Video: Militant pro-transgender activists rage, attack speaker at women's rights event in New Zealand, leading her to evacuate
Militant pro-transgender activists were caught on video raging and attacking a speaker at a recent women's rights event in New Zealand, leading the speaker to evacuate.
What are the details?
British anti-trans activist Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull — aka Posie Parker — took the stage Saturday in Auckland's Albert Park as part of her "Let Women Speak" tour, and the New Zealand Herald reported that more than 2,000 showed up to protest her.
One protester rushed toward her and poured a bottle of juice over her head, the paper said, and then sprayed one of Keen-Minshull’s security guards before being led away.
\u201cOMFG \n#LetWomenSpeakAuckland\u201d— Standing For Women #AdultHumanFemale (@Standing For Women #AdultHumanFemale) 1679695928
Fights broke out with pushing and shoving as protesters faced down Keen-Minshull’s much smaller group, the Herald said.
Indeed, protesters "galvanized by the LGBTQIA+ community" drowned out Keen-Minshull with drums, chants of “go home,” and even a Whitney Houston song playing over loudspeakers, the paper added.
\u201c@JuliaHB1 @ThePosieParker @StandingforXX @TalkTV And screaming in the face of grandmas\u201d— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@Julia Hartley-Brewer) 1679829722
A barrier that was supposed to keep the two groups apart was pushed down, the Herald said.
Soon, Keen-Minshull was led away as a handful of individuals tried to protect her and struggled to keep the raging mob away from her before she reached the safety of a police car:
Tomato juice thrown on Posie Parker, aborts rally | nzherald.co.nz youtu.be
Keen-Minshull said she had “never been as frightened” and felt that her life had been in danger, the Herald said.
She later posted the following on Twitter:
\u201cThe bravery of the New Zealand women and men who came to speak the truth shall not be forgotten. I was honoured to be amongst you. I\u2019m so sorry. #LetWomenSpeakAuckland #LetWomenSpeak\u201d— Kellie-Jay Keen (@Kellie-Jay Keen) 1679707301
A statement released later by Speak Up for Women said a planned Wellington speaking engagement was canceled after the Albert Park event was “overrun by a violent mob," the paper noted.
Keen-Minshull said prior to being shut down that she was in New Zealand to “give women who feel gaslit by the state [the ability] to speak about the rights they are losing," the Herald said.
Politicians and other social commentators have criticized her intensely for asserting that people cannot change their sex, the paper added.
J.K. Rowling blasts pro-trans militants
"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling, who has previously been criticized for her stance on transgender topics in their relation to women, described the protests as “repellent scenes” in which “a mob assaulted women speaking up for their rights."
"Women have become used to lies, threats of violence and outright denial of reality, but if you imagine anyone feels 'defeated', think again," Rowling said on Twitter.
None— (@)
Chris Philp, a New Zealand member of Parliament, called the attack on Keen-Minshull "unacceptable."
“The way women’s rights have been threatened by the trans movement is deeply concerning," Philp told TalkTV, adding that Keen-Minshull "has every right to express her views" and shouldn't have to be "abused by a baying mob."
\u201cHome Office Minister Chris Philp says the attack on women's rights advocate Kellie-Jay Keen by New Zealand trans activists "was unacceptable".\n\n\u201cThe way women\u2019s rights have been threatened by the trans movement is concerning. She has every right to express her views."\n\n@JuliaHB1\u201d— TalkTV (@TalkTV) 1679905196
Keen-Minshull is scheduled to speak in Ireland in April, Fox News reported.
Tucker Carlson interviewed her in the aftermath of the Albert Park event:
Tucker Carlson Today - Kellie-Jay on Fox News speaking about what happened in Auckland youtu.be
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Eurasian eagle owl escapes Central Park Zoo via vandals, continues evading rescue
Flaco, a Eurasian eagle owl, escaped his enclosure at New York City's Central Park Zoo on Thursday night and remains on the loose.
