Anti-ICE protesters got in the way of a drug bust targeting a former cartel member in Tucson, Arizona, on Wednesday night, according to Pinal County Sheriff Ross Teeple.
Teeple told local outlet <a href="https://www.kold.com/2025/06/12/protesters-disrupt-major-drug-bust-tucson-mistaking-it-immigration-action/">13 News</a> on Thursday that a group of protesters stood between federal and local law enforcement officers and a home where over 120 pounds of fentanyl, 20 pounds of meth, and 30 pounds of cocaine were seized. The suspect, an illegal immigrant and former cartel member, according to authorities, was also taken into custody. Teeple said that the protesters disrupted the joint federal and local law enforcement operation, which was carried out with a search warrant.
&#8220;These individuals, the &#8216;protesters,&#8217; actually blocked a Pinal County Sheriff&#8217;s Office tow truck from removing the suspect&#8217;s vehicle from a criminal investigation,&#8221; Teeple said.
“These idiots came out and protested us getting 5 million fentanyl pills off the streets, 32 pounds of cocaine off the streets, 22 pounds of methamphetamines off the streets,&#8221; he added. &#8220;They don’t have individual thought, they have group think.”
Some of the protesters who showed up in the usually quiet Tucson neighborhood on Wednesday were previously at a demonstration at an ICE facility that devolved into violence, according to authorities, 13 News reported.
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“Even when it was explained to them that this was a criminal case, where we were taking a criminal drug smuggler, a known felon off the street and keeping the community safe, they still sat there and protested because they don’t have an independent thought,” the sheriff said.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Tucson Police Department was called to assist with crowd control so authorities could carry out the warrant for the drug bust. Tucson Police Chief Chad Kasmar said officers tried to explain the situation to the group of demonstrators.
“We took the time to tell them and reiterate, this is not an immigration warrant. It was narcotics-related,” Kasmar said.
Anti-ICE demonstrators have impeded federal immigration officers during raids in other parts of the country. Earlier this week, protesters <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/11/us/video/ice-raid-omaha-block-immigration-digvid#:~:text=Workers%20at%20a%20meatpacking%20plant,of%20the%20Trump's%20second%20term.">threw themselves</a> on top of ICE vehicles during a raid at a meatpacking plant in Omaha, Nebraska. In L.A., protesters tried to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCZfaX6j6Zc">stop</a> ICE SUVs from leaving a place where agents had conducted a raid.
Protests and riots have hit cities across the country after anti-ICE agitators attacked federal, state, and local authorities in Los Angeles last weekend. The riots led to President Donald Trump calling in the National Guard and Marines to L.A., which enraged Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Republican governors in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/greg-abbott-to-deploy-national-guard-amid-texas-anti-ice-protests">Texas</a> and <a href="https://www.ky3.com/2025/06/12/gov-kehoe-says-missouri-national-guard-remains-standby-ice-protests/">Missouri</a> also mobilized the National Guard in their states ahead of planned anti-ICE demonstrations this weekend.

