Latest news with #pro-Palestine
RTÉ News
23 minutes ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
French town withdraws Rock-En-Seine music festival funding over Kneecap booking
The municipal authority for the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud, which hosts the annual Rock-en-Seine music festival, has decided to withdraw a €40,000 subsidy for the event due to its booking of Irish rap trio Kneecap, it said on Thursday. The Belfast-based Kneecap, which raps in Irish and English, has drawn criticism because it has displayed pro-Palestine messages during gigs. It is scheduled to play on the final day of the Rock-en-Seine festival, which takes place from 21 - 24 August. In a statement late on Wednesday, the Saint-Cloud city hall said the money had been agreed before the final line-up of the festival was announced and that it had decided to withdraw the funding on 3 July. The Saint-Cloud city said it respects the festival's programming freedom, and had not sought "to enter into any negotiations with a view to influencing the programming". "On the other hand it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality," the statement said. Rock-en-Seine could not be immediately reached for comment. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a flag of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group that is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in Britain. He denies the offence and the band says its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah.
Middle East Eye
26 minutes ago
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Lebanese pro-Palestine activist to be freed after 40 years in French jail
A French appeals court has ordered the release of Lebanese pro-Palestine activist Georges Ibrahim Abdallah after four decades in prison. The former guerrilla with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1987 for his alleged involvement in the murders of US military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov five years earlier. On Thursday, the Paris Appeals Court ordered the 74-year-old to be freed from prison next week, on 25 July, on the condition that he leaves French territory and never returns. Abdallah is one of the longest-serving prisoners in France, where most convicts serving life sentences are freed after fewer than 30 years. He had appealed against his conviction 11 times since becoming eligible for release in 1999. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The United States - a civil party to the case - has consistently opposed his release, whereas Lebanese authorities have worked for his liberation and told the court they would organise his return home. Abdallah, born to a Christian family in the village of Kobayat, northern Lebanon, has long maintained that he was not a "criminal" but "a fighter" who battled for the rights of Palestinians. PFLP soul-searching: the rise and fall of Palestine's socialists Read More » "The path I followed was dictated by the human rights violations perpetrated against Palestine," he told the judges during his last appeal for release. Wounded in 1978 during Israel's invasion of Lebanon, Abdallah, a secondary school teacher, joined the Marxist-Leninist PFLP, which carried out a series of plane hijackings during the 1960s and 1970s. A year later, along with his brothers and cousins, he founded his own pro-Palestine armed group, the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Factions (LARF). The group had contact with other far-left armed outfits, including France's Action Directe, Italy's Red Brigades and the German Red Army Faction (RAF). The Lebanese anti-Israeli Marxist group claimed responsibility for five attacks, including four in France in 1981 and 1982. 'Freed from Israeli and US pressures' Abdallah's brother, Robert, told AFP in Lebanon that relatives were "delighted' with his release. 'I didn't expect the French judiciary to make such a decision, nor for him to ever be freed, especially after so many failed requests for release," Robert said. "For once, the French authorities have freed themselves from Israeli and US pressures," he added. Prosecutors can file an appeal with France's highest court, the Court of Cassation, but it is not expected to be processed fast enough to halt his release next week. Abdallah's lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, also welcomed the decision as "both a judicial victory, and a political scandal that he was not released earlier". French court orders release of Lebanese political activist jailed for 40 years Read More » In November last year, a French court had ordered Abdallah's release, conditional on his leaving France. But France's anti-terror prosecutors, arguing that Abdallah had not changed his political views, appealed against the decision, which was consequently suspended. The activist has never expressed regret for his actions. During this 11th request, the sentencing court, then the appeals court, ruled in favour of Abdallah's release, considering the length of his detention "disproportionate" to the crimes committed, and deeming that at 74, this "elderly" detainee aspiring to end his days in his village in northern Lebanon no longer presented a risk of disturbing public order. A verdict was due to have been delivered in February, but the Paris appeals court postponed its decision until 19 June so that Abdallah "could justify compensation to the civil parties", including the US. He had always refused to do so, arguing his innocence and considering himself a political prisoner. However, at the June hearing, Abdallah's lawyer told the judges that €16,000 had been placed on the prisoner's bank account and were at the disposal of civil parties in the case. Over the years, Abdallah's fate has mobilised leftist activists, who have accused successive French governments of preventing his release. Several communist municipalities have made him an honorary citizen, and protests have frequently been held outside his prison in Lannemezan, in southwestern France. "Georges Ibrahim Abdallah is the victim of a state justice that shames France," Nobel Prize-winning author Annie Ernaux said in the communist daily L'Humanite in October.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Shamed teacher who groomed pupil avoids jail with 200 hours of unpaid work
