Latest news with #anti-Muslin
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
MP criticises Reform UK over 'disrespectful' posts
The Labour MP for Northampton South has criticised a newly elected Reform UK councillor who he said "repeatedly disrespected the King, our monarchy, and country" on a social media account. Ivan Dabbs, who won his council seat as his party took control of West Northamptonshire Council at this month's local elections, made comments on the King and monarchy in his feed which also has several reposts from Britain First. Mike Reader MP said someone who "calls His Majesty a 'bullsh*t king' should not have the privilege of representing our community". Dabbs confirmed the account was his, but neither he nor his party has commented further. Reader said: "Mr Dabbs has repeatedly disrespected the King, our monarchy, and country. "The residents of Northamptonshire deserve better." According to his account Mr Dabbs, who represents the Deanshanger and Paulsbury ward, joined X in December 2024 and he last commented on it in May. Britain First campaigns on an anti-immigration message and has called for a halt to all further immigration except in specific cases. The group has developed a strong online following, attracting attention when one of its anti-Islamic videos was retweeted by US President Donald Trump. Dr Simon Weaver, reader in media and communications at Brunel University in west London, said: "Britain First are a British far-right, neo-fascist party that was formed in 2011 by a former British National Party (BNP) member. "They propagate an anti-Muslin, Islamophobic ideology and make wide use of online communication." The BBC has approached Ivan Dabbs and Reform UK but neither wanted to comment. Last year, party leader Nigel Farage told the BBC it would be vetting Reform UK hopefuls standing in May's local elections after controversial comments were made by a candidate for Bexhill and Battle during the 2024 general election. Last month Ron Firman, a Reform UK candidate for West Northamptonshire Council, was reminded of the code of conduct for the parish council he was on after offensive sexist and racist tweets on his old social media account emerged. Firman was elected to the Hunsbury Ward. The council's constitution includes a members' code of conduct which states it is intended to promote high standards of behaviour among councillors including an obligation to "treat others with respect". Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. West Northamptonshire Council Reform UK Reform UK take control of two Northants councils Reform candidate gets conduct reminder over tweets
Chicago Tribune
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Plainfield man found guilty of Palestinian-American boy's murder, committing a hate crime
Joseph Czuba has been convicted of murdering 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi, a hate crime fueled by the Plainfield landlord's hostility toward Palestinians and his anger over the Hamas attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. A Will County jury deliberated for for just over an hour before reaching a verdict of guilty. Czuba did not display any visible signs of emotion when the verdict was read. The panel also found him guilty of attempted murder of the boy's mother, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of committing a hate crime. Czuba, 73, faces life in prison without parole. He did not testify during the four-day trial. Wadee's murder on Oct. 14, 2023, heightened concerns about anti-Muslin discrimination in the Chicago area amid the then-escalating war between Israel and Hamas. Illinois has more Muslims per capita than any other state in the country due in large part to the more than 85,000 Palestinians who live in Cook County. At the time of Wadee's fatal stabbing, his mother, Hanan Shaheen, had been renting rooms for about two years from Czuba and his wife in their unincorporated Plainfield home. Shaheen testified that she had no issues with Czuba until the Israel-Hamas war began. After the Oct. 7 attacks, he grew angry with her because she was Muslim and was from Jerusalem, she said. She said Czuba told her 'Muslims are not welcome here' and that 'your people' are killing Jews and babies. He demanded that she move out of the home, Shaheen told jurors. Czuba — who also withdrew $1,000 from the bank in case financial systems were affected by the war — said he needed to rent her rooms to a friend. Shaheen said she assured him she was looking for a place. She also told him to 'pray for peace.' On Oct. 14, Czuba knocked on Shaheen's door and physically pushed her after she answered, she said. 'I told you to move out of my home,' Czuba told her, Shaheen testified, adding that he was screaming about the war. She said he also climbed on top of her and tried to strangle her. He stabbed her multiple times in the chest, mouth, neck, across her cheek and near her eye, according to authorities. At one point, Shaheen testified that Czuba told Wadee that Czuba and his wife would raise him but that he could never tell anyone that Czuba killed his mom. Shaheen said she fought back during the attack but believed she was dying. She wasn't seeing clearly and was swallowing blood, she said. She was able to lock herself in the bathroom and call 911. That's when he began attacking Wadee, she said. 'He's killing my baby with a knife,' Shaheen told the dispatcher, according to a recording played in court. After his arrest, Czuba was captured on a police camera saying Wadee and Shaheen made him fear for his life. He also likened them to 'infested rats.' 'I begged her to get out for three days,' Czuba says on the recording. 'She would not leave.' Wadee — who had just celebrated a birthday — spent the final morning of his life eating breakfast with his mother, helping her change the sheets on their beds and playing an educational game on a cellphone. He was getting ready to take a shower when Czuba attacked them, his mother said. Shaheen and Wadee's father, Odai Alfyoumi, were divorced. Odai Alfayoumi has been in court every day to watch the proceedings. The kindergartner loved basketball, soccer and Legos.