‘Idiots’: Massive Drug Bust Impeded By Anti-ICE Protesters, Sheriff Says

Arizona

Crime

Drugs

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Protest

Sheriff

U.S.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey gave a dire warning to any would-be rioters on Thursday, threatening to “kill” anyone who attacks law enforcement.
Ivey outlined expectations for potential protests during a news conference on Thursday, explaining a host of illegal actions and what their likely consequences could be.
“If you resist lawful orders, you are going to jail. Let me be very clear about that. If you block an intersection or a roadway in Brevard County, you are going to jail. If you flee arrest, you&#8217;re going to go to jail tired because we&#8217;re going to run you down and put you in jail,” the sheriff said. “If you try to mob rule a car in Brevard County — gathering around it, refusing to let the driver leave — in our county, you&#8217;re most likely going to get run over and dragged across the street.”
“If you spit on us, you&#8217;re going to the hospital, and in jail. If you hit one of us, you&#8217;re going to the hospital, and jail, and most likely get bitten by one of our big, beautiful dogs that we have here,” he continued. “If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at because we will kill you graveyard dead.”
Days of anti-immigration enforcement riots have rocked the Los Angeles area. Rioters have burned vehicles, attacked law enforcement, and defaced buildings. Looters have ransacked businesses. Many demonstrators have carried foreign flags or worn Palestinian keffiyehs.
The sheriff appeared to have the chaos in Los Angeles in mind when he issued his warnings about protests.
“This has got to stop,” said Ivey. “You&#8217;re watching what&#8217;s taking place out there. You&#8217;re seeing police officers that are being attacked, being spit on, being put in harm&#8217;s way just for doing their jobs. You&#8217;re seeing ICE agents that are being targeted for doing their jobs, and you&#8217;re seeing obstructionists that are doing all of this standing in the way of law and order.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 &#39;WE WILL K*LL YOU!&#39;: Florida sheriff has a message for would-be leftist rioters. NOT IN FLORIDA.
&quot;If you throw a brick, a firebomb, or point a gun at one of our deputies, we will be notifying your family where to collect your remains at. Because we will K*LL you, graveyard… <a href="https://t.co/rmpqCS9L2F">pic.twitter.com/rmpqCS9L2F</a>
&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1933227784941236615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Ivey’s hard-nosed approach to protests and demonstrations that could take place in Florida over the Trump administration’s deportation policies echoes the stance Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has taken. DeSantis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/florida-aint-california-desantis-lays-out-official-policy-if-youre-blocked-in-traffic-by-rioters?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=12&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Florida+Ain%E2%80%99t+California%3A+DeSantis+Lays+Out+Official+Policy+If+You%E2%80%99re+Blocked+In+Traffic+By+Rioters">appeared</a> on “The Rubin Report” podcast with host Dave Rubin in an episode that aired on Wednesday.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
“In terms of the unrest, Florida’s policy is very simple: You have every right to exercise your First Amendment rights to protest and demonstrate,” the Florida governor said. “The minute you cross that line, you are going to be met with serious pushback, and you will be held accountable. We do not tolerate rioting; we do not tolerate civil unrest; we do not tolerate looting; we do not tolerate attacks on law enforcement.”

Wayne Ivey

Florida Sheriff Warns Protesters ‘We Will Kill You’ If You Throw Bricks At Law Enforcement

Florida

Los Angeles

Ron DeSantis

Los Angeles police detained a CNN reporter and his crew on live television Tuesday night as anti-ICE riots continued to roil the city following federal immigration enforcement raids.
CNN correspondent Jason Carroll was captured on live television with his hands behind his back, surrounded by officers in riot gear during Laura Coates&#8217; 11 p.m. broadcast.
&#8220;I&#8217;m being detained, Laura,&#8221; Carroll can be heard saying after police briefly restrained him and his crew, according to a report from the New York Post.
Officers ultimately allowed Carroll to leave, but warned him not to return to the area.
&#8220;We&#8217;re letting you go, but you can&#8217;t come back &#8230; if you come back in, then you go,&#8221; an officer told the reporter.
A CNN spokesperson <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/10/media/cnn-reporter-detained-by-lapd-on-tv-covering-anti-ice-protests/">confirmed</a> to the New York Post that the news team was &#8220;briefly detained&#8221; while documenting events as police cleared the area, adding they were &#8220;pleased the situation resolved quickly once the reporting team presented law enforcement with their CNN credentials.&#8221;
The CNN correspondent had just finished his report from the scene of the riot on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live,” when the host noticed the confrontation and went back to the L.A. crew.
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“Wait one second, John,” she said, interrupting her panel guest. “Hold on. I wanna – Jason, what’s going on? I hear you. Am I seeing Jason Carroll being – what happened? Jason?”
“I am being detained,” Carroll replied. “I’m being detained, Laura.”
Carroll <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/media/tv/i-am-being-detained-cnn-reporter-narrates-encounter-with-police-during-live-hit/">narrated</a> the encounter while the LAPD escorted him away.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN’s reporter on scene in Los Angeles: I’m being detained.. <a href="https://t.co/DANNms8ZZj">pic.twitter.com/DANNms8ZZj</a>
&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1932290084164051406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“I’m not being arrested, correct, officers?” he asked.
“Did you hear what he told you?” an officer asked the reporter.
“No,” Carroll replied.
“We’re letting you go, but you can’t come back,” the officer said. “Because then if you come back in, then you go. Ok, please?”
“Ok, thank you, officer,” Carroll replied before attempting to communicate with Coates again.
“If you guys can still hear me, what happened was, I was –” Carroll said before being cut off by an alleged New York Times reporter.
“I’m Chris with The New York Times. We got video of you guys. If you need it later, call The New York Times.”
The Post notes it is still unclear who “Chris” is at this time, and the Times has yet to confirm his role at the paper at the time of publication.
“Thank you, I appreciate that,” Carroll said before going back to Coates.
“So here’s what happened, Laura,” he said. “I was called over, and the officer told me to put my hands behind my back. I said, ‘Am I being arrested?’ He said, ‘You are being detained.’ I was walked out of the area. They took down my information.”
Carroll’s audio suddenly cut out, leading Coates to turn to CNN Chief Law Enforcement Analyst John Miller for analysis.
Miller, the former Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism of the NYPD, said police officers have to remain skeptical of “press” credentials when responding to protests because “you have anarchist groups and agitators who show up and say, ‘Well, I have a blog, so therefore I’m press. So therefore, even though I’ve been throwing bottles and screaming epithets, I’m not part of the protest. I want to be treated as media.’ So they sort through people one at a time.”
The Los Angeles anti-ICE protests, which began somewhat peacefully early Saturday after reported raids in the area, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tom-homan-says-national-guard-moving-into-la-to-shut-down-anti-ice-riots">deteriorated</a> into more chaotic scenes by late afternoon, leading President Donald Trump to deploy thousands of National Guard troops to the area.
On Sunday, a reporter for the CNN-affiliated 9News Australia was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-reporter-caught-in-l-a-riot-crossfire-hit-by-non-lethal-round-during-live-shot?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=WATCH%3A+Reporter+Caught+In+L.A.+Riot+Crossfire%2C+Hit+By+Non-Lethal+Round+During+Live+Shot">struck</a> by a rubber bullet fired by law enforcement while conducting a live broadcast.