The raptor's exhibit "had been vandalized and the stainless steel mesh cut," according to a statement from the zoo obtained by NPR.
"The zoo's 'focus and effort at this time is on the safe recovery of the owl,'" NPR also reported.
Flaco, in Spanish, means skinny. Flaco himself, in captivity for 12 years according to the New York Post, appears pleasantly plump.
Many eagle-eyed New Yorkers have spotted Flaco in and around Central Park since the clever raptor saw his opening Thursday and seized it.
NYPD's 19th precinct was among the onlookers who caught sight--and photos--of Flaco's out-of-pen adventures.
"Well, that was a hoot," the precinct tweeted. "We tried to help this lil wise guy, but he had enough of his growing audience and flew off," they said, adding that Flaco was "last seen flying south on 5th Avenue."
\u201cWell, that was a hoot \ud83e\udd89\nWe tried to help this lil wise guy, but he had enough of his growing audience & flew off. \n\n@NYCParks Rangers, be on the lookout \u2014 he was last seen flying south on 5th Avenue. @BirdCentralPark\u201d— NYPD 19th Precinct (@NYPD 19th Precinct) 1675395603
Sunday, Julia Austin tweeted a quartet of photos of a similar-looking owl she believes to be Flaco. She expressed concern that Flaco might not be eating, but was relieved the bird was "safe." Austin's Twitter bio indicates she is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School.
\u201cGot a chance to see Flaco today enjoying the sun on his face, seemingly bored, until a hawk overhead got his attention.\n\nPoor guy doesn\u2019t seem to be eating. Not clear what rescue plans are in play, but at least he\u2019s safe. @BirdCentralPark #birdcpp @CentralParkNYC @centralparkzoo\u201d— Julia Austin (She/Her) (@Julia Austin (She/Her)) 1675626231
"Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl high above Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary on Friday, his ear tufts flapping in the cold wind," Manhattan Bird Alert tweeted Saturday, including a video of the magnificent escapee perched in a tree.
\u201cFlaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl high above Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary on Friday, his ear tufts flapping in the cold wind.\u201d— Manhattan Bird Alert (@Manhattan Bird Alert) 1675519696
On Sunday, Manhattan Bird Alert said they believe Flaco has not eaten since his escape.
\u201cWe learned from an @NYCParks Ranger that Flaco the Eurasian Eagle-Owl did not eat any of the food left out for him in Central Park's Hallett Sanctuary last night. We believe he has not eaten at all since his escape.\u201d— Manhattan Bird Alert (@Manhattan Bird Alert) 1675613741
NYC Parks tweeted Friday that their Rangers were "on the case." At the time, they said Flaco was "healthy," and they asked park goers to give time and space to facilitate the rescue.
\u201cFor those concerned about Flaco, the @centralparkzoo\u2019s escaped Eurasian eagle-owl, our Rangers are on the case! We spotted the owl in Hallett Sanctuary this morning, and found Flaco healthy and hunkering down in a tree. We ask that park goers give space so that he can be rescued.\u201d— NYC Parks (@NYC Parks) 1675454265
The vandalizing of Flaco's enclosure is among a string of disturbing events involving harm to zoo animals.
A dozen squirrel monkeys were stolen from Zoosiana, a zoo outside Lafayette, Louisiana over the weekend, Butler Eagle reported. Multiple local, state, and federal agencies were investigating the incident, the outlet also said.
A suspect was arrested Thursday in incidents involving Dallas Zoo's clouded leopard, langur monkeys, and emperor tamarin monkeys. Davion Irvin, 24, is charged with four counts of animal cruelty (non-livestock) and two counts of burglary in the bizarre case.
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Dem staffers claim they put their 'bodies on the line' by protesting in Chuck Schumer's air-conditioned office
Congressional staffers claimed they put their "bodies on the line" Monday by staging a protest to bring attention to climate change.
The dangerous location of the protest that required risk to life and limb? The air-conditioned office of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).
