US Navy apologizes for the 1882 obliteration of a Tlingit village in Alaska

It was Oct. 26, 1882, in Angoon, a Tlingit village of about 420 people in the southeastern Alaska panhandle. Now, 142 years later, the perpetrator of the bombardment — the U.S. Navy —has apologized.

MARK THIESSEN
Updated Sat, October 26, 2024 

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, Commander of Navy Region Northwest Rear Adm. Mark Sucato is gifted a canoe paddle by Leonard John, Raven Clan, Native Village of Angoon, following the One People Canoe Society's welcoming ceremony to kick off the annual Juneau Maritime Festival on May 4, 2024, in Juneau, Alaska.

 (Chief Mass Communication Spc. Gretchen Albrecht/U.S. Navy via AP)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Shells fell on the Alaska Native village as winter approached, and then sailors landed and burned what was left of homes, food caches and canoes. Conditions grew so dire in the following months that elders sacrificed their own lives to spare food for surviving children.

It was Oct. 26, 1882, in Angoon, a Tlingit village of about 420 people in the southeastern Alaska panhandle. Now, 142 years later, the perpetrator of the bombardment — the U.S. Navy —has apologized.

Rear Adm. Mark Sucato, the commander of the Navy's northwest region, issued the apology during an at-times emotional ceremony Saturday, the anniversary of the atrocity.

“The Navy recognizes the pain and suffering inflicted upon the Tlingit people, and we acknowledge these wrongful actions resulted in the loss of life, the loss of resources, the loss of culture, and created and inflicted intergenerational trauma on these clans,” he said during the ceremony, which was livestreamed from Angoon. “The Navy takes the significance of this action very, very seriously and knows an apology is long overdue.”

While the rebuilt Angoon received $90,000 in a settlement with the Department of Interior in 1973, village leaders have for decades sought an apology as well, beginning each yearly remembrance by asking three times, “Is there anyone here from the Navy to apologize?"

“You can imagine the generations of people that have died since 1882 that have wondered what had happened, why it happened, and wanted an apology of some sort, because in our minds, we didn’t do anything wrong,” said Daniel Johnson Jr., a tribal head in Angoon.

The attack was one of a series of conflicts between the American military and Alaska Natives in the years after the U.S. bought the territory from Russia in 1867. The U.S. Navy issued an apology last month for destroying the nearby village of Kake in 1869, and the Army has indicated that it plans to apologize for shelling Wrangell, also in southeast Alaska, that year, though no date has been set.

The Navy acknowledges the actions it undertook or ordered in Angoon and Kake caused deaths, a loss of resources and multigenerational trauma, Navy civilian spokesperson Julianne Leinenveber said in an email prior to the event.

“An apology is not only warranted, but long overdue,” she said.

Today, Angoon remains a quaint village of about 420 people, with colorful old homes and totem poles clustered on the west side of Admiralty Island, accessible by ferry or float plane, in the Tongass National Forest, the nation's largest. The residents are vastly outnumbered by brown bears, and the village in recent years has strived to foster its ecotourism industry. Bald eagles and humpback whales abound, and the salmon and halibut fishing is excellent.

Accounts vary as to what prompted its destruction, but they generally begin with the accidental death of a Tlingit shaman, Tith Klane. Klane was killed when a harpoon gun exploded on a whaling ship owned by his employer, the North West Trading Co.

The Navy's version says tribal members forced the vessel to shore, possibly took hostages and, in accordance with their customs, demanded 200 blankets in compensation.

The company declined to provide the blankets and ordered the Tlingits to return to work. Instead, in sorrow, they painted their faces with coal tar and tallow — something the company’s employees took as a precursor to an insurrection. The company’s superintendent then sought help from Naval Cmdr. E.C. Merriman, the top U.S. official in Alaska, saying a Tlingit uprising threatened the lives and property of white residents.

The Tlingit version contends the boat's crew, which included Tlingit members, likely remained with the vessel out of respect, planning to attend the funeral, and that no hostages were taken. Johnson said the tribe never would have demanded compensation so soon after the death.

Merriman arrived on Oct. 25 and insisted the tribe provide 400 blankets by noon the next day as punishment for disobedience. When the Tlingits turned over just 81, Merriman attacked, destroying 12 clan houses, smaller homes, canoes and the village’s food stores.

Six children died in the attack, and "there’s untold numbers of elderly and infants who died that winter of both cold, exposure and hunger,” Johnson said.

Billy Jones, Tith Klane’s nephew, was 13 when Angoon was destroyed. Around 1950, he recorded two interviews, and his account was later included in a booklet prepared for the 100th anniversary of the bombing in 1982.

“They left us homeless on the beach,” Jones said.

Rosita Worl, the president of Sealaska Heritage Institute in Juneau, described how some elders that winter “walked into the forest” — meaning they died, sacrificing themselves so the younger people would have more food.

Even though the Navy’s written history conflicts with the Tlingit oral tradition, the Navy defers to the tribe’s account “out of respect for the long-lasting impacts these tragic incidents had on the affected clans,” said Leinenveber, the Navy spokesperson.

Tlingit leaders were so stunned when Navy officials told them, during a Zoom call in May, that the apology would finally be forthcoming that no one spoke for five minutes, Johnson said.

Eunice James, of Juneau, a descendant of Tith Klane, said she hopes the apology helps her family and the entire community heal. She expects his presence at the ceremony.

HISTORIC APOLOGY; ABOUT TIME

Biden apologizes to Native Americans for 150 years of abusive government-funded boarding schools

Michael Williams, CNN
Fri, October 25, 2024 

President Joe Biden speaks at the Gila River Crossing School in the Gila River Indian Community, in Laveen Village, near Phoenix, Arizona, on October 25.

President Joe Biden on Friday formally apologized to Native Americans for what he described as “one of the most horrific chapters in American history,” government-funded boarding schools that abused indigenous children and forced them to assimilate over a 150-year period.

“Quite frankly, there is no excuse that this apology took 150 years to make,” Biden said in Laveen, Arizona, after calling for a moment of silence to “remember those lost and the generations living with that trauma.”

At least 18,000 children were taken from their families and forced to attend more than 400 boarding schools across 37 states or then-territories between 1819 and 1969. Three years ago, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary, commissioned the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative to review the schools’ impacts on Native Americans.

Their final report, issued this summer, found at least 973 Native American children died while attending these federal boarding schools.

