Guns, race, religion, terror, wingnut thread

[Vrede too]

I only brought up the antisemitic aspect because that's their latest big whine. And I'm not sure if the feds automatically become involved if a case is deemed to be terrorism.

Federal terrorism prosecution MAY depend on the existence and strength of state anti-terrorism law. Idk about PA.

Just seems funny to me that participating in a protest supporting Palestinian rights is antisemitic per the cult. But firebombing a Jewish governors' residence may not be. I guess the bomber just hated that house.

Looks like PA is doing the charging: Attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson, aggravated assault. No mention of hate crimes enhancements. Appears that 38-year-old Cody Allen Balmer is seriously mentally ill with "an extensive criminal history".

... Balmer was described by his brother as a political independent until 2024, when he tried to convince his family members to vote for Donald Trump. In a warrant to search Balmer's possessions issued after the incident, state police stated in their search warrant that Balmer had targeted Shapiro based on "perceived injustices toward the people of Palestine". In a 911 call previously made by Balmer, he characterized Shapiro as a "monster" who should stop having his friends killed, put his people "through too much" and said that he would not take part in Shapiro's "plans" for the Palestinians....

Strong feelings about the Palestinians, no mention of Shapiro's Jewishness.

[O Really]

Why don't these people understand that "pro-Palestinian" or "anti-Israel" isn't the same as antisemitic? Jews are an ethnic religion - Israel is a country, not unlike any other country that people in a free-ish country should be able to criticize without penalty.

[Vrede too]

FBI links California fertility clinic bombing to anti-natalist ideology

I have no sympathy for suicide bombers, but I do have some support for his cause. In a world with too many people and too many unwanted children I'm appalled by the vast resources dumped into treating infertility. I thought it was kind of funny that AL accidentally banned IVF, but that's been reversed, anyhow.

Y'all?

[Vrede too]

Why don't these people understand that "pro-Palestinian" or "anti-Israel" isn't the same as antisemitic? Jews are an ethnic religion - Israel is a country, not unlike any other country that people in a free-ish country should be able to criticize without penalty.

Largely because Israel and its supporters have blurred the distinction for decades. It's easier to win when opponents can be painted as being bigots.

[Vrede too]

Oh, those darn right wingers:

Neo-Nazi leader accused of inspiring school shooting, plotting NYC attack extradited to US

Federal officials extradited an international neo-Nazi group leader they say inspired a teen to commit a school shooting in Tennessee earlier this year and plotted to commit a mass casualty attack in New York City targeting Jewish people.

The terrorist group’s leader, 21-year-old Michail Chkhikvishvili, orchestrated deadly attacks around the globe, prosecutors said. The citizen of the nation of Georgia was extradited from Moldova on May 22 after he was arrested in July. He was scheduled to be arraigned in Brooklyn on May 23, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ said the man, who went by the name "Commander Butcher," was the leader of the Maniac Murder Cult, which goes by several other names including MKY. Chkhikvishvili has distributed a writing called the "Hater's Handbook," encouraging people to commit acts of mass violence and "ethnic cleansing," according to court filings. His "solicitations of violence" led to international attacks, including a 2024 stabbing outside a mosque in Turkey, prosecutors said....

Throw away the key.

He told an undercover law enforcement employee, “I see USA as big potential because accessibility to firearms and other resources,” in an electronic message sent Sept. 8, 2023, court filings show.


Students hold signs as they attend a student-led rally to honor Josselin Corea Escalante at Antioch High School in Antioch, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025.

Real antisemitism, of course:

'Murder cult' leader plotted to poison Jewish kids in NYC, feds say

Chkhikvishvili has been indicted in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on four counts including solicitation of violent felonies. The charges stemmed from Chkhikvishvili’s communications with an undercover FBI employee in which he trained and encouraged the undercover agent to carry out a mass attack against Jewish people and minorities. Chkhikvishvili corresponded with the undercover agent between September 2023 and at least March 2024.

