All Scenarios, Including Mass Influx of Refugees

Czechia is hopeful of a diplomatic solution to the events unfolding on the Ukrainian border, but it has prepared itself for all scenarios, the country’s Prime Minister Petr Fiala told reporters following a meeting of the National Security Council on Monday.

The country is well-equipped for various developments in Ukraine, including but not limited to the supply of humanitarian aid, the protection of Czech citizens, and the possibility for an influx of refugees fleeing the country.

In recent months, Russia has gathered tens of thousands of troops at its border with Ukraine, raising concerns among Kiev and the West that the country is preparing for a military offensive. Referring to three official sources from Washington and Europe, the Politico news outlet wrote that the Russian invasion could begin on Feb. 16.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: Young Teen Sexually Assaulted by African Migrant Aboard Train

An underage girl was sexually assaulted by an illegal migrant from Africa aboard a train in France this week, according to reports.

The disturbing incident unfolded at around 7 p.m. on Monday evening on a train traveling from Paris to Lyon.

A 15-year-old girl was riding from Gare de Paris Bercy to Lyon when she was attacked by the suspect.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Matteo Salvini Laments ‘Collapse’ of Lampedusa From Illegal Migrant Onslaught

The leader of Italy’s Lega party, Matteo Salvini, said Tuesday that the island of Lampedusa faces a new “collapse” due to the continued arrivals of hundreds of illegal migrants to its shores.

Mr. Salvini was reacting to news of the landing of nearly 500 African migrants on the island — Italy’s southernmost point — in a space of less than 24 hours.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France Going Full LGBTQI+ With Ban on ‘Conversion Therapies’ And Listing Men as Mothers on Birth Certificates

The French parliament has outlawed any individual or organization from exerting any pressure on a person to have a heterosexual sexuality, including pressure exerted by parents on their children. In addition, the French justice system has just ordered that men should be allowed to appear as the second mother of their children on birth certificates if they wish so.

France’s new law, which was originally said to be against “conversion therapies,” is actually titled the “Law of 31 January 2022, forbidding practices aiming at modifying a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.” It prohibits “repeated practices, conduct, or speech intended to change or suppress a person’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Germany’s Catholic Church Goes Woke

The former head of the powerful Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, which is responsible for the teachings of the Catholic Church, has spoken out about the dangers of the spread of progressive ideologies within the Church. Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s article detailing the ruthless purge within the Church was published only a day after a so-called Synodal meeting, in which German bishops together with the laity and secular employees of the Church, make joint decisions about the future of liturgical life.

During the Feb. 4 meeting, the delegates released a statement in support of highly controversial issues that threaten to divide the faithful. Among these were the ordination of women, the permission of sexual relationships for priests, blessing of same-sex marriages, and the pro-LGBTQ redefinition of homosexuality in teaching materials.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Schools Told to Drop ‘Mr, ‘ ‘Mrs, ‘ ‘Sir, ‘ and “Madam’ in Favor of Gender-Neutral Terms When Addressing Teachers

An online teaching session funded by the largest teachers’ union in Europe told its participants to suggest to children that they avoid gender-specific language when addressing teachers at school, it has emerged.

The webinar, paid for by the National Education Union (NEU), focused on moving towards a gender-free model of education for students of all ages.

The session, titled “Getting the language right for 2022,” suggested dropping phrases such as ‘son,’ ‘mother,’ ‘boy,’ and ‘girl’ and to use more socially-inclusive language.

Attendees of the online session were also advised to remove the words ‘male’ and ‘female’ from school application forms, and to phase out the use of ‘Sir’, ‘Madam’, ‘Mr’, and ‘Mrs’ when students are engaging with their teachers.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

4 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/16/2022

  1. SWEDEN a la Carte

    Gang violence cannot be controlled, the media is increasingly openly acknowledging this.

    Aftonbladet even publishes a map of all shootings (or “shootings”) in Sweden during the year 2021. Not even the current government can conceal the problem, but is forced to propose symbolic measures.