“As president,” Biden said on Friday, “I believe it is important that we do know there were generations of native children stolen, taken away to places they didn’t know, with people they never met, who spoke a language they had never heard.”

“Native communities silenced – their children’s laughter and play were gone,” he added. “… Children abused emotionally, physically and sexually abused, forced into hard labor, some put up for adoption without the consent of their birth parents, some left for dead and unmarked graves.”

Children who returned home, the president added, were “wounded in body and spirit.”

Biden’s remarks were made at the Gila Crossing Community School outside of Phoenix. It’s the first time he has visited Indian Country as president and the first time in 10 years a sitting president has visited tribal lands. Then-President Barack Obama paid a visit to the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation in 2014.

Biden acknowledged that “no apology can or will make up for what was lost during the darkness of the federal boarding school policy.”

But, the president added, “we’re finally moving forward into the light.”

The president was briefly interrupted during his remarks by two pro-Palestine protesters. He paused his speech to say that the killing of people in Gaza “has to stop.”

CNN’s Arlette Saenz contributed to this report.

Biden apology for Indian boarding schools interrupted by Gaza war protester

Gabriella Borter and Kanishka Singh
Fri, October 25, 2024 

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in Gila River Indian Community

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in Gila River Indian Community

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in Gila River Indian Community

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks in Gila River Indian Community


LAVEEN VILLAGE, Arizona (Reuters) - President Joe Biden formally apologized on Friday for the U.S. government's role in running abusive Native American boarding schools for more than 150 years, and was heckled at the event over his support for Israel's war in Gaza.

"This to me is one of the most consequential things I've ever had an opportunity to do in my whole career," Biden said in his apology at an outdoor football and track field in Laveen Village, Arizona, near Phoenix.

"It's a sin on our soul. ... I formally apologize."

Several hundred people attended, many of them in traditional tribal dress. They cheered as Biden apologized for the generational trauma faced by the Native American community due to the boarding schools across the country.

Biden faced a brief interruption when a pro-Palestinian protester shouted: "How can you apologize for a genocide while committing a genocide in Palestine?"

The president replied, "There is a lot of innocent people being killed and it has to stop."

U.S. support for Israel's wars in Gaza and Lebanon after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel has led to months of demonstrations across the United States. Rights advocates have demanded an arms embargo against Israel as tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in the region, and Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have grappled with hunger and disease.


Israel and Washington deny genocide allegations brought against Israel at the World Court in relation to Gaza, and Washington has maintained its support for its ally.

Friday's trip marked Biden's first time visiting Indian Country while in office and is part of his effort to cement his legacy in his final months in the White House.

Arizona is also one of the seven battleground states in a tight race for the Nov. 5 U.S. election in which Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris faces Republican former President Donald Trump.

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to be a cabinet secretary, had launched an investigation to recognize the troubled legacy of federal Native American boarding school policies.

An Interior Department investigative report released in July found that at least 973 children died in these schools. Haaland's family members were among the children forced into the boarding schools.

From 1819 through the 1970s, the United States implemented policies establishing and supporting hundreds of American Indian boarding schools across the U.S. Their purpose was to culturally assimilate Native Americans by forcibly removing them from their families, communities, religions and cultural beliefs.

Like the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada have in recent years reviewed past abuse toward Indigenous communities, including children in schools.

(Reporting by Gabriella Borter in Laveen Village, Arizona, and Kanishka Singh in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)

Biden formally apologizes to Native Americans

Washington Post
Fri, October 25, 2024 


President Joe Biden is the first president to formally apologizes for the U.S. government’s role in running hundreds of Indian boarding schools for a 150-year period that stripped Native American children of their language and culture in a systematic effort to force them to assimilate into White society, at Gila Crossing Community School on the Gila River Indian Community outside Phoenix on October 25, 2024, in Laveen, AZ.


Biden apologizes for Native American boarding school policy he calls ‘blot’ on US history

Andrew Feinberg
Fri, October 25, 2024

President Joe Biden speaks at the Gila Crossing Community School, Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Laveen, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) (Associated Press)


President Joe Biden formally apologized to Native Americans for the US government’s attempt to erase tribal culture via a system of boarding schools that separated native children from their parents for decades, calling the long-discarded policy “a sin on our soul.”

Speaking at the Gila Crossing Community School on the Gila River Indian Community Reservation in Laveen Village, Arizona, Biden said there was “no excuse” that it took a full half-century for the government to offer contrition for the system.

“I formally apologize as president of the United States of America for what we did,” he said on Friday.

The federal boarding school system routinely took Native American children from their families and forcibly re-educated them to stamp out native culture. The policy was in place from 1819 through the 1970s.

“The Federal Indian boarding school policy — the pain it has caused will only be a significant mark of shame, a blot on American history. For too long, this all happened with virtually no public attention, not written about in our history books, not taught in our schools.”

Biden also called the boarding school system “one of the most horrific chapters” in the nearly 250-year-old American story — even as it remains untold in most history books.

Biden’s interior secretary, Deb Haaland, is the first Native American cabinet member in US history (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

“As President, I believe it is important that we do know now generations of native children stolen, taken away to places they didn't know, with people they never met who spoke a language they had never heard,” he said, as he described how the children would arrive at schools to have their native clothes taken, their hair cut, and their names replaced with an English-language name.


Some children, he said, were “abused ... emotionally, physically and sexually,” with some “put up for adoption without the consent of their birth parents” and a number even “left for dead in unmarked graves.”

Roughly 1,000 Native American children are known to have died in the federally-run boarding schools, though Biden said the “real number” of deaths is “likely to be much, much higher” as he spoke of “lost generations” and the loss of “culture and language” as well as trust between native tribes and the federal government.

“I have a solemn responsibility to be the first president to formally apologize to the native peoples, Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Alaskans and federal Indian boarding schools. It's long, long, long overdue,” he said.

Biden added that while the policy may have been “too shameful to acknowledge” for some Americans, bringing the true history into the light is part of America’s responsibility as a “great nation.”


“We must know the good, the bad, the truth of who we are as a nation. That's what great nations do ... we do not erase history. We make history, we learn from history, and we remember so we can heal as a nation,” he said.

Biden’s visit comes as his onetime running-mate and potential successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, is in the final days of campaigning against former president Donald Trump.

In the key swing state of Arizona, Native Americans are an important voting bloc, and Democrats are hopeful that Biden’s visit to the Gila River reservation will provide a boost in voter turnout among the tribal nations.