US-POLITICS-IMMIGRATION

WATCH: L.A. Police Detain Reporter Live On-Air During Anti-ICE Riots

California

LAPD

Media

News

Riots

Columbia University laid off nearly 180 staff members on Tuesday due to the Trump administration&#8217;s decision to cut $400 million in federal funding over what officials described as the school&#8217;s “continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.”
&#8220;We understand this news will be hard,&#8221; Claire Shipman, Columbia University&#8217;s acting president, <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/news/preserving-columbias-critical-research-capabilities">wrote</a> in a statement with other top officials, citing &#8220;intense strain on Columbia&#8217;s finances and research mission&#8221; as a result of Trump&#8217;s cuts to federal funding.
The funding <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-slashes-columbia-funding-citing-inaction-on-anti-semitic-harassment-on-campus">cuts</a> came in early March after Trump’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism determined the Ivy League institution had failed to adequately protect Jewish students from harassment.
“Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon <a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/doj-hhs-ed-and-gsa-announce-initial-cancelation-of-grants-and-contracts-columbia-university-worth-400-million">said</a> in a statement at the time.
According to The New York Times, more than 300 multi-year research grants have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/06/us/politics/columbia-layoffs-trump-research-cuts.html?smid=url-share">slashed</a>, shrinking their approximately $1.3 billion in federal research funds in 2023 to practically nothing.
Among the cut grants was a project examining &#8220;the consequences of structural racism on substance use risk in Puerto Rican adolescents,” as the Times puts it, with a researcher lamenting that it was &#8220;very disheartening to see the wheels of science kind of grinding to a halt in certain ways.&#8221;
Columbia had been temporarily paying the salaries of some affected researchers while departments developed plans to navigate the cuts, although Tuesday&#8217;s layoffs signal an apparent end to this approach.
The layoffs <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/columbia-university-cuts-180-staffers-funded-federal-grants-revoked-tr-rcna205080">affect</a> roughly 20% of research staff &#8220;who have been working, in whole or in part, on impacted federal grants.&#8221;
&#8220;Columbia’s leadership continues discussions with the federal government in support of resuming activity on these research awards and additional other awards that have remained active, but unpaid,&#8221; the Tuesday statement reads. &#8220;We are working on and planning for every eventuality, but the strain in the meantime, financially and on our research mission, is intense.&#8221;
Moving forward, scientists at the university can apply for limited grants to complete their research and support graduate students who would otherwise be terminated, although the university added that it would be &#8220;running lighter footprints of research infrastructure.&#8221;
Columbia has <a href="https://president.columbia.edu/content/fulfilling-our-commitments">attempted</a> to comply with the administration&#8217;s first round of demands, but negotiations to restore the funding remain ongoing.
&#8220;In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to take actions that preserve our financial flexibility and allow us to invest in areas that drive us forward,&#8221; officials said.
The cuts are part of a broader effort by the Trump administration targeting universities over allegations of anti-Semitism, with dozens of other institutions facing similar scrutiny.