    Thus, the impression could be created that the judicial system is weak, that it is completely ineffective, that lawlessness prevails.

    In other areas, however, all the more is happening. The well-known debater Katharina Janouch is being prosecuted for slander, for criticizing a teacher for forcing her students to pay homage to Islam.

    Boris Benulic has, on behalf of Morgonposten, reviewed the preliminary investigation. There is no doubt that Janouch is right in any case in the main features of his criticism. The teacher forced the students to bend their backs to Islam; whether the alleged purpose then was to teach students uppercase and lowercase letters is a matter of minor importance.

    Janouch has for this been subjected to a two-year persecution by police and prosecutors, which has now resulted in a prosecution. Regardless of the final outcome of this indictment, it is very remarkable that an individual citizen is being persecuted by the state, for having directed justified criticism at real wrongdoing.

    Another person who has been harassed by the government is a teacher who refused to say “hen” to a student who lived in the delusion that he did not have a gender. The teacher, who should have been encouraged in his efforts to adapt the student to reality, instead lost his livelihood. Not only this, the education coordinator who had the ultimate responsibility is now fined no less than SEK 150,000 for alleged discrimination. The unforgiving teacher, careful not to mislead his disciples, receives a punishment absurd in his severity for daring to be honest.

    It is thus difficult to say that Sweden is a lawless country, when the judiciary uses purely totalitarian methods against ordinary citizens. One concept that feels relevant instead is the American conservative columnist Sam Francis’ (1947–2005) concept of “anarcho-tyranny”. It captures a strange mixture of lawlessness in the fundamental areas of the rule of law and pure tyranny in detail.

    This may seem contradictory, but it is not as strange as it seems. For what fears a weak state more than opposition citizens? In the absence of real control, it must control its citizens, make sure they are in line.

    The control first applies to the political opposition activities, but can gradually include all sorts of behaviors that vaguely suggest that a person is suspicious and hostile to the state. For example, that he has the audacity to call someone by his rightful, legally recognized gender.

    Updated on 2022-02-14
    Simon O. Pettersson
    Simon O. Pettersson
    https://exakt24.se/

  2. Thus, the impression could be created that the judicial system is weak, that it is completely ineffective, that lawlessness prevails.
    That is the real problem all over Europe LN. Britain my country used to have a firm steady hand on the judicial system, but the joining of the European Union did us no favours in that respect-the added incomprehensible attitude of most of Europe inc the UK to the advance of immigration into Europe has been another nail into the coffin-and now the soft attitude aided by Multiculturalism, and Multi this and that has destroyed any chance of their being a deterent tough enought to deter. The West is now weak and the world knows it. Can that be rectified ? I doubt it at present.

    • Can it be rectified you ask ? Of course it will, human nature is tribal by it’s very being, and with the invasion of foreign entities into a once homogenous population only Balkanizes it, which in turn, will bring massive bloodshed where only one tribe will be left standing. History has tried to warn us of this too many times to count, but the left keep trying to jam a square peg into a round and is frustrated it won’t fit because feelings matter, never mind the facts on the ground or history which says don’t bloody do it or else. Give the right man the right motivation, he can accomplish impossible tasks.

  3. UK: Schools Told to Drop ‘Mr, ‘ ‘Mrs, ‘ ‘Sir, ‘ and “Madam’ in Favor of Gender-Neutral Terms When Addressing Teachers

    An online teaching session funded by the largest teachers’ union in Europe told its participants to suggest to children that they avoid gender-specific language when addressing teachers at school, it has emerged.

    What a load of utter nonsense-how can you stop a child calling its Mother, Mother or its Father as Father, or indeed to other members of its family-does that mean that a child would not be able to write a letter to a male or female person other than by addressing them as ‘You’, – without doubt such an attitude to such a matter as proposed will be most confusing for the child and indeed for us all. Scrap such rubbish let us have no more truck with such idiot ideas and get on with what is really important for youngsters to learn.

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