Catholic school parents profane Virgin Mary statue with LGBTQ ribbons after priest refuses to re-sign gay teacher: Report



Parents who send their children to a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Seattle reportedly profaned a statue of the Virgin Mary by adorning it with LGBTQ-themed ribbons and other paraphernalia in response to a pastor's decision not to renew the contract of a teacher openly living a lesbian lifestyle in contravention to church teaching.

Earlier this month, parents with children attending St. Luke School in Shoreline, Washington, learned that kindergarten teacher Karen Pala would not be returning to the school in the fall. Pala wrote in a parent letter that Father Brad Hagelin, the pastor of the church and school, declined to renew her contract because he "does not approve of" her forthcoming "marriage" to a woman.

'Actions speak louder than words, and a teacher ideally not only teaches the faith, but also is seen as fully living it by their students.'

In response, some parents and others started a group called L.U.K.E., which "advocate[s] for Love, Unity, Kindness, and Equality," according to its website, and seeks "the immediate renewal of our beloved teacher’s ministerial covenant for the 2024-2025 school year."

Though the website further claims group members "do not endorse active protests or rallies at mass or school," it seems that some parents did not follow those guidelines. According to an exclusive report from the Post Millennial, L.U.K.E. group members interrupted mass on Wednesday morning, walking down the aisle of the church "and placed flowers tied with rainbow ribbons in front of the altar of Jesus."

Afterward, they walked outside the church and placed flowers adorned with rainbow-colored ribbons at the foot of a statue of the Virgin Mary. "The intention is to make a visual show of our unwavering support for the LGBTQIA+ community, while also honoring the Blessed Mary," the group reportedly said on its website.

That statement no longer appears on the group website. However, the website does mention the demonstration at the church and provides pictures of it, including an image of the rainbow ribbons near the Virgin Mary statue.

EXCLUSIVE: Catholic students and teachers staged an LGBTQ protest during mass, flooding the sacred halls of the Church with gay Pride items.

They placed LGBTQ flowers at the altar of Jesus and statue of Mary in protest of the priest for not renewing a lesbian teachers contract. pic.twitter.com/sE9IHsI22V
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 16, 2024
 

At least one parent, who requested to remain anonymous, was horrified by the display. "Pride ribbons placed at the feet of Mary and at the altar of Jesus is blasphemy," the parent told the Post Millennial.

KIRO reported that parents held a similar demonstration outside school on Monday morning. In that instance, though, participants merely "recited prayers and sang hymns and tried to show some level of unity regarding the issue of Karen Pala." The outlet did not report any incidents of possible sacrilege.

Fr. Hagelin defended the decision not to renew Pala's contract in a lengthy statement viewed by the Post Millennial. In the statement, Fr. Hagelin claimed that Catholic school teachers also act in a "ministerial" capacity, and as pastor, he has the responsibility to ensure that such ministers live in ways that "convey the Faith with clarity."

When teachers fail to live "in alignment with Church teaching," he continued, "a pastor might find himself unable to sign a new yearly covenant in good conscience."

"Actions speak louder than words," Fr. Hagelin added, "and a teacher ideally not only teaches the faith, but also is seen as fully living it by their students."

L.U.K.E. indicated on its website that Fr. Hagelin would be leaving the parish and school later this summer.

Alex Hagel, an attorney for Pala, issued the following statement on her behalf: "As a lifelong Catholic devoted to the teachings of her faith, Miss Pala is deeply hurt by Father Brad's decision to end her stellar tenure at St. Luke for no reason other than the fact that she is engaged to a woman."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines marriage as a sacramental "covenant by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership for the whole of life" and claims that marriage "is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring" (emphasis added).

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Left-wing drama teacher at Georgia high school charged with sexual exploitation of children



A liberal, "bisexual" drama teacher at a Georgia high school was charged last week with two counts of sexual exploitation of children.

The Washington County Sheriff's Office announced that 32-year-old Michael Allan Dendy of Milledgeville was arrested Friday after being the subject of investigation for several weeks. Dendy reportedly continued working with kids as the department chair of Washington County High School's drama department right until his arrest.

The arrest

In addition to sexual exploitation of children, Dendy has reportedly been charged with three counts of computer pornography, three counts of improper contact by a teacher, and identity fraud using identifying information of a minor over whom he exercised custodial authority.