The plot included having an individual wearing a Santa Claus costume hand out poisoned candies to Jewish kids in New York City on New Year's Eve. It later evolved into targeting Jewish people on a larger scale. Chkhikvishvili said he wanted the attack to be a "bigger action than Breivik," prosecutors said. Breivik refers to Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a massacre in Norway in 2011 that targeted mostly teenagers at a camp.

Anders Behring Breivik, a RW xtian who targeted teenagers of nonviolent LW parents.
Fixed that for them.

Chkhikvishvili allegedly inspired Tennessee school shooting

The man’s arrest came before the deadly attack at Antioch High School on Jan. 22, 2025. However, prosecutors in the New York federal court linked the Antioch shooting to Chkhikvishvili’s solicitations of violence in a court filing on May 23, the Nashville Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.

2 days after the inauguration.

... Chkhikvishvili’s name also appeared in the document the DOJ said was written by the Antioch shooter – a 300-page writing in which the shooter espoused misanthropic White supremacist and Nazi ideologies. The shooter also referred to the founder of MKY and said he would write the founder’s name on his gun, according to prosecutors.

Josselin Corea Escalante, 16, died after the 17-year-old shot her with a pistol in the cafeteria of Antioch High School. Another student was injured during the attack. The shooter, 17-year-old student Solomon Henderson, then shot and killed himself.

Wiki:

... The White House also released a report saying that President Donald Trump was following the situation and offered his sincerest thoughts and prayers.

Comforting.

[GoCubsGo]

Making America Great Again?

This guy is a work.



He's also been an attorney for about five minutes.

https://www.mediaite.com/lawcrime/white ... drew-tate/

[Vrede too]

Making America Great Again?

This guy is a work.

https://bsky.app/profile/patriottakes.b ... drlf2ltc24

He's also been an attorney for about five minutes.

https://www.mediaite.com/lawcrime/white ... drew-tate/

Another bigoted asshole:

'Targeted terror attack' at Colorado mall; suspect tried to set victims on fire

... A male suspect was taken into custody on Sunday after multiple people were set on fire during an event calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza at a pedestrian mall in Boulder, Colorado, authorities said, in what the FBI described as a "targeted terror attack." ...

[Vrede too]

Asshole screwed his family, whether they're blameless or not:

Boulder suspect's wife, kids in ICE custody: DHS

The wife and children of Boulder, Colorado, terrorism suspect Mohamed Soliman are in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the family is being processed for expedited removal, according to the Department of Homeland Security....

Soliman -- who was arrested after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails in an "act of terrorism" during a pro-Israel demonstration on Sunday -- has been in the U.S. on an expired tourist visa, officials said.

The father of five was granted a work permit, but that had also expired in March....

"father of five"


About 8 years old when WW2 ended:

Holocaust survivor among the Boulder attack victims
The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman, faces federal and state charges.

Throw away the key.

[Vrede too]

National issue, local fears. Y'all are seeing similar stories wherever you live.

Local elected officials reflect on increase in political violence



It’s no secret that the national political rhetoric has gotten increasingly noxious in recent years, at times escalating into violent action. But the June 14 shootings of state lawmakers in Minnesota show that pointed political violence isn’t solely aimed at officials based in Washington, D.C., raising concerns among Western North Carolina’s legislative delegation.

In the early morning hours on June 14, Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed and Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in what have been called politically motivated shootings. Hoffman, who was shot nine times by the assailant, was released from intensive care July 7. His wife, Yvette, survived being shot eight times, reportedly jumping on their daughter, Hope Hoffman, to shield her from bullets during the attack.

RW terrorism.

The targeting of state-level officials has members of Buncombe County’s legislative delegation feeling a range of emotions and exercising increased caution when appearing at public events or walking the streets of Raleigh....

How many good people decline to run at all?

[Vrede too]

Man killed Muslim boy, 6, in hate crime motivated by Israel-Hamas war, Illinois police say
Suspect expected in court Monday after attack that also injured 32-year-old woman near Chicago

https://heavy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/czuba.jpg

On the bright side, Mr. Czuba will not be voting for trump.

