President Donald Trump said Monday he’s taking over Washington’s police department and activating 800 members of the National Guard in the hopes of reducing crime, even as city officials stressed crime is already falling in the nation’s capital. The president, flanked by his attorney general, his defense secretary and the FBI director, said he was declaring a public safety emergency and his administration would be removing homeless encampments. “We’re going to take our capital back,” Trump declared, adding he’d also be “getting rid of the slums.” For Trump, the effort to take over public safety in Washington reflects an escalation of his aggressive approach to law enforcement. The District of Columbia’s status as a congressionally established federal district gives him a unique opportunity to push his tough-on-crime agenda, though he has not proposed solutions to the root causes of homelessness or crime. Attorney General Pam Bondi will assume responsibility for Washington’s metro police department, Trump said, as he also railed against potholes and graffiti in the city and called them “embarrassing.” The president did not provide a timeline for the control of the police department, but he’s limited to 30 days under statute. As Trump spoke, demonstrators gathered outside the White House to protest his moves. And local officials rejected the Republican president’s depiction of the district as crime-ridden and called his actions illegal. “The administration’s actions are unprecedented, unnecessary, and unlawful,” District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb said. “There is no crime emergency in the District of Columbia.” Schwalb, a Democrat, said violent crime in the district reached historic 30-year lows last year and is down another 26% this year. Combating crime The president dismissed the idea Washington needed to enlarge its 3,500-officer police force, even as he seeks to have more armed personnel going through the city with the goal of reducing crime. “What you need is rules and regulations, and you need the right people to implement them,” he said. Trump invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act in an executive order to declare a “crime emergency” so his administration could take over the city’s police force. He signed a directive for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to activate the National Guard. While Trump has portrayed himself as a friend to law enforcement and enjoyed the political backing from many of their groups, he pardoned or commuted the sentences of the 1,500-plus people charged with crimes in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, including people convicted of assaulting police officers. About 500 federal law enforcement officers are being tasked with deploying throughout the nation’s capital as part of Trump’s effort to combat crime, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. More than 100 FBI agents and about 40 agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are among federal law enforcement personnel being assigned to patrols in Washington, the person briefed on the plans said. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Marshals Service are contributing officers. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss personnel matters and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity. The Justice Department didn’t immediately have a comment Monday morning. The National Guard Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat, questioned the effectiveness of using the National Guard to enforce city laws and said the […]
Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a shocking antisemitic attack that took place this past Friday in a park in Montreal, Canada, in which a 32-year-old Jewish man was brutally assaulted in front of his two young children. Video of the incident shows the attacker punching and kicking the victim as his daughter screams in terror. The victim sustained injuries that police described as non-life-threatening. Authorities announced the arrest on Monday, saying the suspect, a 24-year-old male, was taken into custody without incident. No further details about the suspect’s identity have been released pending formal charges. Police have not yet confirmed whether the attack will be prosecuted as a hate crime. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
A Georgia man who had blamed the COVID-19 vaccine for making him depressed and suicidal has been identified as the shooter who opened fire late Friday on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters, killing a police officer. The 30-year-old suspect, who died during the incident, had also tried to get into the CDC’s headquarters in Atlanta but was stopped by guards before driving to a pharmacy across the street and opening fire, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Saturday. The man, identified as Patrick Joseph White, was armed with five guns, including at least one long gun, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation. A union representing workers at the CDC said the incident was not random and “compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured.” It demanded federal officials condemn vaccine misinformation, saying it was putting scientists at risk. Here’s what to know about the shooting and the continuing investigation: An attack on a prominent public health institution Police say White opened fire outside the CDC headquarters in Atlanta on Friday, leaving bullet marks in windows across the sprawling campus. At least four CDC buildings were hit, Director Susan Monarez said on X. DeKalb County Police Officer David Rose was mortally wounded while responding. Rose, 33, a former Marine who served in Afghanistan, had graduated from the police academy in March. White was found on the second floor of a building across the street from the CDC campus and died at the scene, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said. He added that “we do not know at this time whether that was from officers or if it was self-inflicted.” The Georgia Bureau of Investigations said the crime scene was “complex” and the investigation would take “an extended period of time.” CDC union calls for condemnation of vaccine misinformation and tighter security The American Federation of Government Employees, Local 2883, said the CDC and leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services must provide a “clear and unequivocal stance in condemning vaccine disinformation.” Such a public statement by federal officials is needed to help prevent violence against scientists, the union said in a news release. “Their leadership is critical in reinforcing public trust and ensuring that accurate, science-based information prevails,” the union said. Fired But Fighting, a group of laid-off CDC employees, has said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is directly responsible for the villainization of CDC’s workforce through “his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust.” Kennedy reached out to staff on Saturday, saying “no one should face violence while working to protect the health of others.” Thousands of people who work on critical disease research are employed on the campus. The union said some staff were huddled in various buildings until late at night, including more than 90 young children who were locked down inside the CDC’s Clifton School. The union said CDC staff should not be required to immediately return to work after experiencing such a traumatic event. In a statement released Saturday, it said windows and buildings should first be fixed and made “completely secure.” “Staff should not be required to work next to bullet holes,” the union said. “Forcing a […]