Officials indicated that additional charges and arrests are "likely."

The sheriff's office told WJBF that an investigation was opened in December following a complaint.

Dr. Rickey Edmond, Washington County School superintendent, said, "It's just been a terrible situation that we're having to deal with so our focus now is really working with our children and our parents and try to continue on."

A spokeswoman for the Washington County School District told TheBlaze that the district "is cooperating with the Sherriff’s Office and other local agencies."

When asked about Dendy's employment status, possible red flags in recruitment, how long the board of education knew about allegations against Dendy, and what security measures had been taken in the wake of the arrest, the spokeswoman stated, "The Washington County School District is prohibited from commenting on an active investigation or matters regarding personnel. The safety of our students is a top priority and will continue to be at the forefront of our decision-making processes."

A source familiar with the matter spoke to TheBlaze on condition of anonymity, claiming that as of now, there has been "no public comment from the system and no parent meeting of the theater kids. ... [The] superintendent keeps shoving things under the rug and trying to hide things from the public."

The board of education is tentatively set to meet on Feb. 2 at 501 Industrial Dr. in Sandersville, Georgia.

Red flags

According to his LinkedIn, Dendy has worked in kid-centric environments in multiple states, including at St. Charles High School in Waldorf, Maryland; Griffin High School in Griffin, Georgia; children's toy store Magic Box Toys in New Orleans, Louisiana; the Midsummer Musical Theatre Experience for campers ages 8 to 15 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and Starkville High school in Starkville, Mississippi.

The Dispatch reported that Dendy left the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District in 2016. When he returned later that year to watch his former students' theatrical performance, the district banned Dendy from all of its campuses.

At the time of his exile, Dendy told the Dispatch that he had been "told to resign so they could still give me a recommendation if I tried to get another teaching job," but in fact, he had been forced to leave the district in 2016.

Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Board superintendent Dr. Tony McGee had not responded to TheBlaze's request for comment concerning Dendy's exit from his role at the school at the time of publication.

TheBlaze's source indicated that since becoming the drama teacher at Washington County High School in July 2020, Dendy has "had lots of talks with the kids about him being gay and very WOKE content like drag in schools, [BLM], etc.."

The source noted that Dendy is rumored to have been the administrator of a private Instagram account called WACO Confessions, as well as what may have been corresponding Google forms and a Discord channel.

Kids would allegedly share personal and often sexual information with the administrator of the account, who would post the anonymized details to the feed. Allegedly, the account evolved such that kids would fill out Google docs with their "confessions," then ultimately share nude images with the admin "in trade for a confession."

One of Dendy's apparent re-blogs from Tumblr appeared on his Twitter account, which read: "do you ever just look at little kids and think 'damn, you're gonna be one fine as f*** ..."

When the Post Millennial reported on a drag story event targeting children in November, Dendy tweeted, "Glad to see the event doing so well!!"

Another user wrote, "Y r people wanting sex offenders to be around children."

Dendy replied, "If I wanted sex offenders around children I’d tell them to go to their local church."

 
\u201c@TheMichaelDendy @TPostMillennial Or ur house...\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1669304912 
 

Dendy's arrest came just days after new details emerged regarding the LGBT activist couple in Georgia arrested this past summer on suspicion of using their two adopted children to make child porn.

TheBlaze reported that in addition to allegedly raping and brutalizing two little boys, William Dale Zulock, 32, who worked as a supervisor at the county's Georgia Department of Driver Services, and Zachary Jacoby Zulock, 35, stand accused of pimping out their child captives to a pedophile ring in Georgia.

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Trudeau declares, 'Canada is a place of FREE expression' — is immediately RIDICULED for some reason



On “The Rubin Report” this week, BlazeTV host Dave Rubin shared a pair of video clips that shine a spotlight on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s glaring hypocrisy when it comes to free speech.

Speaking at the COP15 Summit in Montreal last week, Trudeau claimed that "Canada is a place of free expression," adding that "individuals and communities are free to express themselves openly and strongly, and we thank them for sharing their perspectives."

 
\u201cTrudeau: "Canada is a place of free expression, where individuals and communities are free to express themselves openly and strongly..."\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 

For some reason, many people on Twitter seemed to be more than a little bit skeptical about Trudeau's claims.