Czuba
Polish:: nickname from czub 'hair on top of the head'. nickname for a quarrelsome person from czubic się 'to quarrel'.

USAF veteran , another terrorist trained by our own military. Some days I don't even trust O Really and neoplacebo all that much.

I dunno about neoplacebo, but if O Really went berserk the worst he could do from his "military" training would be to hack your Spotify account.

We know how good you are at finding people, too.

Noooo, not that! You are a cruel cruel terrorist. A lifetime condemned to opera and country is not a life.

Landlord Found Guilty Of Murder, Hate Crime In 2023 Attack On Palestinian American Boy
A jury has found 73-year-old Joseph Czuba guilty in the hate crime attack that left 6-year-old Wadee Alfayoumi dead and injured his mother.

Man who murdered Palestinian American 6-year-old boy dies in custody, officials say

Part of me wishes that he'd suffered for longer in prison, but that wouldn't deter the next bigot. Meanwhile, I won't miss him and his death is good for IL taxpayers.

[GoCubsGo]

Part of me wishes that he'd suffered for longer in prison, but that wouldn't deter the next bigot. Meanwhile, I won't miss him and his death is good for IL taxpayers.

Maybe he suffered.

Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, Kevin Hedemark, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff’s Office, said in an email. Hedemark referred questions − including about the cause of Czuba’s death − to state officials, who didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

[1 CAT FAN]

Man arrested after Cincinnati fight videos went viral was out on bond

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, have been arrested on felonious assault and aggravated riot charges, according to Cincinnati police.

Police had identified five suspects from a violent fight with a crowd of "100 or so people," at Fourth and Elm streets early Saturday, July 26. Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, raising concerns about safety amid the city's recent push to reduce crime in its urban core.

Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability.

The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state.
In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond.
"He never should have been out," said Ken Kober, Cincinnati police union president.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 431629007/


Cincinnati brawl arrests: Detective says fight was 'coordinated' by 2 suspects

Two men charged in a downtown Cincinnati fight that was caught on viral video are accused of coordinating the assault, according to prosecutors.

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Jermaine Matthews, 39, are facing charges in Hamilton County Municipal Court, including felonious assault and aggravated riot.

Merriweather was out on bond when police said he was involved in the early morning brawl on July 26 in downtown Cincinnati. He received a $500,000 bond during a July 30 arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Matthews was given a $100,000 bond, although a judge is expected to set an additional bond on July 31.

Prosecutors said that Merriweather previously served seven years in prison following the robbery conviction that happened when he was 17 years old.

Matthews has three prior felony convictions for drug offenses, prosecutors said.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 436781007/

Another one of those "How many?" & "Don't" moments.

[Vrede too]

Part of me wishes that he'd suffered for longer in prison, but that wouldn't deter the next bigot. Meanwhile, I won't miss him and his death is good for IL taxpayers.

Maybe he suffered.

Czuba died in Illinois Department of Corrections custody on July 24, Kevin Hedemark, a spokesperson for the Will County Sheriff’s Office, said in an email. Hedemark referred questions − including about the cause of Czuba’s death − to state officials, who didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Could be , but for a relatively short duration .

[1 CAT FAN]

Man arrested after Cincinnati fight videos went viral was out on bond

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, have been arrested on felonious assault and aggravated riot charges, according to Cincinnati police.

Police had identified five suspects from a violent fight with a crowd of "100 or so people," at Fourth and Elm streets early Saturday, July 26. Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, raising concerns about safety amid the city's recent push to reduce crime in its urban core.

Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability.

The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state.
In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond.
"He never should have been out," said Ken Kober, Cincinnati police union president.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 431629007/


Cincinnati brawl arrests: Detective says fight was 'coordinated' by 2 suspects

Two men charged in a downtown Cincinnati fight that was caught on viral video are accused of coordinating the assault, according to prosecutors.

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Jermaine Matthews, 39, are facing charges in Hamilton County Municipal Court, including felonious assault and aggravated riot.

