Latest news with #Mati
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Moment Orthodox Jews are attacked with water pistols in 'cowardly' social media 'pranks'
Social media influencers have targeted Orthodox Jews with water pistols in a series of cruel 'pranks' in Manchester. Two young men were seen in a video driving around Manchester and laughing as they sprayed adults and children wearing orthodox clothing who were walking down the street. The men also shared clips where one of the pranksters held his phone near a Jewish man before playing an Apple Pay sound effect. At an airport in Poland he told the Jewish holidaymaker: 'You are very rich, I just got £60 from you.' The so-called pranksters have been branded 'playground bullies' by campaigners against antisemitism. The campaigners called for action, saying one of the men had targeted Jews in videos before. Writing on social media, a spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: 'These men – who appear to be driving around and targeting Jews with a water gun – are behaving like playground bullies. 'Harassing Jewish people is not a prank but antisemitic abuse, and doing so from the comfort of your car is particularly cowardly. 'We are also aware that this is not the first time that one of these men has targeted Jews for videos on social media. 'Our legal team is examining the footage and assessing options. Those responsible must be identified and held to account.' Polish kickboxer Kamil Galanty was identified to be in the video by the Combat Antisemitism movement alongside a man known as Mati. The video was eventually removed from Instagram and Tiktok and the account has since uploaded another video, where they are not targeting orthodox views with the water pistol. Before they were deleted, the clips reached nearly a million likes on Instagram and included antisemitic comments including rat, pig and nose emojis. The posts were later edited to include a disclaimer, The Telegraph reported, which read: 'This video was made purely for humorous purposes. 'It is just a joke and not hate speech in any way. Please do not take it the wrong way.' A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are aware of footage circulating online appearing to show occupants of a vehicle spraying water at members of the Jewish community. 'A crime has been recorded, with multiple lines of enquiry being actively investigated. 'We are working closely with partners to provide reassurance to the communities impacted, and we encourage anyone who has been targeted to contact us on 999, 101, or by reporting on our website.'
Telegraph
7 days ago
- Telegraph
Influencers target Orthodox Jews in water pistol stunt
Orthodox Jews have been targeted with water pistols by social media influencers in a series of attacks in Manchester. Two young men filmed themselves driving around in a car and laughing as they sprayed adults and children dressed in orthodox clothing with an unidentified liquid. The pair, whose victims appeared startled as they rushed away, have been described as cowards and 'playground bullies' by campaigners against anti-Semitism, who have demanded action and said one of the men had targeted Jews for videos on social media before. The pair's footage, posted on Instagram accompanied by the Jewish folk song Hava Nagila, attracted scores of anti-Semitic comments comparing the liquid to 'antiseptic' and asking, 'What about a gas prank?' 'This is anti-Semitic abuse not a prank' A spokeswoman for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said on Wednesday: 'These men are behaving like playground bullies. ' Targeting Jewish people for harassment is not a prank but anti-Semitic abuse, and doing so from the comfort of your car is particularly cowardly. 'We are also aware that this is not the first time that one of these men has targeted Jews for videos on social media. 'Our legal team is examining the footage and assessing options. Those responsible must be identified and held to account.' Kamil Galanty, a kickboxer of Polish descent, and a man known as Mati, were tagged in the videos, taken in Broughton Park, Manchester, and are said to have a strong resemblance to the men responsible for the harassment. The water pistol video was eventually removed from Instagram after three days, but remains on Mati's TikTok profile. The men behind the water pistol video previously uploaded videos singling out Orthodox Jewish men for pranks in airports and supermarkets. In three clips posted on Instagram, one of the pranksters holds his phone near their victims and plays an Apple Pay sound effect, before claiming to have taken their money. 'You are very rich, I just got £60 from you,' he tells a Jewish holidaymaker at an airport in Poland in one of the videos. The clips, which have comments including rat, pig and nose emojis, have nearly a million likes on Instagram. 'Just a joke' disclaimer added The posts featuring Orthodox Jews were later edited to include a disclaimer, which read: 'This video was made purely for humorous purposes. 'It is just a joke and not hate speech in any way. Please do not take it the wrong way.' The Community Security Trust, a UK charity working to protect Jews from anti-Semitism, said it was aware of the 'appalling anti-Semitic video'. A spokesman for CST added: 'It's completely disgraceful that Jewish people have to put up with this kind of targeted abuse.' A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: 'We are aware of footage circulating online appearing to show occupants of a vehicle spraying water at members of the Jewish community. 'A crime has been recorded, with multiple lines of enquiry being actively investigated. 'We are working closely with partners to provide reassurance to the communities impacted, and we encourage anyone who has been targeted to contact us on 999, 101, or by reporting on our website.'