What happened?
Saul Levin, a staffer for Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), announced on Twitter that 17 congressional staffers had staged a sit-in protest to demand Congress take action and pass "climate justice policy."
"We are putting our bodies on the line because we have no other choice," Levin said.
\u201cHAPPENING NOW: We\u2019re asking Senator Schumer to negotiate like this is the coldest summer of the rest of our lives (it is).\u201d— Saul (@Saul) 1658761651
Unfortunately for the staffers, their protest did not last long.
U.S. Capitol police officers quickly ended their demonstration by arresting them. The entire demonstration lasted only half an hour, according to journalist Andrew Marantz.
\u201cNow getting arrested\u201d— Andrew Marantz (@Andrew Marantz) 1658761766
Ultimately, Capitol police officers arrested six staffers for refusing to leave Schumer's office. Those staffers are:
- Saul Levin, who works for Bush.
- Aria Kovalovich, who works for Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
- Rajiv Sicora, who works for Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.).
- Courtney Koelbel, who works for Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
- Philip Bennett, who works for Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.).
- Emma Preston, who also works for Khanna.
The staffers were reportedly arrested for violating D.C. Code §22-3302 Unlawful Entry.
The purpose of the protest, Levin later told an NBC News reporter, is to force Schumer to restart negotiations with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) to force through a reconciliation bill on climate policy.
When asked why they protested Schumer's office and not Manchin's, Levin said, "Because there's always going to be a sheep that strays away from the herd. It's the job of leadership to get the party together."
\u201cUSCP arrested six House staffers this afternoon for protesting inside @SenSchumer\u2019s office demanding the majority leader restart negotiations to pass climate legislation.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s giving up, but some of us are going to live through the climate crisis,\u201d @saaaauuull told @NBCNews\u201d— Julia Jester (@Julia Jester) 1658769107
Ironically, Levin's father is Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.). One thus wonders why Levin is not petitioning his father to do more to act on climate policy.
Levin, in fact, comes from family of political pedigree.
Not only is Levin's father a congressional representative, but his grandfather Sander Levin, served in the House for nearly three decades and his great uncle, Carl Levin, served in the U.S. Senate for 36 years.
Guardian reporter says you're a 'fascist' if you disagree with transgender agenda as leftists pile on controversial New York Times op-ed
A reporter with The Guardian called anyone who disagrees with transgenderism a "fascist" in comments complaining about how U.S. and U.K. media covers transgender issues.
Julia Carrie Wong, a technology reporter for Guardian US who is based in San Francisco, on Sunday said it is "deeply disturbing" that "the UK media status quo of transphobia" is entering U.S. news media in what she called a "bigotry creep."
"I think that we’re entering a period when the most meaningful political distinction will be fascist and anti-fascist," Wong tweeted. "It’s really important to understand that transphobia is one of the most potent entry points to fascism today - and act accordingly."
\u201cI think that we\u2019re entering a period when the most meaningful political distinction will be fascist and anti-fascist. It\u2019s really important to understand that transphobia is one of the most potent entry points to fascism today - and act accordingly.\u201d— Julia Carrie Wong (@Julia Carrie Wong) 1656853290
Wong's comments were made after the New York Times published an opinion article Sunday that stirred controversy on the left.
The article by Pamela Paul, entitled "The Far Right and Far Left Agree on One Thing: Women Don’t Count," argued that the far-left is alienating women by erasing womanhood to be accepting of transgender people. Paul is the editor of the New York Times Book Review.
"Those on the right who are threatened by women’s equality have always fought fiercely to put women back in their place. What has been disheartening is that some on the fringe left have been equally dismissive, resorting to bullying, threats of violence, public shaming and other scare tactics when women try to reassert that right," Paul wrote.
"Tolerance for one group need not mean intolerance for another. We can respect transgender women without castigating females who point out that biological women still constitute a category of their own — with their own specific needs and prerogatives," she argued.