Merriweather was out on bond when police said he was involved in the early morning brawl on July 26 in downtown Cincinnati. He received a $500,000 bond during a July 30 arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Matthews was given a $100,000 bond, although a judge is expected to set an additional bond on July 31.

Prosecutors said that Merriweather previously served seven years in prison following the robbery conviction that happened when he was 17 years old.

Matthews has three prior felony convictions for drug offenses, prosecutors said.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 436781007/

Another one of those "How many?" & "Don't" moments.

Cincinnati Councilwoman Catches Heat For Celebrating Viral Brawl, Says Victims ‘Begged For That Beat Down’

Cincinnati City Councilwoman Victoria Parks is catching flack for a Facebook post where she celebrated the viral July 26 brawl. “They begged for that beat down!,” she said, according to WCPO 9.

Parks commented on a post discussing the brawl that resulted in three arrests and several being sent to the hospital with injuries. It also led to numerous conversations about race relations in America and safety concerns in the Ohio city.

Not only is the councilwoman catching heat from social media critics but other political dignitaries are calling for her to resign, including fellow council member Meeka Owens.

“Making comments that inflame a violent incident is never acceptable,” Owens said in a statement. “I would never expect an elected leader, a colleague of mine, to make such damning, irresponsible statements. I don’t know if I can have an authentic conversation about safety and about how we move things forward in the city, with a colleague who is actually condoning violence.”

The 67-year-old’s comments also caught the attention of failed presidential candidate and former DOGE co-director Vivek Ramaswamy, who is now running for governor of the state.

“This isn’t actually about race. This is about people in their country and in their city just feeling safe when they go out to have a good time in the city,” the Cincinnati native said during an interview on NewsNation’s CUOMO.

However, he believes Parks’ comments held “a racial undertone.”
https://www.blackenterprise.com/council ... lebration/

[1 CAT FAN]

Man arrested after Cincinnati fight videos went viral was out on bond

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Dekyra Vernon, 24, have been arrested on felonious assault and aggravated riot charges, according to Cincinnati police.

Police had identified five suspects from a violent fight with a crowd of "100 or so people," at Fourth and Elm streets early Saturday, July 26. Multiple videos of the 3 a.m. fight Downtown circulated on social media over the weekend, raising concerns about safety amid the city's recent push to reduce crime in its urban core.

Merriweather was indicted on four felony charges on July 10 after investigators said he was found to be in possession of a stolen firearm. Court records show he is charged with carrying concealed weapons, receiving stolen property, improper handling of firearms in a vehicle and weapons under disability.

The last charge is due to a prior felony conviction in 2009 for aggravated robbery, the documents state.
In the weapons case, Merriweather was released after posting 10% of a $4,000 bond.
"He never should have been out," said Ken Kober, Cincinnati police union president.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 431629007/


Cincinnati brawl arrests: Detective says fight was 'coordinated' by 2 suspects

Two men charged in a downtown Cincinnati fight that was caught on viral video are accused of coordinating the assault, according to prosecutors.

Montianez Merriweather, 34, and Jermaine Matthews, 39, are facing charges in Hamilton County Municipal Court, including felonious assault and aggravated riot.

Merriweather was out on bond when police said he was involved in the early morning brawl on July 26 in downtown Cincinnati. He received a $500,000 bond during a July 30 arraignment in Hamilton County Municipal Court. Matthews was given a $100,000 bond, although a judge is expected to set an additional bond on July 31.

Prosecutors said that Merriweather previously served seven years in prison following the robbery conviction that happened when he was 17 years old.

Matthews has three prior felony convictions for drug offenses, prosecutors said.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 436781007/

Another one of those "How many?" & "Don't" moments.

Another perpetrator fled to Georgia

Patrick Rosemond, 38, was arrested in Fulton County, Georgia on Aug. 4 with the help of an FBI task force based out of Atlanta, according to Cincinnati police spokesman Lt. Jonathan Cunningham.

Rosemond has prior convictions in Hamilton County dating back to at least 2005 when he was convicted of cocaine trafficking. He also has a weapons conviction from 2013.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/c ... 525816007/