Latest news with #PrivateEye
The Age
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Daniel Andrews' signature phrase travels to the Motherland
If there were an award for attracting haters, former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews would be nominated each year – the M eryl Streep of Spring Street. Andrews, formerly known as 'Dictator Dan' to some, continues to live rent-free in critics' heads. CBD can report that Andrews' international influence continues unabated. First, there was a candidate for the 2024 Napoli elections who looked like him. And recently, Andrews was spotted living it up in New York. Now, eagle-eyed international readers have sent through pages of the UK's Private Eye magazine which show a phrase familiar to most Victorians is flourishing in Keir Starmer 's England. Back when Andrews was in charge, everything from signing a new Belt and Road deal with China, to banning fracking and locking down the community during COVID outbreaks was 'the right thing to do'. It was a signature line for a dominant government. It seems Starmer and his Labour gang, who have lost their election glow, are singing from the same songbook. 'Amid the chaos, it's just as well that Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, Britain's two most powerful politicians, both know the right thing to do...' Private Eye reported, sarcasm detected. The rag then details six occasions since April when Starmer and Reeves, who is Chancellor of the Exchequer, have labelled their political decisions the right thing to do. It was long rumoured after his exit from Victorian politics that Andrews would move to New York. But maybe the UK – which has loved Melburnians Kylie Minogue and Dame Edna – might be more his political speed?
HKFP
4 days ago
- HKFP
‘Kilroy was here': Is writing on toilet walls still a thing?
a young man had been arrested and charged with writing a seditious message on a toilet wall was … pleasantly nostalgic. Writing on the walls of public toilet cubicles used to be a widespread hobby, and some walls in popular establishments were virtually covered in writings and drawings. Well-prepared graffiti artists had pencils or pens; the rest of us just scratched. Of course, many of the results lacked artistic quality, and most of them were obscene. Among the more printable was the almost universal assurance that 'Kilroy was here.' A variety of theories are offered about who Kilroy was and why he was commemorated in this way. I also recall coming across 'Clap your hands and jump with joy; I found this wall before Kilroy,' to which someone had added 'Kilroy built it.' Public toilets in the more academic parts of Oxford sported graffiti of a more learned kind. Many of them were in Latin, a few in ancient Greek. Some users spent their toilet time composing alphabets: A is for Anabasis, B is for Binomianism, C is for Critical Theory and so on. Inevitably, academics have swooped. Selection of findings here. Sample discovery: 'Females discussed body image more than males did. There was also a difference in focus: females listed their height and weight, whereas males listed their penis size.' A more civilised habit, in private homes, was to decorate your toilet walls with examples of entertaining newspaper errors. Many of these came from The Guardian, which was so notorious for the laxity of its proofreading that Private Eye called it The Grauniad. It must be said, however, that in the vast majority of English toilets, the graffiti, if there was graffiti, was fairly crude and disgusting. However, this was a result of the fact that the toilet cubicle was private. You could do what you liked in there and nobody would know. At my boarding school, there were actually crowds of smokers in some cubicles during break times. So I am a little concerned about the news that someone has been arrested and charged for defacing a toilet wall. The question is: How did they catch him? I assume … I hope … there is no question of CCTV in the cubicles at Hong Kong China City, where the deplorable deed is alleged to have taken place. I realise we are on camera a lot these days. Citysuper actually has cheerful notices saying: 'Smile! You're on CCTV'. Shoplifting is a serious matter, and I yield without complaint the right to televise the avocados. The toilet is another matter. No doubt, writing on the walls is only one of the many ways in which the privacy of the cubicle can be abused, but there should nevertheless be privacy. Other theories are also a bit worrying. Does Hong Kong China City expect its toilet attendants to inspect a cubicle after each visit to make sure the walls have not been defaced? Or do the national security cops keep an eye on suspected subversives by poking a periscope over the partition from the next cubicle? No doubt the ensuing trial will be a big attraction to the media, and all will be revealed in due course. Meanwhile, the story also has a serious side. The suspected scribbler could face seven years in jail if his work is considered seditious. As a police spokesman memorably put it: 'Doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention is a serious offence.' Also, it's a national security offence, so even if your only audience was a toilet wall, you don't get bail. Kilroy was here and has moved to Canada.