David Davidson, 49, preyed on his victims at a school in the north of Glasgow between August 2008 and April 2023. A teenage girl told a court she skipped lessons to be alone with Davidson in his classroom. She said fell in love with Davidson and that he had told her that he loved her back. Davidson told her he would take her to his house and out for dinner once she was old enough to leave school. READ MORE: Parish priest among injured as air strikes hit Gaza's only Catholic church Davidson went on to stroke the girl on the face and called her "pretty." The dad-of-three made further comments in front of pupils such as boasting about the size of his manhood. Davidson, of Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire, was found guilty of two charges of engaging in sexual activity with a pupil. He was also convicted a Glasgow Sheriff Court of two further charges of conducting himself in a disorderly manner. Sheriff Michael Hanlon ordered Davidson to do 200 hours of unpaid work and put him under supervision for two years. Davidson was also put on the sex offenders register for two years. The court heard from a now 19-year-old childcare student who recalled having Davidson as her English teacher at age 14. She stated that would skip lessons to see Davidson in his classroom. The girl said: "He would say that I was not supposed to be here but he was not going to kick me out." The girl claimed that they spoke about a variety of things including sexual matters. She added that Davidson made "jokes" with "underlying remarks." The girl told the prosecutor: "I really liked him and thought he liked me back. "I told him that I loved him and he said that he loved me back." The teenager stated that she text him that she loved him but Davidson responded in person. She further recalled being asked out to dinner by Davidson. READ MORE: 'Disturbed': MP hits out after armed police threaten peaceful pro-Palestine protester The girl added: "He would tell me about his bedroom and that after I left school I would go to his house. "He said his bedroom had mirrors." The girl stated at one time they spoke about his aftershave. She said: "He put his arm around me and said 'smell' then touched my face." Davidson also called her "pretty" on another occasion and remarked that he liked the girl with her legs crossed. The girl claimed that she did not report Davidson as she did not want him to get "in trouble." She added: "I thought after I left, there would be a chance to be with him." A 31-year-old woman - who is now a primary school teacher - told the court that she was taught by Davidson in fourth year. She described Davidson's classes as "uncomfortable" and "informal." The woman stated that Davidson would walk in front of her at "waist height" while facing her. She added: "He would lean himself on the table so his groin was on the table. "He would wear particularly tight trousers." The woman stated that Davidson's penis would be "very apparent." She said: "As a 15-year-old or as an adult, I would find that uncomfortable." The woman recalled an incident in class where Davidson was said to have told her off for wagging her pinkie at him. She said: "He said it was done to describe his penis. "He said some people are growers and not showers and at 15 I did not know what that meant. "I could understand that he was referencing his penis and told him to 'f*** off' - I was embarrassed and upset. "I was given into trouble and walked out of the class and then I told the depute head of the department because I shouted and swore at him." The woman stated that "nothing came" from the report. She also said that Davidson would lick his lips and raise his eyebrows. The woman further sated that Davidson would read a section of JRR Tolkien novel 'The Hobbit' in a "suggestive voice." The section referred to a "nasty, dirty, wide hole." A 24-year-old former student earlier told jurors that Davidson would "stand close" to her in class. She said: "It wasn't just me, there were other students, we were eye level with his crotch." The now bar tender claimed that "creepy" Davidson made her feel "uncomfortable." The woman stated that Davidson also told her that he was attracted to people who smoke. Prosecutor Kyle Dalziel asked the witness if Davidson was aware that she smoked and she replied: "Yes." The woman further claimed Davidson complimented her on her body and told her that she had a "womanly figure." She added that Davidson also made a comment about women in bikinis while on a school trip to a water park while in her presence. The woman recalled that Davidson referred to another girl in his class as "Jessica Rabbit." She stated that Davidson had a picture of Marilyn Monroe with her white dress on the wall of his classroom. Deirdre Flanigan, defending, put it to the witness that Davidson does not recall making the remarks on the school trip. The advocate followed up by asking if the woman spoke to someone in the school administration about him. The woman replied: "I didn't report him but I should have. "At 17, it is daunting to speak up." Dalziel later followed up with a similar question about why she did not speak up and the woman replied: "I didn't feel like I would be believed." Davidson - who is now a legal assistant at a law firm - told the court in his evidence he had "suspicions" that one of the girls liked him. He stated that he was "deeply ashamed" for not reporting the matters to senior members of staff at the school. Davidson added: "I am deeply sorry it ended up the way that it has - I was definitely swayed. "I should have reported it and I didn't, seeing the [19-year-old] girl giving evidence was horrifying viewing. "Each time she had messaged and I didn't reply she would appear sheepish, embarrassed and apologetic for sending them and not to tell anyone."