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday sidestepped questions from reporters about partial hostage deals, but newly disclosed remarks from last week’s Cabinet meeting reveal deep divisions over Israel’s negotiating stance — and the risks of rejecting incremental agreements. According to accounts from the closed-door session, Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer told ministers that Washington’s position, as conveyed by U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff to hostage families, was clear: “all or nothing.” Dermer said he backed that approach, arguing a comprehensive deal for all 50 hostages, alive and dead, was preferable and warning there was no time to pursue smaller agreements. “We don’t have all the time in the world — not from [President Donald] Trump’s perspective either,” Dermer said. “If the talks go on for a long time, we can’t afford a partial deal. By the end of a 60-day pause, we may not have the credit to resume fighting.” Netanyahu pressed him: “So you mean if Hamas offers a partial deal, we refuse?” Dermer replied, “If such an offer comes, we’ll see.” National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi took a sharply different line, telling ministers there was still a chance to rescue at least 10 living hostages under an initial framework, and another 10 in a follow-on agreement. In his view, a rigid “all or nothing” demand would push Hamas toward nothing. “It’s clear to me that to achieve this, we need an operational lever,” he added, backing the IDF chief of staff’s plan to encircle all remaining Hamas strongholds in Gaza. Hours after Netanyahu publicly ordered the military to expedite the capture of Gaza City, Hamas sources told Ynet a senior delegation would meet Egyptian intelligence officials on Monday to discuss Israel’s threats of a major offensive, the stalled hostage talks, and the fallout from Witkoff’s recent meeting with Qatar’s prime minister in Ibiza. Arab media on Monday reported renewed mediation efforts. Lebanon’s Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Akhbar said Cairo is preparing to host Hamas leadership “as part of efforts led by Cairo and Doha to resume negotiations before the launch of a new military operation.” Qatar’s Al Araby channel reported that the delegation will be headed by senior Hamas figure Khalil al-Hayya. Egyptian and Qatari officials are reportedly working on an “alternative vision” — potentially a compromise between full and partial deals — that could include a 60-day or longer ceasefire backed by U.S. and international guarantees. Meanwhile, Al-Akhbar claimed the Trump administration floated a plan to relocate about one million Gazans to Libya, a proposal Libya publicly rejected but which Cairo fears could gain traction under U.S. pressure. Netanyahu told Israeli media that victory would come through “sophisticated methods that will surprise Hamas,” and later spoke with Trump. The Prime Minister’s Office said the two discussed plans to seize Hamas strongholds “to end the war by freeing the hostages and defeating the terror organization.” While Netanyahu declared Hamas’ demands — including the release of Nukhba commandos, guarantees against resumed fighting, and an Israeli pullout from the Philadelphi Corridor — “surrender terms” no government could accept, some mediators said the gaps between the sides were “small and bridgeable.” Several officials accused Israel of breaking off negotiations prematurely. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
UTJ MK Meir Porush spoke with media outlets, including Kikar H’Shabbat, from his protest tent outside the office of Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara at the Justice Ministry complex in Jerusalem. “I also have rights in this country,” Porush began. “My great-grandfather came here before anyone even dreamed of coming here—before Herzl or anyone else. He came here to learn Torah, so we, the Chareidi community, have rights.” “A civil war is developing here between the Chareidim and the chilonim,” he warned. “That’s what’s going to happen here. We are talking about tens of thousands of people who believe that the Torah is what gives them life. I don’t see any country capable of dealing with hundreds of thousands of citizens who believe in something and the state tries to thwart them. The state will be thrown into chaos, and no one will be able to live here. You can’t go to war with about a million and a quarter Chareidim who want to live here in a certain way—it’s not feasible.” “It will develop and grow and no one will be able to stop it. Maybe something can still be done now, but later? It will be too late. You will convey a message to everyone: start to be afraid. No one will be responsible for anything. When every father has to fear that his child will be harmed and they’ll try to take him—no one can predict what will happen here. You saw that the Kaplanists (leftists) knew how to create chaos when they wanted to. We also can create chaos.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Hundreds turned out to honor the life of Aland Etienne, the security guard who was killed last month at a Manhattan office tower by a gunman targeting the headquarters of the National Football League. An immigrant from Haiti who came to the U.S. in 2017 with a dream for a new life, Etienne was remembered as a dedicated father and grandfather who was faithfully working at his security post when the gunman suddenly opened fire on July 28. “My brother will be remembered as a hero. A humble, steady, kind New York hero,” said Smith Etienne, Aland’s brother, in a statement. “Aland made the ultimate sacrifice, choosing bravery and selflessness over fear. In his final moments, he acted to protect others.” The memorial service was held Saturday in Brooklyn for Etienne, 46, the last of the four shooting victims to be laid to rest. A New York City police officer, an investment firm executive and a real estate firm worker were also killed. The gunman wounded a fifth person before taking his own life. Like Etienne, slain NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, who was working a department-approved private security detail that day, was an immigrant. Islam was Bangladeshi-American. Manny Pastreich, president of Etienne’s union, 32BJ SEIU, said Etienne represents not only essential workers who are the backbone of New York City, but also immigrants who come to the U.S. to build a better life and contribute in both large and small ways. “His legacy will serve as a reminder of the contributions of immigrants, and the sacrifices, they make every day,” Pastreich said in a statement. Security officers from buildings across New York held a vigil last week to honor Etienne. (AP)
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According to the IDF, the Hamas sniper who lightly wounded a soldier from the 401st Armored Brigade in northern Gaza yesterday was killed in a strike shortly after the attack.