Four years ago, Biden became the first Democrat to carry Arizona’s electoral votes in decades when he won the popular vote there by just over 10,000 votes.

BALOCHISTAN IS A COUNTRY

Attack on a police convoy in a restive southeastern province of Iran kills 10 officers

JON GAMBRELL
Sat, October 26, 2024 


This is a locator map for Iran with its capital, Tehran. (AP Photo)

Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

Key Takeaways

An attack on an Iranian police convoy in Sistan and Baluchestan province killed at least 10 officers, with details remaining scarce.

The assault appeared to target two security force vehicles, resulting in the deaths of all those riding in them, with the truck showing damage from bullets but no explosives being used.

The region of Sistan and Baluchestan has faced a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for over two decades, with relations strained between the predominantly Sunni Muslim residents and Iran's Shiite theocracy.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — An attack on an Iranian police convoy Saturday in the country's restive southern province of Sistan and Baluchestan killed at least 10 officers, authorities said.

Details remain scarce over the attack in Gohar Kuh, some 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) southeast of the Iranian capital, Tehran.

Initially, reports simply described an attack by “miscreants” without more information. But shortly after, Iranian state media said 10 officers had been killed.

HalVash, an advocacy group for the Baluch people of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, posted photos and video of what appeared to be a disabled truck painted with the green stripe used by Iranian police vehicles. One graphic photo shared by the group showed what appeared to be the corpses of two police officers in the front seat of the truck.

HalVash said the attack appeared to target two security force vehicles and all those riding in them were killed. The truck appeared to have only damage from bullets, rather than any explosive being used.

The state-run IRNA news agency said that Eskandar Momeni, the country's interior minister, ordered an investigation into the incident that it described as causing the “martyrdom of a number of police.”

Authorities identified no immediate suspects for the attack, nor did any group claim responsibility. The assault came after Israel launched a major attack across Iran early Saturday morning.

The Baluch regions across the three nations have faced a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for more than two decades. Verifying information remains difficult in Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan, which for decades has been home to violence involving heroin traffickers.

The province is one of the least developed parts of Iran. Relations between the predominantly Sunni Muslim residents of the region and Iran’s Shiite theocracy have long been strained. Typical attacks involve hit-and-run assaults by militants in the region, like the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, that kill a few security officials at a time.

However, there have been mass casualty attacks by militants in the past. In April, gunmen wearing explosive vests attacks several sites in the province, killing 10 before security forces gunned down 18 militants. Last December, another assault killed 11 and wounded eight others.

Meanwhile, the Taliban said they are investigating reports that Afghan migrants had been killed by Iranian security forces in the region earlier in October, an incident that threatened to further strain relations between the nations.

___

Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.

10 Iranian border guards killed by unknown attackers
Simon Druker
Sat, October 26, 2024 

Ten Iranian border guards were killed Saturday in the southeast province of Sistan-Beluchistan (pictured 2012), by unknown attackers, state media reported. File Photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPI
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways


Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Ten Iranian border guards were killed Saturday in the southeast part of the country by unknown attackers, state media reported.

Armed attackers descended on two patrol groups of soldiers and police officers in the border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, around 745 miles southeast of the capital city of Tehran, according to the Tehran Times.

No group had yet to claim responsibility for the attack as of 11:30 a.m. EDT Saturday.



The province is the country's second largest and borders Pakistan and Afghanistan. and armed clashes with drug traffickers or groups from the country's Sunni Islam minority population are common.

Iranian border officers also routinely encounter confrontations with the country's minority Baluch population. There are close to 6.9 million of the nomadic ethnic group in neighboring Pakistan and 2 million in Iran.

Armed attackers descended on two patrol groups of soldiers and police officers in the border province of Sistan-Baluchestan, around 745 miles southeast of the capital city of Tehran. File Photo by Maryam Rahmanian/UPIMore

Iranian officials have called for a full investigation into the deadly attack, which the country is referring to as an ambush.

The incident comes as Iran weathered overnight missile strikes launched by Israel. The strikes were in retaliation to Iranian ballistic missile barrages on Israel earlier in the month.

In April, 11 people were killed in two separate incidents in Pakistan's Balochistan region near the Iranian border.


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EU lawmakers lobby to abolish daylight saving time
DPA
Sat, October 26, 2024 

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen speaks during a press conference after attending the extraordinary summit of European Union heads of state and government. Dati Bendo/European Commission/dpa

Members of the European Parliament have called for daylight saving time to be abolished in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seen by dpa.

The clocks are due to go back by one hour in Europe during the night from Saturday to Sunday.

The letter said the current system is obsolete and that abolishing the time change also aligns with the European Union's commitment to simplification, reducing unnecessary burdens on citizens and facilitating daily life in the 27 member states.

More than 60 members of parliament from different countries and factions signed the letter. They urge the commission to address the issue promptly.

In 2018, the European Commission conducted a survey of Europe's citizens on the matter. With 84%, a clear majority in the non-representative study opposed the time change.

The then European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker subsequently announced the end the time change later that year. However, before this can be officially confirmed, EU countries must agree on whether they want to permanently adopt summer or winter time.

After promising full self-driving updates for years, Elon Musk finally admits that most existing Teslas may never be able to drive themselves

Jeremy Laird

PC GAMER
Fri, October 25, 2024 

Credit: Tesla

Pretty much every year for the last five years, Elon Musk has promised that a full self-driving update for existing Tesla cars was just a year or so away. But now the Tesla CEO has dramatically changed his tune. It may not happen, after all.

In a conference call discussing the electric car company's financial results (via Electrek) Musk dropped a veritable bomb when he said, "there is some chance that HW3 does not achieve the safety level that allows for unsupervised FSD."


To unpick that statement, "HW3" refers to the self-driving computer that Tesla began fitting to its models since 2019, while "FSD" refers to Full Self Driving and in turn broadly indicates what's known as Level 4 and 5 autonomous driving.

For the record, Level 4 enables fully autonomous driving within a limited geo-fenced area. Typically, you'll still need a driver on board, plus controls. Meanwhile, Level 5 is the ultimate autonomous solution, the full no-driver, no-steering-wheel, go-anywhere experience.

So, the point is that Musk has been promising an "FSD" update for HW3-equipped Teslas for years. And now he's saying that may no longer be the case. Indeed, Musk has said, "we don't actually know the answer" to the question of whether HW3 can eventually be made FSD-capable.