 
\u201c@Firewife_Paula @TPostMillennial Touch\u00e9. Sad what he has done to the Canadians.\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201c@TPostMillennial I think hundreds of Canadian truck drivers would disagree with you\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201c@TPostMillennial I have no idea what's parody and what's reality anymore\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201c@TPostMillennial \ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\ud83e\udd23\nOh wait, did "they" change the definition of Free?\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201c@TPostMillennial Same guy who froze trucker bank accounts, repo\u2019d their trucks, dox\u2019d them, and threw them in jail\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201c@TPostMillennial I don't know how he could have said that with a straight face. I feel like laugh tracks should be playing in the background.\u201d
— The Post Millennial (@The Post Millennial) 1670431990 
 
 
\u201cPM Justin Trudeau\u2019s speech at #COP15 interrupted by a group of Indigenous youth from Canada\u2019s west coast\u201d
— Jack Graham (@Jack Graham) 1670361129 
 
 
\u201cThis is outrageous!\u201d
— ChatterBoxMuse \u2742 (@ChatterBoxMuse \u2742) 1670432457 
 

Dave compared the clip of Trudeau trumpeting his support for "free expression" with a second video in which he urges social media companies to regulate anything he deems to be "a real problem in our communities."

"How far are you willing to go with regulating social media companies, and what do you say to those who think that it's an attempt to stifle free speech?" a reporter asked Trudeau in the clip.

"I think we've seen the impact that social media — particularly around hate speech, around intolerance, around incitement to violence — is a real problem in our communities," responded Trudeau. "We need to always walk that careful balance between respecting rights to free expression and free speech and keeping our community safe. Unfortunately, what happens in the virtual world sometimes spills over into the real world, and I think it's really important that social media companies understand their responsibility to shape and to ensure that our communities stay safe for everyone."

Watch the video below or find full episodes of "The Rubin Report" here. Can't watch? Download the podcast here.



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Video captures the moment Biden proudly reveals the REAL reason for wearing masks



President Joe Biden kicked off his trip to Asia with a virtue-signaling stunt-gone-viral as he arrived in South Korea. As he exited Air Force One, the president marched proudly down the stairs with a mask on — the outdoor stairs, with no one nearby — and then whipped the mask off to shake hands and chat closely with a group of roughly a dozen people.


WATCH: Joe Biden arrives in South Korea, wears mask as he exits plane by himself, then as he approaches another person, he takes it off. pic.twitter.com/UKTs8y6XCj

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) May 21, 2022
 

A video shared by the Post Millennial has racked up more than 2 million views on Twitter, with many commenters jumping to the president's defense by pointing out that he was following "the science" that says we should all wear masks on airplanes to stay "safe." Thinking people, however, noted how quickly our commander in chief forgot what masks are actually supposed to do — unless, of course, their only purpose is to virtue-signal.

 
do you not understand the reason for wearing a mask?
— 333 -.= (@333 -.=) 1653168507 
 
 
Yes. It\u2019s to virtue signal.
— FunkyPox (@FunkyPox) 1653172128 
 
 
To protect yourself while walking down a flight of stairs alone. We all get it.
— Dr. President Elect David \ud83c\udf51 (@Dr. President Elect David \ud83c\udf51) 1653169473 
 
 
Yes we understand. Its virture signalling
— Yisraela (@Yisraela) 1653168912 
 
 
Yes, political theatre
— TheCentralScrutinizer (@TheCentralScrutinizer) 1653226863 
 
 
So, you can catch Covid from planes but not from people
— Joseph Landis (@Joseph Landis) 1653223653 
 
 
You\u2019re pretty gullible if you think he wore that mask for entire flight. He did have it on the entire walk down the steps and on the runway. He took it off as soon as he got close enough to breathe on people. He\u2019s either a virtue signaler or he\u2019s senile. Pick one.
— Mimi's Thoughts (@Mimi's Thoughts) 1653306217 
 

BlazeTV host Allie Beth Stuckey had her own hilarious take on how to address the left's tiresome virtue-signaling and hypocrisy over wearing masks.

Watch:

  Turning the Tables on Mask Karens | #shorts youtu.be 

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Judge dismisses Rittenhouse gun charge. It was considered the state's easiest to prove.



The judge presiding over the Kyle Rittenhouse trial in Kenosha, Wisconsin, dismissed a lesser gun charge against the teenager on Monday ahead of closing arguments and jury deliberations.