The deputy head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog will visit Iran in a bid to rekindle soured ties, the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister said Sunday. There will be no inspection of Iran’s nuclear facilities during the visit by the International Atomic Energy Agency scheduled for Monday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said. The visit would be the first following Israel and Iran’s 12-day war in June, when some of its key nuclear facilities were struck. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on July 3 ordered the country to suspend its cooperation with the IAEA, after American and Israeli airstrikes hit its most-important nuclear facilities. The decision will likely further limit inspectors’ ability to track Tehran’s program that had been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels. “As long as we haven’t reached a new framework for cooperation, there will be no cooperation, and the new framework will definitely be based on the law passed by the Parliament,” Araghchi said. State media last week quoted Aragchi as saying during a television program that Tehran would only allow for IAEA cooperation through the approval of the Supreme National Security Council, the country’s highest security body. Iran has had limited IAEA inspections in the past as a pressure tactic in negotiating with the West, and it is unclear how soon talks between Tehran and Washington for a deal over its nuclear program will resume. U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency had assessed Iran last had an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, though Tehran had been enriching uranium up to 60% — a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. The U.S. bombed three major Iranian nuclear sites in Iran in June as Israel waged an air war with Iran. Nearly 1,100 people were killed in Iran, including many military commanders and nuclear scientists, while 28 were killed in Israel. (AP)
The Mass Casualty Incident has been escalated from Level 1 to Level 3 as officials respond to the explosion at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works plant in Pennsylvania.
AG Pam Bondi: “Let me be crystal clear: crime in D.C. is ending and ending TODAY. We are going to use every power we have to fight criminals here. Mr. President, thank you for caring about our Capital.”
Sec. of Defense Pete Hegseth: “This morning, we’ve mobilized the D.C. National Guard… You will see them flowing into the streets of Washington in the coming week.”
POTUS: “We’re declaring a public safety emergency in the District of Columbia — and Attorney General Pam Bondi is taking command of the Metropolitan Police Department as of this moment.”
POTUS: “Just this past weekend, gunfire went through the Navy Yard. I saw that they fought back against police. See, they fight back until you knock the hell out of them because it’s the only language they understand… They’re not going to be fighting back for long.”
POTUS: “Every American has a constitutional right to be able to access and petition their government in safety, and countless federal officials and employees likewise have the right to carry out their jobs in peace without being shot.”
A Colorado prison was evacuated as one of the largest wildfires in state history continued to grow, and officials warned residents of remote areas to be ready to leave Sunday as gusty winds and low humidity fed the flames. Evacuation orders were already in place for mountain communities as the Lee Fire charred more than 167 square miles (433 square kilometers) across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, with just 6% containment. No injuries or structural damage has been reported. All 179 incarcerated people were safely removed from the Rifle Correctional Center on Saturday “out of an abundance of caution,” the Colorado Department of Corrections said in a statement. They were temporarily relocated about 150 miles (240 kilometers) away to the Buena Vista Correctional Complex, the department said. The Lee Fire, churning through trees and brush about 250 miles (400 kilometers) west of Denver, is now the sixth-largest single fire in the state’s history, according to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control. More than a thousand firefighters are battling the blaze, working to keep the flames to the west of Colorado 13 and north of County Road 5, officials said. Health officials issued air quality warnings related to smoke from the Lee Fire and the 23-square-mile (60-square-kilometer) Elk Fire burning just to the east. In Southern California, crews reached 62% containment on the 8-square-mile (20-square-kilometer) Canyon Fire that forced evacuations and destroyed seven structures after breaking out Thursday near the Los Angeles County and Ventura County line. Three firefighters have been injured, including a battalion chief who was seriously hurt when his pickup truck rolled over in steep terrain. The Gifford Fire, California’s largest blaze so far this year, has scorched at least 180 square miles (466 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties since erupting on Aug. 1. It was 21% contained on Sunday. (AP)
President Trump lists some of the horrific statistics pertaining to violence in D.C.: “The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogotá, Colombia… The number of car thefts has doubled over the past five years, and the number of carjackings has more than tripled.”