If this sounds like a total disaster, in mitigation Musk says that Tesla owners with HW3 installed will be offered a free upgrade to the latest HW4 self-driving computer, introduced last year.

"HW4 has several times the capability of HW3. It’s easier to get things to work on HW4 and it takes a lot of efforts to squeeze that into HW3," Musk said of the new self-driving computer.

Tesla does has form in this area, having implemented a retrofit upgrade from HW2 to HW3 modules for some cars. Problem is, some observers doubt whether existing Tesla models can actually be upgraded to HW4.

According to Electrek, HW4 has new power and camera harnesses and the entire computer is a different form factor that wouldn't necessarily just slot into the installation location for HW3 on existing Tesla cars.

At the very least, it seems likely that a custom HW4 iteration would need to be engineered for retrofit purposes. What's more, although Musk describes HW3's camera systems as "capable" of FSD, HW4's cameras offer five times the resolution. HW4 cameras also have much improved low-light performance. Presumably, there's a reason for those upgrades.

If swapping out HW3 units for a custom-designed retrofit HW4 module on existing Teslas with HW3 sounds like a monumental liability all on its own, the idea of also tearing out all eight HW3 cameras and replacing them with upgraded units has to be a non starter.

Even then, you'd be left with the question of whether HW4 itself will be capable of FSD. Musk seems confident it will. But then he has been bullish for years about achieving full self driving with HW3.

All of which means that, just like a sensibly priced mid-range Nvidia GPU, Tesla's self-driving very much remains one of those technologies that sits tantalisingly on the horizon—visible, almost tangible, very much imaginable, but always just out of reach and seemingly never actually getting any closer to arriving.

Supporters of far-right British figure rally as anti-racism demonstrators mount counter-protest

BRIAN MELLEY
Sat 26 October 2024 






Police form a line to in front of protesters who are taking part in a counter demonstration to a far right pro-UK rally endorsed by Tommy Robinson, in London, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of supporters of jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson marched through London on Saturday as anti-racism demonstrators mounted a nearby counter-protest.

The so-called Unite the Kingdom march — planned by Robinson and supposed to feature him as speaker — led to calls for his freedom after his arrest Friday on a warrant for contempt of court.

“We want Tommy out," the crowd of mostly white men chanted. The sea of marchers toted Union and England flags and some waved “Make America Great” banners as they gathered near a fenced-off statute of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the square opposite the Houses of Parliament.

The march was countered by thousands of people organized by the group Stand Up to Racism who held signs saying “Refugees welcome” and “Oppose Tommy Robinson.”

Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is the founder of the nationalist and anti-Islamist English Defense League and remains one of the most influential far-right figures in Britain.

He has been blamed for stirring up protests that turned into a week of violent disorder across England and Belfast, Northern Ireland this summer after social media users falsely identified the suspect in a stabbing rampage that killed three young girls in the seaside community of Southport as an immigrant and a Muslim.

Robinson supporters railed against the jailing of hundreds of rioters who assaulted police officers, set cars ablaze, screamed racist epithets and attacked hotels housing asylum seekers.

Some participants wore “I am Peter Lynch” badges and one man held a fishing pole with a sign reading “Peter Lynch RIP patriot." They were referring to a 61-year-old man who died in prison after pleading guilty for his role as part of an angry mob that smashed windows at a hotel in the northern town of Rotherham housing migrants and injured dozens of riot police.

A separate march of several hundred family members, friends and supporters of those who have died in police custody also took place. Some of those activists seemed to echo the anti-racism marchers by holding signs that said “No to hatred, no to fascism.”

At least five people were arrested at the main rallies, the Metropolitan Police said.

Two were arrested on suspicion of assault, including one allegedly on a police officer, at the anti-racism march. One person was arrested at the Unite the Kingdom march for a public order offense and another on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offense. A fifth person was arrested for allegedly directing a racist remark at an officer, but the Met hadn't confirmed which protest the person attended.

Robinson, who has been jailed in the past for assault, contempt of court and mortgage fraud, faces a hearing Monday in a contempt-of-court proceeding for allegedly violating a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libelous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

While Robinson was banned from Twitter in 2018, he was allowed back after Elon Musk took over the social network and rebranded it X. He now has 1 million followers.

Several arrests as thousands of far-right Tommy Robinson protesters rally in London

William Mata and Anthony France
Sat 26 October 2024


Several arrests as thousands of far-right Tommy Robinson protesters rally in London

Thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters have gathered in central London for a planned protest which the political activist missed after he was remanded into custody by police.

Demonstrators carried placards reading “Two tier Keir fuelled the riots” as they headed from Victoria station to Parliament Square on Saturday.

“Bring back Rwanda” and “Stop the Boats” signs were also hoisted by demonstrators – some of whom were drinking cans and glasses of alcohol.


Two arrests have been made at the demonstration, one on suspicion of a breach of the Public Order Act conditions in place and an alleged breach of the peace, and one on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence, the Metropolitan Police said.

A racist remark was directed at an officer leading to another arrest, this time for a racially aggravated public order offence. The protest affiliation of the suspect hasn’t been confirmed.

A counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism also took place in the capital, with thousands joining after being urged to “take to the streets” in a “massive anti-fascist demonstration”.

Speakers including Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott plus trade union general secretaries.

Two arrests were made near the Stand Up to Racism protest – one woman was arrested on suspicion of common assault and another arrest was made after an officer was allegedly assaulted, the force added.

Around 6pm Robinson supporters started leaving Westminster as the demonstration nears its end.

Some wore “Make Britain Great Again” hats and others carried signs that read “Pensioners before illegal immigrants”.

Interim Ukip leader Nick Tenconi was among the speakers to address them.

In separate action, a few hundred people gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square for the United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC) march to Downing Street, to protest over deaths in custody.

Activists held signs reading “No justice”, “no-one forgotten, nothing forgiven” and “no to hatred, no to fascism”, while others carried images of people they say died in custody.

The family of Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot by police marksman Martyn Blake – who was cleared of murder on Monday, attended the UFFC march.

Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of being in contempt of court after the airing of a film at a protest in Trafalgar Square in July.

He attended Folkestone police station on Friday where he was remanded ahead of a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday concerning allegations that he breached a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

It is understood the airing of a film, titled Silenced, at the Trafalgar Square demonstration is one of six actions alleged to have breached the injunction between June and July.

The film is also pinned to the top of his X account.