Her opinion was trashed by Wong, who accused her of harboring bigotry towards gender dysphoric males who identify as female.
"One thing about the policy of legacy publications to ban their employees from being honest about their political opinions in public is that a person can rise to an incredibly powerful position in an industry without anyone being the wiser about their biases and bigotries," Wong tweeted.
"[T]ruly wild how full on she is now tho. like every damn week it’s anti-woke on blast," she added in apparent reference to Paul.
"She's a Bari Weiss cover band!" replied standup comic Josh Gondelman, comparing Paul to Bari Weiss, a former New York Times opinion writer who resigned from the paper after alleging her coworkers harassed her not being sufficiently far-left.
Other progressive reporters bashed Paul's column on Sunday.
"That NYT op-ed equating inclusive language to widespread legislative oppression is a reminder that many white, cis women would rather gatekeep and maintain privilege than work in solidarity with other groups. Patriarchy is crushing us, but y'all wanna play both-sides pattycake," Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah said.
She added, "I'm a cis woman who is clearly able to see that we are under a system-wide assault on bodily autonomy and reproductive rights.
"We will need a politics of solidarity and community building to resist this, which is not something that white women have historically had to do."
Jennifer Rubin, the Washington Post's "conservative" columnist who isn't a political conservative under any definition of the term, replied to Attiah's tweet and called Paul's op-ed "appalling."
\u201c@KarenAttiah it's appalling\u201d— Karen Attiah (@Karen Attiah) 1656866592
Edward Ongweso Jr., a staff writer at Motherboard, called Paul's op-ed "a deeply stupid grafting of UK TERF arguments onto the U.S.," agreeing with Wong.
\u201cpamela paul\u2019s op-ed is a deeply stupid grafting of UK TERF arguments onto the US. the left saying trans women are women is analogous to the right\u2019s war on women? (white) women & their concerns are being erased? fluid gender identities reinforce misogyny? vapid filth\u201d— Edward Ongweso Jr (@Edward Ongweso Jr) 1656860773
TERF is an acronym for "transgender exclusionary reactionary feminist," a derogatory epithet thrown at any woman who disagrees with the left's transgender dogma.
The slur was used against Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who is an outspoken critic of transgender political activists' demands to let men into women's restrooms and other spaces if they identify as female. Leftists accused Rowling of bigotry and transphobia because she disagreed with their politics.
But as Wong's comments demonstrate, name-calling to delegitimize political opponents is standard operating procedure for the left. Anyone who disagrees is a "fascist."
Numerous Democrats call for an end to the filibuster to codify Roe v. Wade
A chorus of Democratic congressional candidates and incumbent lawmakers are calling for an immediate end to the Senate filibuster and federal legislation that would codify abortion rights following a report that the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.
On Monday night, Politico published what it said was a draft Supreme Court opinion written by Justice Samuel Alito for Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, a case concerning Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban. “We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled,” the purported draft opinion by Alito states, referring to two landmark abortion rulings that created a constitutional right to kill preborn children in America.
Politico's report caused a political earthquake, with Republicans welcoming the news — but expressing concerns over the unprecedented leak of a Supreme Court majority opinion — and Democrats shrieking their outrage.
“If the report is accurate, the Supreme Court is poised to inflict the greatest restriction of rights in the past fifty years – not just on women but on all Americans,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement. "The Republican-appointed Justices’ reported votes to overturn Roe v. Wade would go down as an abomination, one of the worst and most damaging decisions in modern history.”
Several conservative Justices, who are in no way accountable to the people, have lied to the Senate, ripped up the Constitution, and defiled precedent and the Court\u2019s reputation\u2014all at the expense of women who could soon be stripped of bodily autonomy and constitutional rights.pic.twitter.com/0PaVWBD2oz— Chuck Schumer (@Chuck Schumer) 1651549226
Many Democrats, including several candidates for U.S. Senate, called on the Democratic Senate majority to immediately end the legislative filibuster — a 60-vote requirement to end debate and pass major legislation. They also demanded that Congress pass legislation that would codify abortion rights in federal law, which would prevent state governments from enacting new pro-life laws restricting abortion in the post-Roe America.