Chicago Tribune
26-02-2025
- Chicago Tribune
‘He's killing my baby': Palestinian-American boy's mother testifies at hate crime murder trial
On the final day of his life, 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi ate breakfast with mother, helped her change the sheets on their beds and played an educational game on a cell phone. The kindergartener was getting ready to take a shower when their landlord knocked on the door, his mother Hanan Shaheen testified Tuesday. In the moments that followed, Joseph Czuba – who owned the home in unincorporated Plainfield where the family rented two bedrooms – charged at Shaheen and stabbed her with a knife, she testified. She said he screamed during the rampage about the war between Israel and Hamas. And when Shaheen was able to get away and lock herself in the bathroom, Czuba turned his anger on Wadee and killed him, she said. Shaheen offered the heart-wrenching testimony on the first day of Czuba's murder trial, painting a portrait of her son as a typical American boy who was violently attacked because of his ethnicity and hostilities happening half-a-world away. Wadee, who had recently celebrated a birthday, was stabbed 26 times on Oct. 14, 2023. Prosecutors say the slaying was fueled by Czuba's prejudice against Palestinians and his anger over the Hamas attacks on Israel a week earlier. Czuba, 73, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of committing a hate crime. If convicted, he could face life in prison without parole. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In October 2023, Wadee's death heightened concerns about anti-Muslin discrimination in the Chicago area amid the then-escalating Israel and Hamas war. Illinois also has more Muslims per capita than any other state in the United States due in large part to the more than 85,000 Palestinians who live in Cook County. Shaheen testified she had no issues with Czuba until the war began. After the Oct. 7 attacks, he grew angry with her because she was Muslim and was from Jerusalem, she said. She said Czuba told her 'Muslims are not welcome here' and that 'your people' are killing Jews and babies. He demanded she move out of the home, Shaheen told jurors. Czuba, who also lived in the house with his wife, said he needed to rent her rooms to a friend. Shaheen said she assured him she was looking for a place. She also told him to 'pray for peace.' On Oct. 14, Czuba knocked on Shaheen's door and physically pushed her after she answered. 'I told you to move out of my home,' Shaheen recalled Czuba telling her, adding that Czuba was screaming about the war. 'I'm not expecting him to push me,' she said. Using an Arabic language interpreter sporadically throughout her testimony, Shaheen detailed the attack for the jury. She said Czuba put his fingers in her mouth, 'trying to break my teeth.' She said he also climbed on top of her and attempted to strangle her. He stabbed her multiple times in the chest, mouth, neck, across her cheek and near her eye, according to authorities. At one point, Shaheen testified that Czuba told Wadee that he and his wife would raise him but he could never tell anyone that he killed his mom. Shaheen said she fought back during the attack but believed she was dying. She wasn't seeing clearly and was swallowing blood, she said. She was able to lock herself in the bathroom and call 911. That's when he began attacking Wadee, she said. 'He's killing my baby with a knife,' Shaheen told the dispatcher, according to a recording played in court. Shaheen repeated her address multiple times during the call and named Joseph Czuba as the attacker, according to the recording. She said she could hear her son screaming. The dispatcher advised her that police were on the way. Prosecutors played body camera videos from the three Plainfield and Will County officers who first arrived at the scene during the first day of testimony. The recordings showed them escorting a bleeding Shaheen out of the home towards a stretcher. Will County Sheriff's Deputy Victoria Janovyak wept on the stand as she testified about discovering Wadee's body lying on the bed with a knife sticking out of his torso. Her body camera video was shown only to the jury. Czuba stabbed Wadee in the neck, shoulder, chest, hand and abdomen, assistant Will County State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said during his opening statement. 'He left the knife in the little boy's body,' Fitzgerald said. Prosecutors also showed the jury photos of Shaheen with multiple wounds on her face and chest as she lay in the hospital. During cross-examination, defense attorney George Lenard asked Shaheen about conversations she had with police during her hospital stay after the attack. Shaheen responded that she doesn't remember the exact day, time and words that were exchanged with police, but that they came to her hospital room and she answered their questions. Lenard noted Shaheen has filed a civil lawsuit against Czuba seeking monetary damages and the civil case has been delayed until the criminal case is resolved. Shaheen said she knew her appearance during the criminal trial was important for her to seek justice for Wadee. In opening statements, Fitzgerald told the jury that Czuba – who called Shaheen and Wadee 'infested rats' – believed a war taking place in the Middle East was going to come to his doorstep. Fitzgerald promised the jury that he would prove this during trial with testimony from police, paramedics, medical personnel and DNA analysts. In response, Czuba's defense attorney Kylie Blatti told the jury that while prosecutors will show difficult images that provoke visceral emotions, the prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Czuba is guilty. Blatti said that there are holes in the state's case and assumptions cannot be made. She also accused police of assuming Czuba was guilty from the moment they arrived at the home and found him outside. She urged the jury to set aside any emotions and pay attention to the evidence that is missing in the case.