What are the details?

The charge, possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, was considered to be the prosecution's easiest charge to prove in court, and so its dismissal may well spell doom for the state's case against Rittenhouse.

Rittenhouse is facing multiple felony murder charges for fatally shooting two men and wounding a third during Black Lives Matter riots in Kenosha last summer. The Illinois native was 17 years old at the time of the incidents and has claimed he was only acting in self-defense.

"While only a misdemeanor charge, it appeared to be the most likely count to result in a conviction for Rittenhouse," WBBM-TV reported Monday, moments after the firearm charge was dismissed. If he had been convicted on the charge, Rittenhouse could have been assigned 12 months in jail.

But Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder determined Tuesday that Wisconsin's open carry law allows minors to carry rifles in the state, so long as they have a barrel longer than 16 inches or an overall length of more than 26 inches.

The prosecution disagreed with Schroeder's interpretation of the law but conceded that the length of the AR-15 carried by Rittenhouse was more than the lengths specified, and so Schroeder dismissed the charge, Kenosha News reported.

 

Judge in Rittenhouse trial has dismissed Rittenhouse's gun charge.pic.twitter.com/v1x1QTBrGf

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1636992202 
 

What else?

Rittenhouse still faces five charges — including first-degree reckless homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum and first-degree intentional homicide in the death of Anthony Huber — that would result in a mandatory life prison sentence should he be convicted.

After closing arguments conclude Monday afternoon, the jury will begin deliberating; that is, unless Schroeder declares a mistrial with prejudice in response to the defense's request.

The defense formally asked for the mistrial last week after the prosecution cast Rittenhouse's use of his constitutional right to remain silent in a negative light and brought up an incident that had been excluded in a pretrial order without the judge's permission.

The behavior resulted in a fiery scolding from Schroeder as the judge dressed down Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger.

Many in the media now suggest the assessment of guilty verdicts is unlikely, but the jury will have the final say.

Prints of Hunter Biden's artwork reportedly sell for $75K each; Rep. Devin Nunes: 'The whole thing is outrageous. The American people know it.'



President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, sold at least five prints of his artwork for $75,000 each, according to a report from the New York Post.

The pieces of art were reportedly sold by the Georges Berges Gallery before a "pop up" presentation in Los Angeles on Oct. 1.

"It's unclear who purchased the reproductions — which cost a fraction of the top price of $500,000 for an original piece by President Biden's scandal-scarred son — or if any more were sold after the LA show opened," the New York Post reported.

"But most of those allowed to buy works are long-term, private collectors with the gallery," a source familiar with the sale told the outlet.

On Oct. 1, Biden's artwork was featured at the Milk Studios in Hollywood, which attracted about 200 people, including boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and musician Moby. Also in attendance at the "tightly-policed event" was Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti – who was a national co-chairman of Biden's 2020 presidential campaign and was nominated by the president to serve as the U.S. ambassador to India.

 

Hunter Biden art https://t.co/duPtGreYHX https://t.co/uwbf4XTfop

— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) 1633444674.0 
 

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked on Wednesday about Garcetti attending the art event for the president's son.

"The ethicists who have pointed to this arrangement have expressed concern that the President's son selling art could potentially put the President in a situation where those who seek jobs either in this administration or favors from this administration could put this White House in an awkward position," CBS News Radio reporter Steven Portnoy said, and then asked, "Should we expect to see more people who seek jobs in this administration attending events like this in the future?"

Psaki replied, "Again, the gallerist has spoken to — we've spoken to the specifics of what the gallerist has agreed to and what recommendations were made. I've done that several times. I don't have additional details for it from here. I'd point you to them."

"And we were very transparent about what recommendations were made to the gallerist, and I would again point you to them or the many times I've spoken about that from here," she added.

 

Reporter grills Psaki about Hunter Biden's artwork selling for $500,000Psaki: "I'd point you to the gallerist." https://t.co/qp1QMa6y5Z

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1633554046.0 
 

Former chief White House ethics lawyer Richard Painter – who served in George W. Bush's administration – explained that Biden mingling with 200 people at his art show "illustrates how this veil-of-secrecy idea is not happening."

"It shows the deal's not going to be secret," Painted added. "I think the White House needs to go to Plan B."

Painter also commented about Hunter selling prints for $75,000, "Buyers buy artwork to hang on the wall, not put in a closet."