Robinson was separately charged on Friday with failing to provide his mobile phone access code to police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Kent Police said.

Protesters take part in a counter demonstration to a far right pro-UK rally (AP)

The Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police are being supported by officers from other forces across the country for the protests on Saturday, and the Met said there will be a “significant police presence” to ensure the two groups are kept apart.

Those attending the protest organised by Robinson have marched from Victoria station to the southern end of Whitehall, while the counter-protest has formed at Regent Street St James’s and is due to finish at the northern end of Whitehall.

The Met said static rallies are expected at the end of both marches.

Many demonstrators on Robinson’s march hoisted Union and England flags – with several Make America Great Again flags in support of Donald Trump also in the crowd.

Some demonstrators wore “I am Peter Lynch” badges, in reference to a 61-year-old man who died in prison after being jailed for screaming abuse at riot police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

A stage has been erected in Parliament Street with speeches and musical performances taking place as demonstrators chanted “We want Tommy out”.

And before the march started, chants of “Oh Tommy, Tommy” and “We want Starmer out” were heard.

The PA news agency understands Robinson will be held in custody in Folkestone until his court hearing on Monday.

Roads around Trafalgar Square have been closed off (AP)

He was released on unconditional bail in July and subsequently left the country, with Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General, telling the High Court there “was nothing to prevent him from doing so”.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinson’s arrest but ordered that it not be carried out “until early October” to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to “set aside” the warrant.

Robinson posted a video of himself arriving at Luton Airport on October 20 and said he was surprised he had not been arrested.

He applied to set aside the warrant but his application was dismissed by Mr Justice Johnson on Friday.

(Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

(Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

(Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament joins anti-racism march
Thousands gather for Tommy Robinson’s protest as activist remains in custody

William Warnes, Sam Hall and Jordan Reynolds, PA
Sat 26 October 2024 


Thousands of Tommy Robinson supporters gathered in central London for a planned protest which the political activist missed after he was remanded into custody by police.

Demonstrators carried placards reading “Two tier Keir fuelled the riots” as they headed from Victoria station to Parliament Square on Saturday.

“Bring back Rwanda” and “Stop the Boats” signs were also hoisted by demonstrators – some of whom were drinking cans and glasses of alcohol.


Two arrests were made at the demonstration, one on suspicion of a breach of the Public Order Act conditions in place and an alleged breach of the peace, and one on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence, the Metropolitan Police said.

A counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism also took place in the capital, with thousands joining after being urged to “take to the streets” in a “massive anti-fascist demonstration”.

Supporters of a rally endorsed by Tommy Robinson march from Victoria Station to Parliament Square in central London (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

The counter demonstration heard from speakers including Jeremy Corbyn, Diane Abbott plus trade union general secretaries.

Two arrests were made near the Stand Up to Racism protest – one woman was arrested on suspicion of common assault – who was later de-arrested, and another arrest was made after an officer was allegedly assaulted, the force added.

And one arrest was made on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after a racist remark was allegedly directed at an officer, with the Met saying it had not been confirmed which protest the person was attending.

In separate action, a few hundred people gathered on the corner of Trafalgar Square for the United Families and Friends Campaign (UFFC) march to Downing Street, where a letter was handed in for Sir Keir Starmer, in a protest over deaths in custody.

Activists held signs reading “No justice”, “no-one forgotten, nothing forgiven” and “no to hatred, no to fascism”, while others carried images of people they say died in custody.

The family of Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot by police marksman Martyn Blake – who was cleared of murder on Monday, attended the UFFC march.

Robinson, 41, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of being in contempt of court after the airing of a film at a protest in Trafalgar Square in July.

He attended Folkestone police station on Friday where he was remanded ahead of a hearing at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday concerning allegations that he breached a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

Tommy Robinson outside Folkestone Police Station (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

It is understood the airing of a film, titled Silenced, at the Trafalgar Square demonstration is one of six actions alleged to have breached the injunction between June and July.

The film is also pinned to the top of his X account.

Robinson was separately charged on Friday with failing to provide his mobile phone access code to police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Kent Police said.

The Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police were supported by officers from other forces across the country for the protests on Saturday, and before the protests the Met said there would be a “significant police presence” to ensure the two groups are kept apart.

Those attending the protest organised by Robinson marched from Victoria station to the southern end of Whitehall, while the counter-protest formed at Regent Street St James’s and finished at the northern end of Whitehall.

Many demonstrators on Robinson’s march hoisted Union and England flags – with several Make America Great Again flags in support of Donald Trump also in the crowd.

Some demonstrators wore “I am Peter Lynch” badges, in reference to a 61-year-old man who died in prison after being jailed for screaming abuse at riot police outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

A stage was erected in Parliament Street where speeches and musical performances took place as demonstrators chanted “We want Tommy out”.

Interim Ukip leader Nick Tenconi was among the speakers at the demonstration.

And before the march started, chants of “Oh Tommy, Tommy” and “We want Starmer out” were heard.

The PA news agency understands Robinson will be held in custody in Folkestone until his court hearing on Monday.

He was released on unconditional bail in July and subsequently left the country, with Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General, telling the High Court there “was nothing to prevent him from doing so”.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinson’s arrest but ordered that it not be carried out “until early October” to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to “set aside” the warrant.

Robinson posted a video of himself arriving at Luton Airport on October 20 and said he was surprised he had not been arrested.

He applied to set aside the warrant but his application was dismissed by Mr Justice Johnson on Friday.

The separate charge under the Terrorism Act relates to his arrest in July at a port in Kent, where he was accused of “frustration” of police counter-terrorism powers.

He allegedly failed to provide his mobile phone access code to officers at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone.

Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, police are allowed to stop anyone passing through a UK port “to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.

The person who is detained can be held for up to six hours, is legally obliged to answer questions and must provide the password or access number for electronic devices, or be held to have committed a criminal offence if they refuse.

Robinson said he objected to a request from police for the number to his phone because there was privileged information on the device relating to an ongoing High Court case.

Police vow robust action as Tommy Robinson march and counter protest take place in central London

Anthony France
Fri 25 October 2024

Police vow robust action as Tommy Robinson march and counter protest take place in central London


Police are braced for a huge march by far-right activist Tommy Robinson and counter-demonstrators in central London on Saturday.

Officers vowed to “deal decisively” with disorder and will be supported by other UK forces to ensure a “significant presence” keeps the two groups apart.