Evening Standard
5 days ago
- Politics
- Evening Standard
Chillingly, holding up a copy of Private Eye can now get you arrested
Well, it's quite the coup for Private Eye, isn't it? If you're a satirical magazine, there are two ways of showing that you're having an impact. One is to provoke Islamists to the point where they murder your staff, as in the case of the Charli Hebdo murders in Paris ten years ago, or the Danish cartoons of Mohammed, twenty years ago. The other is when police arrest individuals simply for holding up your front cover. And this is the startling situation faced by Ian Hislop, the editor of Private Eye.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Leeds former head teacher's terror arrest shock over protest cartoon
A man arrested under the Terrorism Act for carrying a print-out of a Private Eye cartoon at a Palestinian solidarity rally has said he is "worried" about the implications of the incident for freedom of Farley, 67, was held by police for nearly six hours on Saturday after being detained at a demonstration in Leeds. He was bailed and told on Monday he would face no further head teacher Mr Farley was carrying a placard bearing a print of a cartoon about the government's proscribing of Palestine Action, which had appeared in the satirical Yorkshire Police said it would consider any "learning" from the incident, which was first reported by The Guardian. Mr Farley told the BBC officers "made a beeline" for him as the silent demonstration passed Kirkgate Market and handcuffed him before taking him to Elland Road Police Station. Upon being told he was being arrested under the Terrorism Act because of the placard, he said he offered to show the police the original cartoon from a copy of Private Eye in his backpack, but that officers cartoon commented on the banning of Palestine Action after two RAF planes were sprayed with red paint last month, by highlighting it alongside the killings of civilians seeking aid by Israeli forces in Gaza. Mr Farley, who is from Leeds, said: "I couldn't quite believe it was happening."They carried me to the van and all the way I'm saying, 'It's a cartoon from Private Eye. This is daft'."Mr Farley described the experience as a "miserable" one and that he was close to tears while being questioned by counter-terrorism officers. "The interview just felt absurd," he said."I just thought, these are counter-terrorism officers. Surely you're looking at me and knowing I'm not a threat to anybody."West Yorkshire Police said a 67-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of demonstrating support for a proscribed organisation but that a review found the alleged offence was "not made out". A spokesperson said: "We are sorry that the man involved is unhappy with the circumstances of this arrest."As this is a new proscribed organisation, West Yorkshire Police is considering any individual or organisational learning from this incident." 'It worries me' Mr Farley said he would like a "proper apology" from the force."They got it wrong and I'd really like to see if they will learn from this," he said."They made a mistake and everybody makes mistakes, but it felt like 'action first, think later'."If I'd been a threat or looking like I was going to harm somebody, then (I would understand)."It worries me. Obviously people have to obey the law and I was, but we have to have discussions and to question things."The government isn't always right is it?"Mr Farley said he was planning to attend another a Palestinian solidarity march in Leeds this weekend and that he was grateful for the many messages of support he had also said he felt "vindicated" by Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, who told The Guardian the arrest was "ludicrous"."It was wonderful to read that because he is in a position of influence and I've always had a huge amount of respect for him," Mr Farley said."It was a relief, frankly, to see someone talking common sense about it." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ian Hislop slams ‘mind-boggling' arrest of pensioner for holding up Private Eye cover at pro-Palestine protest
The arrest on terrorism charges of a 67-year-old man for holding up the front cover of Private Eye at a pro-Palestine protest is 'mind-boggling', Ian Hislop, the magazine's editor, has said. Pensioner Jon Farley, a former head teacher at a primary school, was arrested at a silent protest in Leeds on Saturday after police accused him of supporting Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. The government voted earlier this month to designate the protest outfit a terrorist organisation after some of its members allegedly sprayed red paint at British fighter jets at RAF Brize Norton. The proscription afforded Palestine Action the same legal status as Isis, Al-Qaeda and far-right outfit National Action. The Private Eye cover held up by Mr Farley at the protest contained the words: 'Palestine Action Explained. Unacceptable Palestine Action: Spraying military planes with paint. Acceptable Palestine Action: Shooting Palestinians queueing for food.' At the bottom of Mr Farley's poster, the words 'Private Eye, no 1653' were written. West Yorkshire police arrested the pensioner under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000. He had never been detained before. '[Police officers] picked me up, grabbed me, and took me to the side, and I ended up sitting on the pavement,' the 67-year-old told The Guardian. 'I think that's when they said something about the placard. And I said: 'Well it's a cartoon from Private Eye. I can show you. I've got the magazine in my bag,' by which time, they were putting me in handcuffs.' A fellow protester later pointed out to the police that the latest edition of Private Eye was on sale at a nearby newsagents. Mr Farley spent six hours in detention being questioned by counter-terror police. He was allowed to leave under bail conditions that he refrain from attending 'Palestine Action' rallies. Mr Farley says he has never attended a Palestine Action rally, and it would be illegal to hold such a meeting. He pointed out that 32 Palestinians were shot while queueing for aid on the day he was arrested. He described the incident as evidence of a 'whole atmosphere of intimidation', adding that he believed the police were 'making up the law'. Mr Hislop, defending the front cover, said it was 'quite blatantly an example of freedom of speech'. Asked about the arrest of Mr Farley, he said: 'I did think it was mind-boggling. I mean, ludicrous. He obviously couldn't believe it and the immediate response in the office was that someone said: 'Well, the jokes have been criminal for ages.'' Mr Hislop described the cover as 'a very neat and funny little encapsulation about what is and isn't acceptable, and it's a joke about – I mean, it's quite a black joke – but about the hypocrisies of government approach to any sort of action in Gaza. 'So it's not difficult to understand. It's critical, but it is quite clearly a joke. Seems to me absolutely extraordinary that someone could be arrested for holding it up.'