Pro-Palestinian Protests Continue At Columbia University In New York City

Columbia Axes 180 Staff After Trump Cuts $400 Million In Federal Funding

Anti-Semitism

Columbia University

Education

Pro-Hamas

Trump Administration

Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz’s daughter, Hope Walz, took to TikTok to claim she had been accepted to an unidentified institution for graduate school but turned down the opportunity. 
She outlined her reasons, which included how the unnamed institution purportedly dealt with student protests.
&#8220;I got into grad school. I will not be attending,” she <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hopewalz/video/7487343154367155498">began</a>. “I applied for one school. I kind of had my heart set on it. I am not going to name the institution, but given recent events, I am not going to give my money, go into debt for, or support institutions that do not support students and the right to protest and speak out for their communities,&#8221; Hope said in the TikTok clip.
&#8220;Students deserve to be protected. I am not worried about if I were to be protected or not at said institution. I am, you know, [a] privileged white woman. But I am not going to put myself in the position where I am giving money or supporting institutions that don&#8217;t support their students,&#8221; she continued.
Hope, 24, said she plans to “do a little bit more research” to make sure she’s applying to schools that “align with my values.” 
Many viewers reacted to her announcement and reasoning on social media. 
“One less unhinged white liberal woman on campus supporting Hamas terrorists and threatening innocent students who disagree with her insanity. Another win!” one reaction on X <a href="https://x.com/BasedSavannah/status/1906440853188735316">said</a>. 
“The poster child for an insufferable liberal,” another <a href="https://x.com/tcb_yup/status/1906343547571245082">agreed</a>. 
Her declaration coincides with many universities making headlines for their response to student-led protests for various issues, including anti-Israel demonstrations, which sometimes become violent. 
President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration revoked more than $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University due to its failure to protect students from anti-Semitism. This prompted the university to change its policies on discrimination and unauthorized protests, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-draws-a-red-line-on-anti-semitism-will-universities-listen">reported</a>.

Tim Walz Hope Walz

Tim Walz’s Daughter Claims She Won’t Attend Grad School Because Students Have No ‘Right To Protest’

antisemitism

College

Students

Tim Walz

A man was arrested in Idaho over the weekend after he allegedly drove into a pro-Trump counter-protester outside of a Tesla dealership as a group of people gathered to protest Elon Musk and the Trump administration&#8217;s government cuts.
Christopher Talbot, 70, was arrested after allegedly hitting a 49-year-old man at the anti-Musk rally on Saturday, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-strikes-tesla-counter-protester-vehicle-idaho-police/story?id=120308032" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. According to police, &#8220;Reports indicate the victim had been driving a truck with pro-Trump flags and had just parked and exited his vehicle when Talbot struck him with his car.&#8221; The victim drove himself to the hospital after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries, according to officials.
Around 30 anti-Musk demonstrators showed up to the Idaho dealership on Saturday and were met by 200 counter-protesters, according to the Meridian Police Department. Authorities alleged that Talbot &#8220;made an obscene gesture&#8221; toward the pro-Trump counter-protester before hitting him with his car. Talbot was arrested at his home after police traced his license plate number. He was booked into the Ada County Jail and charged with one count of aggravated battery, which is a felony.
In a statement, the police department urged people &#8220;to respect everyone&#8217;s right to protest and express their 1st Amendment Rights without resorting to violence.&#8221;
While most of the protests have remained peaceful, some anti-Musk demonstrators have resorted to violence to protest Musk&#8217;s influence on government spending cuts. Last week, an incendiary device was <a href="https://www.kxan.com/news/local/austin/incendiary-devices-found-at-austin-tesla-showroom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found</a> inside a Tesla showroom in Austin, Texas, and had to be promptly removed by a police bomb squad. In Las Vegas earlier this month, a suspect allegedly <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nevada-resident-arrested-and-charged-connection-violent-tesla-arson-las-vegas">lit two Tesla vehicles on fire</a> and shot at them at a Tesla facility in what law enforcement officials described as a “<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-arrested-after-setting-teslas-fire-las-vegas/story?id=120220369" target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted attack</a>.” Numerous videos posted online have also shown perpetrators keying and damaging parked Tesla vehicles.
In one instance, anti-Musk protesters were <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/man-charged-assault-tesla-dealership-driving-car-protesters-rcna197746" target="_blank" rel="noopener">targeted</a> while demonstrating when a man in Florida was arrested and charged with assault for allegedly driving a car toward a crowd of protesters. No one was injured in the incident, but according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff&#8217;s Office, &#8220;The protestors had to move out of the way in order to avoid being struck by the vehicle.&#8221;
Numerous anti-Musk protests have popped up across the country as groups often gather near Tesla dealerships to protest the electric car company owner and senior Trump adviser. On Saturday, over 200 organized &#8220;Tesla Takedown&#8221; protests took place in the United States, Canada, and Europe, CNN reported. A Business Insider reporter who attended two Tesla protests in Michigan <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/takeaways-tesla-takedown-protests-michigan-2025-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> that the protesters &#8220;were primarily people over the age of 65, white, and retired from jobs that depended on public funding as teachers, professors at local universities, and social workers.&#8221;