India Today
26-06-2025
- Climate
- India Today
Wildfire near Athens triggers evacuations and highway closures amid heatwave
A massive fire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, triggering emergency evacuations and roadblocks as blazes ravaged housing around the seaside town of Palaia closed sections of the scenic highway between the Greek capital and Sounion, which features the ancient Temple of Poseidon, a popular tourist FACES FIRST MAJOR HEATWAVE The fire broke out while Greece was experiencing its first heatwave of the summer, with temperatures close to 40C (104F). Firefighters fought the fire on the ground and in the air, struggling against the fierce heat and changing winds that made it difficult to ground and aerial forces are fighting an enormous battle with the fire, especially in residential areas," fire department spokesman Col. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis AND SEA FIREFIGHTING EFFORTS DEPLOYED As reported by the Associated Press, the firefighting effort involved 130 personnel, assisted by 12 helicopters, 12 water-dropping aircraft, and volunteer crews. A coast guard boat also sprayed sea water, with two patrol boats and nine private boats on standby for possible sea evacuations. Ambulances were placed on standby but had not been required by late authorities reported that homes were likely damaged, but assessing the extent of the damage was delayed. "Some houses could have been damaged, but we are awaiting confirmation," local mayor Dimitris Loukas said to state-owned ERT took 40 people out and ordered five areas to be evacuated. Parts of the Athens-Sounion coastal highway were closed in both directions. "We are asking residents to evacuate their homes immediately," said local councilor Apostolos the origin of the fire is yet to be confirmed, authorities have sent an arson investigation unit to the scene. The entire Athens region and some Aegean islands remain at Level 4 wildfire risk due to hot and dry conditions.A major fire on the island of Chios earlier this week took four days to bring under control. Greece has seen its share of catastrophic summer blazes the Mati fire in 2018 killed more than 100 people.- Ends
Al Arabiya
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Al Arabiya
More Evacuation Orders Issued as Firefighters Battle Major Wildfire on the Greek Island of Chios
Greek authorities sent new evacuation notifications for two areas near the main town of the eastern Aegean island of Chios Monday morning as firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the town's outskirts for a second day. The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze Monday. They were backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes. Strong winds in the area since Sunday have hampered firefighting efforts. Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighborhoods on the outskirts of Chios town since the blaze broke out on Sunday. The fire started in three separate locations. Authorities have sent a specialist fire department arson investigation team to the island to look into the causes. Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change has been fueling bigger and more frequent blazes. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
The Independent
23-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
More evacuation orders issued as firefighters battle major wildfire on the Greek island of Chios
Greek authorities sent new evacuation notifications for two areas near the main town of the eastern Aegean island of Chios Monday morning, as firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the town's outskirts for a second day. The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze Monday. They were backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes. Strong winds in the area since Sunday have hampered firefighting efforts. Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighborhoods on the outskirts of Chios town since the blaze broke out on Sunday. The fire started in three separate locations. Authorities have sent a specialist fire department arson investigation team to the island to look into the causes. Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change has been fueling bigger and more frequent blazes. In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