Let's be clear: The right to an abortion is sacred. \n\nDemocrats have to act quickly - get rid of the filibuster to pass the Women's Health Protection Act + finally codify Roe into law.\n\nWe cannot afford to wait.— John Fetterman (@John Fetterman) 1651541001
"Control of the Senate has never been more important: it's time to end the filibuster, pass the Women's Health Protection Act, and fight like hell to make sure all Ohio families are free to make these critical decisions without interference from politicians in Columbus or Washington," said Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), another Senate candidate.
Others echoed these demands, including Senate candidates in Missouri, Wisconsin, and other states, as well as numerous incumbent House lawmakers.
Democratic Senate candidates across the country are calling on the filibuster to be eliminated in response to Politico obtaining a draft of a SCOTUS decision striking down Roe v. Wade pic.twitter.com/PYmsB9nUwP— Julia Manchester (@Julia Manchester) 1651543089
"Democrats need to end the filibuster, codify Roe, and defend reproductive freedom," said Wisconsin state treasurer and Democratic Senate candidate Sarah Godlewski.
Roe v. Wade wasn\u2019t the beginning of women getting abortions. It was the end of women dying from unsafe abortions.\n\nDemocrats need to end the filibuster, codify Roe, and defend reproductive freedom.\n\nThat\u2019s what I\u2019m out here fighting for\u2014because we sure as hell aren\u2019t going back.pic.twitter.com/gRB9Z0knvR— Sarah Godlewski (@Sarah Godlewski) 1651548980
"Congress must pass legislation that codifies Roe v. Wade as the law of the land in this country NOW. And if there aren’t 60 votes in the Senate to do it, and there are not, we must end the filibuster to pass it with 50 votes," said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
"People elected Democrats precisely so we could lead in perilous moments like these- to codify Roe, hold corruption accountable, & have a President who uses his legal authority to break through Congressional gridlock on items from student debt to climate," added Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
If we don\u2019t, what message does that send? We can\u2019t sit around, finger point, & hand wring as people\u2019s futures + equality are on the line.\n\nIt\u2019s time to be decisive, lead with confidence, fight for a prosperous future for all and protect the vulnerable.\n\nLeave it all on the field.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1651544948
But these demands are not realistic. The 50-50 Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate lacks the votes to end the filibuster because Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) are opposed to doing so. And Manchin, a pro-life Democrat, has already voted with Republicans to block legislation that would codify Roe.
There is no reason to believe Manchin is about to reverse his position after he has repeatedly refused to do so under enormous pressure from his colleagues.
President Joe Biden is aware of this, which is why in a statement released Tuesday, the president said that "if the Court does overturn Roe, it will fall on our nation's elected officials at all levels of government to protect a woman's right to choose. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November."
"At the federal level, we will need more pro-choice Senators and a pro-choice majority in the House to adopt legislation that codifies Roe, which I will work to pass and sign into law," Biden said.
Even New York Democratic lawmakers are calling 'BS' after Gov. Cuomo's latest attempt to shift the blame in nursing home cover-up: 'Lie on top of a lie'
New York Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo spent a big chunk of Monday attempting to shift the blame — again — over the nursing home scandal. But not even his fellow Democrats are falling for it. Some of them are calling him a liar and pointing out his "BS" for blatantly trying to mislead New Yorkers.
What's the background?
Cuomo has been facing increased pressure about the scandal after the Associated Press revealed Thursday that thousands more coronavirus patients were sent to nursing homes than Cuomo had previously admitted.
The scandal of the admittance revelation was compounded by a New York Post report the same day that top Cuomo aide Melissa DeRosa admitted to state Democratic leaders that Cuomo's office hid nursing home data to blunt pressure coming from the federal level and to avoid bad publicity they knew they would get if former President Donald Trump got ahold of the information.