During a Friday night appearance on "The Ingraham Angle," Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) skewered the Biden administration for Hunter Biden's art venture.

Nunes asked, "Who buys a piece of artwork and doesn't put it up on their wall? I mean, how are they gonna keep this secret?"

"It's ludicrous. The whole thing is outrageous," Nunes said of Hunter Biden's lucrative foray into the art world. "The American people know it."

"This was supposed to be the most transparent administration in history and clearly they went to an area that's known for fraud and money laundering," the Republican lawmaker said. "That's why they're doing this."

Walter Shaub – the former director of the Office of Government Ethics during the Obama administration – previously bashed the Biden administration over Hunter's highly profitable new endeavor, saying it is "the opposite of government ethics."

"Nobody ever said secrecy was the best disinfectant, but that's what we have now. And White House officials getting involved in any way other than to request transparency amounts to effectively putting an official stamp of approval on the president's son trading on his father's public service," Shaub said in July. "Instead, the president should be begging his son not to go through with this sale, even if that means threatening to banish him from the family's Thanksgiving table this fall and publicly condemning his actions."

Shaub stated that the White House "has put its stamp of approval on the president's son profiting off his father's public service again."

Shaub noted that the art industry is "fertile ground for money laundering."

Hunter Biden – who has no formal art training – will command $75,000 for works on paper to $500,000 for large-scale paintings, gallery manager Georges Bergès told Artnet in June.

Artnet noted that the prices for Hunter Biden's artwork would put him "in the very top tier of emerging artists."

"Even if they were mind-bending contemporary-art breakthroughs, that would put Biden—who has never had an art show before, and started blowing ink on Japanese paper as a kind of therapy as he attempted to recover from multiple well-documented personal disasters—in the very top tier of emerging artists."

Discussing Hunter's art and the speculative prices of his works, New York art gallery owner Marc Straus said, "For someone who has no professional training and has never sold art on the commercial market, no one would ever start at these prices."

The report from the Post also claimed that Hunter's art show in New York City that was scheduled to open this month has been delayed until the spring. The show in Los Angeles will reportedly continue through November.

Psaki accused of lying after emails say Biden's dog, Major, bit Secret Service on 8 straight days



President Joe Biden's dog Major attacked several more people than the White House told the public, according to newly released emails. A reporter asked White House press secretary Jen Psaki about the dog incidents, but also questioned the transparency of the White House when it comes to far more important issues, such as Afghanistan.

Watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained emails from U.S. Secret Service members, which revealed that multiple individuals at the White House were bit by Biden's dog, Major. The emails, which were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, divulged that Major bit Secret Service agents eight days in a row in early March — but the White House only admitted that there was one biting incident.

"At the current rate an Agent or Officer has been bitten every day this week (3/1-3/8) causing damage to attire or bruising/punctures to the skin," a member of Secret Service wrote in an email that was sent to three colleagues on March 8.

The issues with the president's 3-year-old German shepherd are said to have started at the end of February at Biden's home in Delaware.

"This weekend in Wilmington, there were 3 minor incidents where Major nipped/ brushed up and nudged," a March 1 email read.

Secret Service agents were provided safety measures, "Panicking or running with only embolden animals so stand your ground and protect your hands/fingers by placing them in your pockets or behind your back."

Despite the advisory, the aggressive behavior by the dog continued at the White House. Some of the bites broke the skin of the Secret Service members, and one dog bite "required medical attention."

After more biting incidents at the White House, agent David Cho, head of the Presidential Protective Division detail, advised that Major receive training from a dog trainer who worked with the dog of former President Barack Obama.

A March 8 email stated, "The dogs are being transported to Delaware and will stay there for an undetermined time. The family will use a trainer they have used previously."

Major, and Biden's other dog, Champ, were taken back to Biden's home in Wilmington, Delaware. The White House claimed the trip was a prearranged visit with family friends.

On March 9, Psaki confirmed that Major bit someone at the White House, and caused a "minor injury." She added, "The first family's younger dog, Major, was surprised by an unfamiliar person and reacted in a way that resulted in a minor injury to the individual."

On Friday, Psaki was pressed about why she said there was just one biting incident at a March 9 briefing when there were multiple incidents. New York Post reporter Steven Nelson, who asked the question, admitted that the dog biting incident "is not the world's most important story but it is significant because we expect honest information, even for minor stories."