Thousands of supporters of Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, are due to hold a rally in Westminster, which is expected to be met with a rival protest from Stop the War campaigners.

Emotions are running high after Robinson - accused of stoking racial tensions during the summer riots while on holiday abroad - will miss his own planned protest after he was remanded into custody by police.

The 41-year-old is accused of being in contempt of court after the airing of a film in Trafalgar Square in July.

He attended Folkestone police station on Friday where he was separately charged with failing to provide his mobile phone access code to police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Kent Police said.

On Saturday, the protest organised by Robinson is due to march from London Victoria station to the southern end of Whitehall, while the counter-protest organised by Stand up to Racism will begin at Regent Street St James’s and finish at the north end of Whitehall.

The Metropolitan Police said static rallies are expected at the end of both marches.

Relatives of Chris Kaba are attending a separate protest led by the United Friends and Families Campaign taking place in Trafalgar Square from around midday.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, who is leading the policing operation, said: “We are well prepared for what is set to be a busy day in the centre of London.

Tommy Robinson (centre) leads a protest march through London in June (David Parry/PA) (PA Wire)

“Our role is to ensure that those attending the various events can do so safely and that they can exercise their right to lawful protest.

“We will have significant resources in place to respond to any incidents, to deal decisively with any offences, and to keep disruption to other members of the public and businesses to a minimum.

“We know that when groups with opposing views come together it can lead to conflict and disorder, and a key part of our role is ensuring that does not happen.

“We have used Public Order Act conditions to ensure that those involved stick to routes and assembly areas that are sufficiently far apart. Officers will be monitoring closely to ensure that conditions are adhered to.”

Ms Williams continued: “The impact of frequent significant protest in central London is considerable, not least on the officers deployed to police them.

“Many would be working in other frontline roles if they weren’t required for these events.

“We’re grateful for the assistance of colleagues from other forces whose contribution means we are able to police protests while also keeping local communities across London safe.”

Robinson is due to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday for a two-day contempt hearing.


It followed the airing of a film, titled Silenced, repeating libellous allegations about Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi at a protest in central London.

Mr Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.

After a clip of the incident went viral, Robinson made false claims, including about Mr Hijazi attacking girls in his school, leading to the libel case.

Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Mr Hijazi £100,000 in damages and his legal costs, as well as making the injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the allegations.

Tommy Robinson charged by police under Terrorism Act after returning to UK

Howard Lloyd

WALES ONLINE
Fri 25 October 2024

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)

Political activist Tommy Robinson will miss his own planned march for thousands of people after being remanded into custody by police. The 41-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of being in contempt of court following the airing of a film at a protest in central London.

He attended Folkestone Police station on Friday where he was separately charged with failing to provide his mobile phone pin to police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Kent Police said. Robinson is due to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday for a two-day hearing concerning allegations he breached a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

Supporters of Robinson are due to hold a demonstration on Saturday, which is expected to be met with a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism.

The Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police are due to be supported by officers from other forces across the country as the Met said there will be a “significant police presence” to ensure the two groups are kept apart.

Tommy Robinson to miss planned protest after being remanded into custody

Josh Payne, PA Chief Reporter
Fri 25 October 2024 


Scroll back up to restore default view.


Political activist Tommy Robinson will miss his own planned march for thousands of people after being remanded into custody by police.

The 41-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is accused of being in contempt of court following the airing of a film at a protest in central London.

He attended Folkestone Police station on Friday where he was separately charged with failing to provide his mobile phone Pin to police under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, Kent Police said.

Robinson is due to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday for a two-day hearing concerning allegations he breached a 2021 High Court order barring him from repeating libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.

It is understood the airing of a film, titled Silenced, at a demonstration in Trafalgar Square in July is one of six actions claimed to have breached the injunction between June and July this year.

The film is also pinned to the top of his X, formerly Twitter, account.

Supporters of Robinson are due to hold a demonstration on Saturday, which is expected to be met with a counter-protest organised by Stand Up to Racism.

The Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police are due to be supported by officers from other forces across the country as the Met said there will be a “significant police presence” to ensure the two groups are kept apart.

The PA news agency understands Robinson will be held in custody in Folkestone until his court hearing on Monday.

He was released on unconditional bail in July and subsequently left the country, with Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General, telling the High Court there “was nothing to prevent him from doing so”.

Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinson’s arrest but ordered that it not be carried out “until early October” to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to “set aside” the warrant.

Tommy Robinson has been remanded into custody (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Robinson posted a video of himself arriving at Luton Airport on October 20 and said he was surprised he had not been arrested.

The activist applied to set aside the warrant but his application was dismissed by Mr Justice Johnson on Friday.

Kent Police said Robinson was separately charged with an offence under the Terrorism Act, and he was bailed in relation to that matter.

It follows his arrest in July at a port in Kent where he was accused of “frustration” of police counter-terrorism powers.

He has now been charged under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after allegedly failing to provide his mobile phone Pin to officers at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone.

Under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, police are allowed to stop anyone passing through a UK port “to determine whether they may be involved or concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism”.

The person who is detained can be held for up to six hours, is legally obliged to answer questions and must provide the password or Pin for electronic devices, or be held to have committed a criminal offence if they refuse.

Robinson said he objected to a request from police for the Pin to his phone because there was privileged information on the device relating to an ongoing High Court case.

On Saturday, the protest organised by Robinson is due to march from Victoria station to the southern end of Whitehall, while the counter-protest organised by Stand up to Racism will begin at Regent Street St James’s and finish at the north end of Whitehall.

The Met said static rallies are expected at the end of both marches.

Tommy Robinson outside Folkestone Police Station (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, who is leading the policing operation, said: “We are well prepared for what is set to be a busy day in the centre of London.

“Our role is to ensure that those attending the various events can do so safely and that they can exercise their right to lawful protest.

“We will have significant resources in place to respond to any incidents, to deal decisively with any offences, and to keep disruption to other members of the public and businesses to a minimum.

“We know that when groups with opposing views come together it can lead to conflict and disorder, and a key part of our role is ensuring that does not happen.

“We have used Public Order Act conditions to ensure that those involved stick to routes and assembly areas that are sufficiently far apart. Officers will be monitoring closely to ensure that conditions are adhered to.”

Ms Williams continued: “The impact of frequent significant protest in central London is considerable, not least on the officers deployed to police them.

“Many would be working in other frontline roles if they weren’t required for these events.

“We’re grateful for the assistance of colleagues from other forces whose contribution means we are able to police protests while also keeping local communities across London safe.”