Tesla Protest

Man Hits Pro-Trump Counter-Protester With Car At Demonstration Outside Of Tesla Dealership: Police

Elon Musk

Idaho

Tesla

Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly pushed back on claims that the United States did something wrong after he stripped a foreign national of their student visa because of the individual&#8217;s support for Hamas, a designated terrorist organization, and his participation in anti-Semitic activities at Columbia University.
Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that the individual came into the U.S. on a visa, which means they are a visitor in the country.
&#8220;We can deny you that visa,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We can deny you that if you tell us when you apply, &#8216;Hi, I&#8217;m trying to get into the United States on a student visa. I am a big supporter of Hamas, a murderous, barbaric group that kidnaps children, that rapes teenage girls, that takes hostages, that allows them to die in captivity, that returns more bodies than live hostages.'&#8221;
&#8220;If you tell us that you are in favor of a group like this, and if you tell us when you apply for your visa, &#8216;and by the way, I intend to come to your country as a student and rile up all kinds of anti-Jewish student, anti-Semitic activities, I intend to shut down your universities,'&#8221; he continued. &#8220;If you told us all these things when you applied for a visa, we would deny your visa.&#8221;
Rubio explained that anyone in the U.S. on a visa who engages in that type of activity will be removed from the country.
&#8220;This is not about free speech,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is about people that don&#8217;t have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card, by the way. So when you apply for a student visa or any visa to enter the United States, we have a right to deny you for virtually any reason.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecRubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRubio</a> on arrest of Mahmoud Khalil: &quot;This is not about free speech. This is about people that don&#39;t have a right to be in the United States to begin with. No one has a right to a student visa. No one has a right to a green card.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/eej8vyBLKm">pic.twitter.com/eej8vyBLKm</a>
&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1899839445857100023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

US-UKRAINE-RUSSIA-MIDDLE EAST-CONFLICT

Rubio: Pro-Terrorist, Anti-Semitic Visa Holders Will Be Removed From U.S.

Immigration

Marco Rubio

Politics

The Trump administration has canceled roughly $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University following the school&#8217;s &#8220;continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students.&#8221;
The decision followed an investigation by the administration&#8217;s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, focusing on whether the institution took “prompt and effective steps” to address harassment.
&#8220;Since October 7, Jewish students have faced relentless violence, intimidation, and anti-Semitic harassment on their campuses — only to be ignored by those who are supposed to protect them,&#8221; Education Secretary Linda McMahon <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trump-administration-cancels-400-million-grants-columbia-university-rcna195373">said</a> in a statement, according to NBC News.
Columbia immediately scrambled to work with federal officials to restore the funding. &#8220;We take Columbia&#8217;s legal obligations seriously and understand how serious this announcement is and are committed to combatting antisemitism and ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff,&#8221; a university spokesperson said.
McMahon later posted on X that she had a &#8220;productive meeting&#8221; with Columbia&#8217;s interim president Katrina Armstrong.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Had a productive meeting with Columbia’s interim president Katrina Armstrong today. Look forward to working together to protect all students on their campus.
The Trump Administration will not allow the continued harassment and threats of violence against students. <a href="https://t.co/FL3YqiQWcD">https://t.co/FL3YqiQWcD</a>
&mdash; Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1898085962330038755?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Leo Terrell, senior counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights and head of the Justice Department Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism, called the funding cancellation &#8220;only the beginning&#8221; of the administration&#8217;s response to campus anti-Semitism.
Brian Cohen, executive director of the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life at Columbia and Barnard, welcomed the move as a potential catalyst for change.
&#8220;Columbia has an antisemitism crisis, and for months, I have worked with faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni to urge the administration to act quickly to address this crisis,&#8221; Cohen said. &#8220;I hope this federal action is a wake-up call to Columbia&#8217;s administration and trustees.&#8221;
Columbia has been at the center of campus controversies since anti-Israel protests began after the October 7 attack. Last spring, the university made headlines when administrators called police to clear an encampment of protesters, resulting in numerous arrests. The handling of these protests contributed to leadership changes at the university, with former president Minouche Shafik stepping down amid bipartisan criticism.
The Columbia decision represents one of the most significant financial penalties imposed on a university over the handling of campus protests, potentially setting a precedent for how the federal government addresses similar situations at other institutions.
$5 billion in grants similar to Columbia’s are under <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/03/07/us-news/trump-admin-yanks-400m-from-columbia-university-over-antisemitism/">review</a> by Terrell’s committee, per the New York Post.