During a news conference in Albany Monday, Cuomo blamed nursing home staff for spreading the virus and repeated his insistence that his policy of sending coronavirus patients to nursing homes was not responsible for the wave of nursing home deaths.
Cuomo also tried to explain away what his aide had admitted and the fact that his office did not share the nursing home data publicly with lawmakers. The governor blamed a U.S. Department of Justice probe into his nursing home policy for delays in releasing the death tally, the Post noted. Cuomo claimed that his office had told state lawmakers about the probe and data delay.
Democrats call out Cuomo
New York Democratic legislators are not buying what he's selling.
Democratic state Assemblyman Ron Kim said "all of it is BS" and a cover-up, the Post reported.
"They could have given us the information back in May and June of last year. They chose not to," the lawmaker said, ignoring Cuomo's claim that the DOJ probe was the cause of the delay and instead pointing to DeRosa's admission that the governor's office hid the information over fears that "the information would be weaponized against them."
Another Democrat, state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, said on Twitter that Cuomo was not telling the truth when he claimed he had told the legislature about the DOJ probe causing a delay in sharing the data. According to the lawmaker, she had to read about the probe in the Post.
"No, @NYGovCuomo, you did not tell the entire Senate or Assembly that there was a DOJ investigation, as the reason why you didn't share the nursing home numbers," Biaggi wrote. "I found out about a DOJ investigation with the rest of NY'ers in the @nypost story Thursday night."
No, @NYGovCuomo , you did not tell the *entire* Senate or Assembly that there was a DOJ investigation, as the reaso… https://t.co/4XHtqfYZtn— Alessandra Biaggi (@Alessandra Biaggi)1613420429.0
Another Democratic lawmaker, Assemblywoman Yuh-Line Niou, said Cuomo was blatantly trying to mislead the public to cover up past lies.
"The legislature had no knowledge of a DOJ inquiry," Niou tweeted. "The legislature at a public hearing asked questions of the executive and of the health commissioner and then was lied to. The things said in this last press conference were frightening because for their blatant goal to mislead."
The legislature had no knowledge of a DOJ inquiry. The legislature at a public hearing asked questions of the execu… https://t.co/TYFZMiA61S— Yuh-Line Niou (@Yuh-Line Niou)1613421738.0
Democratic state Sen. Julia Salazar backed up Biaggi's and Niou's claims and called Cuomo's claims "a lie on top of a lie" in a Twitter thread Monday afternoon.
"The Governor keeps trying to evade responsibility for his misjudgment (an understatement) in concealing the number of nursing home deaths by claiming that he'd informed the legislature. But this contradicts the point of his administration's private call with legislators last week," she wrote in response to Cuomo's presser. "If the Governor had actually informed the legislature months ago that his office was withholding the data they had on total nursing home deaths, there would've been no need for them to have a call with a group of legislators last week to inform them of this for the first time."
"Governor can claim (as he's done) that they withheld the data bc they thought it would be used against them by the DOJ(!)," she continued. "But claiming they informed the legislature is a lie on top of a lie. If he'd been honest in the first place, he may have had one bad news cycle. But now?"
She went on to blast the governor for a string of false statements and a wild claim that defied the known nature of Albany to leak secrets.
If the Governor had actually informed the legislature months ago that his office was withholding the data they had… https://t.co/vrqKdywMQ8— Julia Salazar (@Julia Salazar)1613419937.0
Of the false statements that we’ve heard from the Governor today, the wildest one to me is that he expects us to be… https://t.co/QudGnpxaVh— Julia Salazar (@Julia Salazar)1613422814.0
State Sen. John Liu ripped Cuomo for misleading the public and "withholding information the the public deserves to know," the Post repotted.
Liu, along with more than a dozen other New York Democratic state senators, has joined Republicans to back a bill calling for Cuomo's emergency pandemic powers to be revoked.
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