The UK denies a visa to Mandela's grandson over his support for Hamas

Mandela said the visa refusal would not deter him from continuing to express his support for the Palestinians.

MOGOMOTSI MAGOME
Fri, October 25, 2024 

FILE - Nelson Mandela's grandson Mandla Mandela, center, with Hamas official Basem Naim, center right, during a march to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the death of former South African president Nelson Mandela in Pretoria, South Africa, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (AP Photo, File)More


JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The grandson of South Africa's first Black president, Nelson Mandela, said Friday the U.K. government denied him an entry visa because of his support for Hamas and his stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

Mandla Mandela could not travel to the U.K. earlier this month to address pro-Palestinian gatherings in Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow after he was informed that he would need a visa, despite holding a South African government passport that would ordinarily allow him visa-free entry.

This week, however, the U.K. Home Office sent Mandela a letter informing him that his visa application had been denied because of his “support for Hamas,” and because his presence in the UK was “not conducive to the public good”.

Mandela told the AP that he received the letter, dated Oct. 21, on Thursday.

“Your presence in the UK has been assessed as not conducive for the public good on the grounds that you have engaged in unacceptable behavior. You have made multiple statements which explicitly support Hamas and their terrorist violence, including glorifying the Oct. 7 attack on Israel and their recently deceased leader Ismail Haniyeh,” states the letter, seen by The Associated Press.

The letter points out several of Mandela's posts on Instagram in which he voices his support for Hamas and the Palestinians, including one showing him with Haniyeh, who was killed by an airstrike in July this year.

It also notes that Mandela attended Haniyeh's funeral in August, having met him twice in January and April this year, and posted a photo of himself with a senior Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal.

“As such, your presence in the U.K. is considered to pose a threat to U.K. society as it would highly likely cause tensions amongst U.K. Jewish communities. It is in the interests of the community to refuse your visa to protect public safety and prevent disorder or crime in the U.K.,” the letter states.

The Home Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mandela said the visa refusal would not deter him from continuing to express his support for the Palestinians.

“We can never be silenced and we will never let the refusal of a visa prevent us for standing for justice, peace and equality. We will continue to raise our voice against the unjust occupation, genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and all of Occupied Palestine sponsored by the U.K. and its ilk,” he said.

He said the visa refusal was an attempt to restrict his movement and freedom of expression, likening it to the challenges faced by his grandfather Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for his role in the struggle against apartheid. The racist system implemented by the white minority government was abolished in 1994 and Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first democratically elected leader.

“My grandfather’s movement and freedom was likewise restricted but he refused the condition of release from prison that restricted him to the Transkei. He remained firm in his pursuit of justice and continued to be a symbol of freedom, justice and human rights for all,” he said.

Pro-Palestinian organizations, including the Desmond Tutu Foundation in South Africa and the U.K.-based Sheffield Palestine Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, have criticized the U.K. for its decision.

Deadly Israeli strike on journalists in Lebanon prompts global condemnation

DELIBERATE, TARGETED, WAR CRIME

Reuters
Fri, October 25, 2024

Aftermath of an Israeli strike in Hasbaya

Aftermath of an Israeli strike in Hasbaya


BEIRUT (Reuters) - Three journalists were killed in Lebanon by an Israeli strike on Friday morning, their colleagues said, drawing condemnation from rights advocates about the number of reporters who have lost their lives in the region over the past year.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it "strongly condemned" the attack, urging the international community to "stop Israel's long-standing pattern of impunity in journalist killings."

Israel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It has previously denied deliberately attacking journalists.

The last year has been the deadliest period for journalists in more than 30 years, CPJ has said, with at least 126 reporters and media workers among nearly 45,000 people killed in Gaza, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Lebanon.

Two Israeli journalists were killed in the Oct. 7 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that sparked the war.

Friday was the deadliest day for journalists in Lebanon over the last year. At least five other reporters have been killed in Israeli strikes while on assignment in Lebanon, including Reuters visuals journalist Issam Abdallah.

The strike around 3 am local time hit a collection of guesthouses housing only reporters in the southern Lebanese town of Hasbaya, killing two journalists from the Al-Mayadeen television network and one journalist from Al-Manar.


Muhammad Farhat, a reporter with Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed, was one of at least 18 journalists staying at the guesthouses in Hasbaya.

There was no evacuation order by Israel's military. Farhat told Reuters he had been woken up by the sound of Israeli jets flying low overhead and heard two missiles strike nearby guesthouses before the roof of his guesthouse collapsed on him.

"The scenes were terrifying. We saw our colleagues and friends cut up, their limbs strewn all over, others were screaming and begging us to pull them out," Farhat said later on Al-Jadeed, tears in his eyes.

Sharing a post about the strike on X, the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan wrote: "Deliberate killing of a journalist is a war crime."



Mazen Shaqoura, the representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for the Middle East, told Al-Jadeed the strike represented "a targeting of what we hear and what we see."

(This story has been refiled to add a missing letter in the headline)

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily, editing by Philippa Fletcher)

Taiwan vice president, Drag Race winner join big crowds at east Asia's largest Pride march

TAIWAN IS NOT CHINA!

Reuters
Sat, October 26, 2024 

Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim attends at the annual Taiwan's Pride parade in Taipei

People wearing costumes pose for photos at the annual Taiwan's Pride parade in Taipei

People wearing costumes pose for photos at the annual Taiwan's Pride parade in Taipei
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.

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TAIPEI (Reuters) - More than 180,000 people celebrated LGBTQ+ equality and diversity in Taipei on Saturday at east Asia's largest Pride march, joined by Taiwan Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim and the reigning queen of RuPaul's Drag Race, Nymphia Wind.

Taiwan legalised same sex marriage in 2019 in a first for Asia and is a bastion of tolerance and liberalism in a region where the rights of sexual minorities are often either suppressed or outlawed.

The streets of central Taipei were packed for the 22nd annual parade.

Taiwan's Nymphia, whose Drag Race win in April electrified the island, appeared wearing an outfit inspired by mediaeval armour with a rainbow flag shoulder cape.

"I just have to come back every year for the parade," she said, describing her armour look as representing the defence of gay rights.

Hsiao led the ruling Democratic Progressive Party delegation, marching behind a banner reading "Be Yourself" and stopping every now and again to dance and wave to the crowd.

"I'm proud of you, and I'm proud of Taiwan," she said before setting off.