Pro-Palestinian-Student-Protests-at-Columbia-University

Trump Admin Slashes Columbia Funding, Citing Inaction On Anti-Semitic Harassment On Campus

Scott Hayes, 48, says he will likely have to go to trial for shooting an anti-Israel man who tackled him after a district attorney backed away from finalizing a disposition to resolve the case outside the courtroom.
Hayes was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and released on a $5,000 bail on September 13 after he shot Caleb Gannon, who charged through traffic and tackled Hayes in Newton, Massachusetts. Hayes pleaded not guilty and said shooting Gannon in the stomach was an act of self-defense.
“I am demanding a trial because the district attorney’s office continues to miss deadlines, go back on agreements, and play with my life,” Hayes said. “If they think they have a strong case — which they don’t — I’ll see you in court.”
Hayes, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disabled-veteran-loses-job-after-shooting-anti-israel-attacker">who lost his job</a> over the incident, spent the last few months working out terms with the office of Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan. According to Hayes, Ryan’s office and Hayes’ legal team worked out terms for a “pretrial probation” (PTB) with no admission of liability, which would suspend Hayes’ license to carry during the period and require him to complete a de-escalation course and stay away from Gannon.
The point of contention is whether Hayes should stay out of Newton, the town where Gannon resides. Hayes believes that the condition is unnecessary, and that he should not have to stay out of the major Boston suburb, where he has many friends. The two sides were supposed to argue to a judge on Tuesday, until Hayes’ lawyer was informed that the DA’s office cancelled the hearing.
Ryan’s office ignored requests about the reason for the cancellation of the meeting on Tuesday and instead said the case hearing is scheduled for March 20.
Immediately after his release on bail, Hayes was required to wear a GPS ankle monitor, which flagged him several times for violating the stay-out-of-Newton order each time he traveled on the Mass Pike (I-90) for doctor appointments, as the highway runs through Newton. In October, a judge removed the ankle monitor requirement and his restrictions from being in Newton.
“It’s absurd that they want to now restrict me from Newton while I have been free to travel there for five months without any incidents,” Hayes told The Daily Wire.
In a video obtained by The Daily Wire, Gannon is seen yelling at the pro-Israel protesters Hayes was with at a busy intersection and accusing them of “supporting genocide.” He then began to charge across the street until Hayes stepped onto the street with the hand on his waistband, where his lawfully possessed firearm was secured in a holster under his shirt, according to a motion filed by Hayes’ attorney. 
“Hayes did not brandish or even remove his gun from this holster, yet Gannon knew that Hayes had a gun, shouting ‘Are you carrying a f***ing gun?” the motion reads. “Hayes acknowledged that he did have a gun.”
Gannon backed away while making obscene gestures, while Hayes started to dial 911 on his phone. This is when Gannon rushed through traffic and tackled Hayes, as caught on a video <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-man-with-pro-palestinian-pin-shot-after-tackling-pro-israel-veteran">provided to The Daily Wire</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Anti-Israel man shot in stomach after charging through traffic to tackle a man at a pro-Israel demonstration outside Boston in Newton, Massachusetts.
Footage obtained exclusively by <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KassyAkiva</a>: <a href="https://t.co/nsGN3MQVAO">pic.twitter.com/nsGN3MQVAO</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1834398206056100156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
According to court documents, Hayes was face down on the sidewalk while Gannon was on top of him and choking him with his right arm, while trying to reach for Hayes’ gun with his left. Hayes then unholstered his gun and fired one shot at Gannon’s midsection. The documents go on to claim that Gannon still tried to grab Hayes’ gun after being shot and at one point “was able to turn the gun barrel toward Hayes’ face.”
In another video after the incident, Hayes used his military training to give first aid to Gannon while telling bystanders to call 911.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
In another video, the man who fired the gun is seen providing medical care to the man who tackled him before first responders arrived. <a href="https://t.co/wMtoowakr9">pic.twitter.com/wMtoowakr9</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1834399006341918961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
The Middlesex District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gannon, 31, was charged in Newton District Court in December <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anti-israel-attacker-to-be-charged-months-after-he-tackled-disabled-veteran-and-was-shot">and pleaded</a> not guilty to the charge of assault and battery. He was allowed to go free on personal recognizance. <a href="https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/man-shot-at-newton-pro-israel-rally-appears-in-court-on-assault-and-battery-charge/3588738/">According to his lawyer</a>, he spent 38 days in the hospital and nearly died from his injuries. 
He has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/man-charged-with-assault-of-pro-israel-veteran-called-for-destruction-of-the-united-states">a history</a> of inflammatory social media posts where he advocated for the destruction of the United States, refused to denounce Hamas, and labeled murdered American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin as a terrorist who “got what he deserved.”
“I don’t condemn Hamas. I condemn my family,” Gannon wrote in one post about the terrorist group that killed, raped, or took hostage over 1,000 citizens from Israel on October 7.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Caleb Gannon, the man who tackled Scott Hayes and was shot, has a X history of calling for the destruction of America and says he does not condemn Hamas. <a href="https://t.co/t11GcY5eFv">pic.twitter.com/t11GcY5eFv</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1834709152964268315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Gannon’s father told the police that his son is mentally unstable and possibly autistic after the incident, The <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/2024/09/14/metro/newton-shooting-scott-hayes-caleb-gannon-israel-hamas-war/">Boston Globe</a> reported.
Though not Jewish, Hayes says he believes it’s important to use his voice to call for the release of the 101 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and to stand up to anti-Semitism in the United States.
“If my life has to be ruined for trying to help the Jewish people to survive, then that’s the price,” he told The Daily Wire. “It’s a much bigger issue than me. What happened to me brought a lot of local Jewish people together and got them out and active because of the reality of what’s happening.”