And my second question on the topic is: Yesterday, the conservative transparency group, Judicial Watch, released Secret Service records on dog bites involving the First Dog, Major. One e-mail said that Secret Service agents were bitten every single day for eight days, from March 1st to March 8th, and that a White House visitor was as well. At a March 9th briefing, you only described one biting incident to us and described the dogs as being (inaudible) — whisked back to Delaware on a pre-planned trip to visit family friends.

Obviously, that is not the world's most important story but it is significant because we expect honest information, even for minor stories. So, can you explain to us why there was some kind of misleading account presented to us? And if we can't get honest information about minor stories, why should we have faith in the administration's account for larger issues like Afghanistan?

Psaki snidely replied, "I know you do keep the dog in the news in the briefing room. So thank you for that."

"As we've stated previously, Major has had some challenges adjusting to life in the White House," she continued without answering the question about transparency. "He has been receiving additional training, as well as spending some time in Delaware, where the environment is more familiar to him and he is more comfortable."

 

A reporter cites biting incidents involving First Dog Major, and asks Psaki “If we can’t get honest information abo… https://t.co/ycG8L2EGYA

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1630089733.0 
 

VIDEO: Assailant launches hatchet attack in Manhattan, bloodies victim



Shocking video footage shows an assailant attacking another man with a hatchet during an incident that occurred in a Chase Bank vestibule on Sunday evening, according to the New York Post.

The attacker initiated the assault against the unsuspecting victim who was at an ATM machine. As the video progresses, blood can clearly be seen on the victim.

After the assault, the attacker can be seen using the weapon to hit several ATM machine screens, before dropping the hatchet onto the floor.

 

*WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT*A man was brutally attacked with a hatchet at an ATM in Manhattan's financial district.… https://t.co/hoOQugbzIn

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1629230382.0 
 

The New York Daily News reported that the victim, Miguel Solorzana, was still recuperating at the hospital.

"He hit me. In the bank, he hit me," Solorzana told the outlet in Spanish.

He required two surgeries following the assault, his friend Manny told the outlet.

The News reported that sources said a suspect was taken into custody Tuesday and brought to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation.

People on Twitter commented on a New York Post tweet that linked to a story about the incident which was captured on camera.

"The pattern of violent crime continues," one tweet read.

"Move to the country. The life is better there. NY is like North Korea... an interesting place to visit as part of a guided tour," another tweet declared.

Another tweet noted that "this is the financial district which was always considered a safe part of the city."

"BAN HATCHET, I think those who want to ban firearms must agree with it," another post said.

"Did the assailant ask to see the covid vaccination record first?" one tweet asked.

"Wow! But nyc is mostly concerned about covid vaccination cards. @NYCMayor is a joke," another tweet said.

Beginning on Tuesday people in New York City must prove that they've received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose in order to engage in activities such as indoor dining at restaurants, indoor movie theaters, and more.

"This policy is in effect as of August 17, and enforcement will begin on September 13. Businesses that do not comply with this policy will be subject to fines," according to the city.

VIDEO: AOC caught putting on mask for photo op, goes without it before and after



Progressive Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was caught recently donning a mask solely for the purposes of a photo op on Capitol Hill.

The lawmaker was reportedly attending a demonstration calling for the nationwide eviction moratorium to be extended on Tuesday when Breitbart News filmed her engaging in the politically motivated stunt.

Based on video of the incident posted to Twitter, Ocasio-Cortez can be seen mingling in a crowd of people without wearing a mask both before and after photographs were taken. Breitbart News reported that the lawmaker had been maskless for the previous 45 minutes.

But when one protester suggested to the group that a photo should be taken to "keep the pressure up" and encourage other lawmakers to join, Ocasio-Cortez pulled a mask from her pocket and placed it over her mouth and nose.

According to the Post Millennial, only seconds after the photos were taken, the lawmaker proceeded to remove the mask and continue talking with people around her.

 
 

AOC masks up for a photo-op, then removes it afterwards. https://t.co/JPrnINLkyl

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) 1628084536.0 
 

"Housing is a human right!" the group chanted during the photo op.

Breitbart News reported that Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) similarly put on a blue surgical mask for the purposes of being photographed only to pull the mask off his chin moments after the photos were taken. He can be seen sitting in front of Ocasio-Cortez in the video.

Democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and progressive Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.) were also reportedly in attendance at the demonstration.

Neither Washington, D.C., law nor current U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines require vaccinated people to wear a mask outdoors and, based on the footage, virtually no one around Ocasio-Cortez was wearing a mask.

But that didn't stop the lawmaker from choosing to fake her mask adherence, perhaps hoping to stress the importance of remaining steadfastly cautious amid the pandemic. Unfortunately for Ocasio-Cortez, however, the video footage only serves to subvert her political posturing.

"Is there anything about this digbat [sic] @AOC that isn't scripted and contrived?" asked one commenter on Twitter.

"It's theater!" another declared.

Still another added, "How are we supposed to take the mask seriously when even our 'leaders' know it's only for show?"

It's claimed some US women soccer players turned backs on 98-year-old WWII vet playing national anthem. But team says they were facing US flag.



Some dust got kicked up when video appeared to show some members of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team with their backs turned on 98-year-old World War II veteran Pete DuPre while he played the national anthem on harmonica before the team's Olympic send-off game against Mexico on Monday.

  Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @espn

But images apparently can be deceiving.

What are the details?

Responding to a tweet from the Post Millennial accusing some players of turning their backs while DuPre played the anthem, U.S. Soccer Comms shot back with a tweet of its own:

 

@TPostMillennial Not true. No one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPré during tonight's anthem. Some USWNT… https://t.co/vF4W0KZkZZ

— U.S. Soccer Comms (@ussoccer_comms) 1625538783.0 
 

"Not true," U.S. Soccer Comms wrote. "No one turned their back on WWII Veteran Pete DuPré during tonight's anthem. Some USWNT players were simply looking at the flag on a pole in one end of the stadium. The players all love Pete, thanked him individually after the game, and signed a ball for him."

U.S. team member Carli Lloyd also tweeted that "we turned because we faced the flag."

Another clip shows most of the players turning toward DuPre and applauding him after he played the anthem:

 

Thank you, Pete! 🇺🇸❤️ https://t.co/BL7kgHbLfg

— U.S. Soccer WNT (@USWNT) 1625519288.0 
 

It also appeared that most of the players who were facing away from DuPre during the anthem had their hands over their hearts, which doesn't support an anthem protest claim:

  Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @espn

Richard Grenell chimes in

Richard Grenell — former acting director of National Intelligence under former President Donald Trump — got some attention with his Monday tweet saying "several" U.S. players "turned away from the US flag" while DuPre played the anthem.

Pollster Frank Luntz countered to Grenell that the "U.S. women not facing forward had turned to face the American flag down by the scoreboard. (A few of them placed their hand over their heart while facing toward the flag instead of the anthem performer.)" Luntz also included an image showing the flag by the scoreboard.

In response to U.S. Soccer Comms, Grenell added another tweet saying "not one of those who snubbed the flag & anthem tuned toward Pete. Pete was to their left. ... They aren't turned to him. (Every Mexican player turned for their anthem)."

There appears to be overall confusion regarding the flag's location and the intent of various U.S. players. While video of DuPre playing the anthem doesn't show it, there appears to be a flag at the end of the stadium based on the photo Luntz posted, and some U.S. players were turned in that direction; in addition many people in the crowd also were turned in that same direction during the anthem. But that doesn't explain why a handful of U.S. players faced forward rather than turning toward the flag.

  Image source: Twitter video screenshot via @espn

In the same vein, the Post Millennial's original headline, according to the Internet Archive, reads "DISGRACEFUL: US women's soccer team members turn their backs to 98-year-old WWII vet playing the national anthem" preceded by an "American News" category. But the outlet's updated headline reads "DISGRACEFUL: US women's soccer team members turned away from flag as 98-year-old WWII vet played the national anthem" and is preceded by a "News Analysis" category.

Anything else?

Author and comedian Tim Young noted to Grenell that numerous U.S. women soccer players took a knee in protest during the anthem last year:

 

Hey @RichardGrenell, here's the same characters from today taking knees last year. https://t.co/Bkwd82gcUf

— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) 1625541459.0 
 

In addition, star player Megan Rapinoe made a name for herself in 2016 after kneeling for the national anthem a la Colin Kaepernick and since then has virtue-signaled around the globe for progressive causes such as lack of diversity and the evils of Trump among many others.