President Lai Ching-te, who last year while he was running for the presidency marched in Pride as the most senior government official ever to do so, posted a video message of support on social media, though said he could not take part in person due to prior appointments and for security reasons.

"The government will continue to work hard to put into practice gender equality so everyone in this land of Taiwan can embrace inclusion and not need fear what others think," he said.

Organisers put the number of attendees at more than 180,000.

Taiwan's openness on LGBTQ+ issues stands in marked contrast with its giant neighbour China, which claims the democratically governed island as its own territory over the strong objections of the government in Taipei.

While same sex relations are not illegal in China, same sex marriage is not recognised, and the government has been cracking down on activists and depictions of LGBTQ+ people in the media.

Who is Bidzina Ivanishvili, the shadowy billionaire behind Georgia’s pivot to Russia?

Pjotr Sauer in Tbilisi

THE GUARDIAN
Sun 27 October 2024 

Bidzina Ivanishvili has largely exerted his influence from behind the scenes since his short tenure as prime minister from 2012 to 2013.Photograph: Shakh Aivazov/AP

In the winding streets of ancient Tbilisi, one is ever under his watchful gaze. From a hilltop glass mansion, likened by critics to a Bond villain’s lair, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s wealthiest and most influential figure, has guided the country’s shift away from the west over more than a decade.

With his party’s latest victory in the pivotal parliamentary elections on Saturday, that trajectory appears set to continue for years to come, sparking warnings from opponents that Ivanishvili plans to dismantle Georgia’s fragile three-decade experiment with democracy while blocking any viable path to EU integration.

Since his short tenure as prime minister from 2012 to 2013, the secretive oligarch, whose wealth is estimated to be $7.5bn in a country whose GDP is $30bn, has largely exerted his influence from behind the scenes and is widely described by many Georgians as the country’s “puppet master”.


But Ivanishvili grinned widely in public on Saturday night at his party’s HQ as the country’s election commission announced that the ruling Georgian Dream party he founded had won 54% of the vote, a result that will secure its hold on power for another four years.

After his speech, fireworks lit up the sky, their loud bangs echoing through the city, highlighting the despair of an opposition whose hopes of forming a pro-western coalition lay in ruins.

Ivanishvili spent much of the 1990s in Russia, founding banking, metals and telecoms companies and becoming wealthy in the chaotic aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

When he returned to Georgia and entered politics, he cultivated an air of mystery. His eccentric hobbies, including keeping sharks and zebras and collecting rare trees, gained widespread attention, turning stories of his lavish pursuits into household tales across the country.

As he said once in a rare interview: “I could tell you anything and you wouldn’t be able to check it.”

Ivanishvili took a more visible role in the run-up to Saturday’s election, which was widely seen as a watershed vote that could determine whether Georgia shifts away from its long-held western orientation towards stronger ties with the Kremlin.

The oligarch’s public comeback coincided with a sharp escalation in his party’s anti-liberal and anti-western rhetoric.

In a recent interview laced with transphobic and homophobic rhetoric reminiscent of far-right online forums, Ivanishvili portrayed Georgia as locked in a cultural struggle against the west, accusing it of attempting to impose corrosive values on the nation.

He claimed parents in Europe put pressure on children to undergo gender affirmation surgeries, and that “men’s milk” for babies was regarded as “the same as women’s”.

Ivanishvili advised those who doubted his claims to watch footage of a pride event in Barcelona, alleging that it featured young children present and “all sorts of orgies”.

He also framed his party’s election campaign around accusations that the west, along with the local opposition, was attempting to drag Georgia into a Ukraine-style conflict, a potent message in a country where many fear war with Russia after Vladimir Putin’s troops briefly invaded the country in 2008.

Ivanishvili’s critics and those who once worked with him warn that behind his bombastic rhetoric lies a real danger.

They point to his pledges to ban all major opposition parties and remove opposition lawmakers after the elections, labelling them as “criminals” and “traitors”.

“It is very simple, Ivanishvili actually does what he says. He promises to outlaw and jail his opponents and have no reason to doubt he will try to do that,” said Tina Khidasheli, who served as defence minister in a Georgian Dream-led government from 2015 to 2016 and has since become a critic of Ivanishvili.

As his rhetoric hardened, so too did his paranoia. While once comfortable with large crowds, Ivanishvili now travels with a large security cordon, delivering his speeches behind bulletproof glass.

“Staying in power is an existential matter of survival for Ivanshvili,” said Kornely Kakachia, the director of the Georgian Institute of Politics. “He believes that if he loses, his opponents will go not just after his political power but also after his business empire.”

Pointing to the Russian origins of his wealth, opposition parties have long accused Ivanishvili of loyalties to Moscow.

Under his leadership, Georgia enacted a “foreign agents” bill that targeted western-funded NGOs, alongside anti-LGBTQ+ legislation, both measures bearing notable similarities to laws passed by the Kremlin years earlier.

However, seasoned observers have warned against oversimplifying the narrative by framing him as merely a puppet of Putin.

“He is appeasing Russia, but I see no reason to suggest that he is owned or run by Russia and that’s an important distinction,” said Thomas de Waal, a senior fellow with Carnegie Europe and an expert on the region.

Instead, de Waal says Ivanishvili’s tactics mirror those of Viktor Orbán, the divisive leader Hungary. De Waal pointed out that Orbán and Ivinishavili have centred their campaigns on conservative “Christian” values while calling for “peace” in Ukraine without condemning Russia.

Tellingly, Orbán was the first foreign leader to congratulate the Georgian Dream for an “overwhelming victory,” hours before official results were announced.

For now, Georgia’s immediate future remains uncertain. On Sunday morning, Georgia’s opposition refused to concede defeat, accusing the ruling party of staging a “constitutional coup” and calling for protests. This sets the stage for a potential political crisis in a country with a history of mass unrest.

There is little doubt that Ivanishvili has leveraged his seemingly limitless finances to influence the elections, which have been marred by allegations of irregularities, including reports of coercing state employees to vote and instances of vote buying.

Still, the outcome suggests that Ivanishvili’s messages resonate with a core group of Georgian voters, particularly in the industrial heartlands and conservative poorer regions, where economic progress has been slow and the allure of Europe seems distant and faint.

“It is tempting for the opposition to dismiss that Ivanishivli’s party has no support, that they completely bought the elections,” said one western official in Tbilisi. “But the reality is that Ivanishvili appears to have won this battle for the time being.”