Cover images-5

DA Backs Away From Deal To Keep Scott Hayes From Going To Trial For Shooting Anti-Israel Attacker

anti-Israel

Guns

Massachusetts

About 500 Maine residents on Saturday gathered in front of the State House to protest Democrat Governor Janet Mills&#8217; refusal to keep men out of female sports and spaces.
Earlier this month, Mills <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-spars-with-maines-dem-governor-over-men-in-womens-sports-at-white-house?topStoryPosition=undefined" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clashed</a> with President Donald Trump at the White House, telling POTUS she will not enforce his orders on gender and would see him &#8220;in court&#8221; over the issue. The heated exchange between the pair was sparked by the news of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/boy-wins-girls-pole-vault-championship-in-maine-days-after-state-pledged-to-defy-trump-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a transgender-identifying high school boy taking first place in girls’ pole vaulting</a> at Maine’s Class B state championship — a win that helped the high school take first place overall.
The protest against Mills garnered about 500 people, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RepresentativeKatrinaSmith/videos/955196423402704" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to State Rep. Katrina Smith, and seems to have sparked organically, with the help of a resident-created &#8220;March Against Mills&#8221; Facebook event and a Change.org petition. The protest comes in stark contrast with an event held last week in support of Mills, which reportedly brought out &#8220;<a href="https://www.wmtw.com/article/dozens-rally-behind-gov-mills-at-state-house-following-exchange-with-president-trump/63893090" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dozens</a>&#8221; of supporters.
&#8220;Huge turnout in Augusta to march for women&#8217;s equality in sports,&#8221; The Maine Wire reported Saturday, captioning footage from the event.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Huge turnout in Augusta to march for women&#8217;s equality in sports: <a href="https://t.co/6s05NrqwaK">pic.twitter.com/6s05NrqwaK</a>
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMaineWire/status/1895869592058413432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
&#8220;A large protest organized by grassroots activists has developed at the State House in Maine in opposition to Maine Gov. Janet Mills continuing to force girls to play sports against male athletes,&#8221; investigative reporter Steve Robinson posted to X, sharing photos of the protest.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A large protest organized by grassroots activists has developed at the State House in Maine in opposition to Maine Gov. Janet Mills continuing to force girls to play sports against male athletes. <a href="https://t.co/x6bQvrxB2p">pic.twitter.com/x6bQvrxB2p</a>
— Steve Robinson (@BigSteve207) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSteve207/status/1895867761957748832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Huge turnout in Augusta to march for women&#8217;s equality in sports: <a href="https://t.co/6s05NrqwaK">pic.twitter.com/6s05NrqwaK</a>
— The Maine Wire (@TheMaineWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheMaineWire/status/1895869592058413432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote>
A &#8220;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/s/march-against-mills/644580324641604/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March Against Mills</a>&#8221; Facebook event organizing the protest says that Mills&#8217; transgender policies do not align with her residents&#8217; values and underscores the need to &#8220;hold our elected officials accountable.&#8221;
&#8220;Maine citizens are deeply dissatisfied with the policies introduced by our Governor, Janet Mills,&#8221; the Facebook post reads. &#8220;I believe strongly that her policies are not in alignment with the wishes and values of the majority of Mainers. The feeling of disconnect between the populace and leadership is palpable and widespread.&#8221;
&#8220;Various statistics underline rural-urban divide that has been exacerbated by the Governor&#8217;s decisions,&#8221; it continues. &#8220;Example: keeping boys out of female sports.&#8221;
&#8220;It is imperative that we hold our elected officials accountable. I implore you to come show your support and protest against Mills to get her out of her elected seat! These politicians are supposed to work for us, not for themselves and their agenda!&#8221; the post concludes. &#8220;Together we can work to ensure our government truly represents us all.&#8221;
The event was promoted on a <a href="https://www.change.org/p/initiate-the-recall-of-governor-janet-mills" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Change.org petition</a> calling for Mills&#8217; resignation. The petition, which currently has more than 23,000 signatures, was started by a woman named Melissa Moulton, who is also one of the organizers of the &#8220;March Against Mills&#8221; Facebook event.
Since Maine has made clear that they will continue to allow males in female spaces, Trump has said publicly that he’ll be withholding federal funds from Maine and the United States Departments of Education and Agriculture have launched Title IX investigations into the state.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/i-will-not-be-silenced-democrats-censure-maines-laurel-libby-for-calling-out-trans-sports-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘I Will Not Be Silenced’: Democrats Censure Maine’s Laurel Libby For Calling Out Trans Sports Policy</a>