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
French town withdraws Rock-En-Seine music festival funding over Kneecap booking
PARIS - The municipal authority for the Paris suburb of Saint-Cloud, which hosts the annual Rock-en-Seine music festival, has decided to withdraw a 40,000 euro ($46,000) subsidy for the event due to its booking of Irish rap band Kneecap, it said on Thursday. The Belfast-based Kneecap, which raps in Irish and English, has drawn criticism because it has displayed pro-Palestine messages during gigs. It is scheduled to play on the final day of the Rock-en-Seine festival, which takes place from August 21 to August 24. In a statement late on Wednesday, the Saint-Cloud city hall said the money had been agreed before the final line-up of the festival was announced and that it had decided to withdraw the funding on July 3. The Saint-Cloud city said it respects the festival's programming freedom, and had not sought "to enter into any negotiations with a view to influencing the programming". "On the other hand it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality," the statement said. Rock-en-Seine could not be immediately reached for comment. Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who is known by his stage name Mo Chara, was charged in May with a terrorism offence for allegedly displaying a flag of Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group that is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in Britain. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore Singapore HSA launches anti-vaping checks near 5 institutes of higher learning Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Singapore Jail for elderly man for using knife to slash neighbour, who later died of heart disease Singapore Maximum $7,000 fine for caterer involved in ByteDance food poisoning case World UK to lower voting age to 16 in landmark electoral reform Opinion Grab tried to disrupt taxis. It now wants to save them He denies the offence and the band says its members do not support Hamas or Hezbollah. REUTERS
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Refusal to suspend EU-Israel deal ‘cruel and unlawful betrayal'
It comes as EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Tuesday to decide whether to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement, a trade and cooperation deal that gives Israel preferential access to the EU market. Member states were presented with 10 options, including: Full suspension of the agreement The EU suspension of its preferential trade and/or research pillars An arms embargo Sanctions on Israeli ministers Halting visa-free travel for Israeli citizens to the EU Banning trade with Israeli settlements However, none of the options gathered the necessary support during the meeting. Reacting to the decision, Amnesty International's secretary general Agnès Callamard said: 'The EU's refusal to suspend its agreement with Israel is a cruel and unlawful betrayal of the European project and vision, predicated on upholding international law and fighting authoritarian practices, of the European Union's own rules and of the human rights of Palestinians. READ MORE: Activists 'to defy Labour with illegal pro-Palestine T-shirts' at Edinburgh protest "This will be remembered as one of the most disgraceful moments in the EU's history." Callamard (below) said European leaders had been given the opportunity to take "a principled stand" against Israel's crimes, but instead gave it "a greenlight to continue its genocide in Gaza, its unlawful occupation of the whole Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and its system of apartheid against Palestinians". Callamard added: 'The EU's own review has clearly found that Israel is violating its human rights obligations under the terms of the Association Agreement. Yet, instead of taking measures to stop it and prevent their own complicity, member states chose to maintain a preferential trade deal over respecting their international obligations and saving Palestinian lives. 'This is more than political cowardice. Every time the EU fails to act, the risk of complicity in Israel's actions grows. This sends an extremely dangerous message to perpetrators of atrocity crimes that they will not only go unpunished but be rewarded. 'Victims are entitled to far more than empty words." Callamard urged member states to take action individually or unilaterally to suspend all forms of cooperation with Israel that may contribute to its violations of international law, including a comprehensive embargo on the export of arms and surveillance equipment and related technology, and a total ban on trade with, and investment in, Israel's illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