President Trump Meets With Governors At The White House

Hundreds Show Up To Protest Maine Gov. Janet Mills Over Trans Sports Policy

Maine

Social Issues

Transgender Athletes

Protesters have apparently determined that the most effective way to protest President Donald Trump’s changes at The Kennedy Center is by doing an interpretive dance around the building. Yes, really.
In a <a href="https://x.com/NicholasBallas/status/1892275231063933279">video</a> that surfaced on Wednesday on X, some 30-plus people all walked in a single-file line outside the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, moving in sync as they waved their arms up and down in the air like birds to music playing in the background.
At one point in the clip, the group stopped walking and began waving their arms in a circular motion. They then waved like a person would wave to a crowd, played an invisible violin, and then took a stance apparently like they would to defend themselves from being punched. 
Videos of the protest were all very strange and many people on social media caught wind of it and mocked the silliness of the performance protest.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Video of Democrats protesting the Trump administration at the Kennedy Center via interpretive dance. <a href="https://t.co/meT5Aj6bG3">pic.twitter.com/meT5Aj6bG3</a>
— Nick Ballas (@NicholasBallas) <a href="https://twitter.com/NicholasBallas/status/1892275231063933279?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
“BREAKING: Liberals are dancing and singing in protest to ‘save’ the Kennedy Center. Do these people have jobs?” one person wrote.
Another added, “HAHAHAHAHA libs are dancing at the Kennedy Center to protest the Trump takeover.”
While a third wrote, “LMAO. Liberals are protesting to ‘save’ The Kennedy Center.”
A fourth added, “NEW: Anti-Trump interpretative dance. Yes, seriously.”
One person even pointed out the line of buses that could be seen in the video and wrote, “Protestors at Kennedy Center are so CRINGE! BTW…..Who paid for those buses?&#8221;
One of the organizers of the protest, dancer and educator Kelly King, called The Nelken Line performance, “symbolic in that we&#8217;re moving in unison. And there&#8217;s something just compelling to see a straight line of movers dancing this way in a march,” <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/02/18/nx-s1-5300155/trump-dance-performance-protest-kennedy-center-nelken-line">NPR</a> noted.
&#8220;They were unsure of what they were going to encounter with us,&#8221; she added about the security at the center. &#8220;And as I spoke to them individually and they saw what we were doing, they realized that we were certainly not a threat. And I think perhaps by the end they were entertained.&#8221;
King told the outlet that the group decided to protest due to concerns that after Trump’s takeover as chairman of the board, diversity like what was represented in their dance might not continue.
However, a spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said, &#8220;There have not been changes made to the Center&#8217;s dance programming nor are there any changes planned.&#8221; 
The protest comes after Trump’s announcement that he had terminated most members of the Board of Trustees at the Kennedy Center — including Chairman David Rubenstein — and had taken over the role himself, as previously reported.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/actress-issa-rae-backs-out-of-performing-at-kennedy-center-after-trump-becomes-chair" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Actress Issa Rae Backs Out Of Performing At Kennedy Center After Trump Becomes Chair</a>

Donald Trump Hosts Hispanic Roundtable In Nevada

WATCH: Protesters Plan To ‘Save’ Kennedy Center With Interpretive Dance. Yes, Really.

WATCH: Protesters Plan To 'Save' Kennedy Center With Interpretive Dance. Yes, Really.

Celebrities

Democrats

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Hollywood

Music

The Kennedy Center

UCLA issued an interim suspension to two pro-Palestinian student organizations on Wednesday after masked protesters allegedly vandalized Regent Jay Sures’ Brentwood home last week and reportedly harassed his wife.
Chancellor Julio Frenk announced that the two groups could no longer hold on-campus meetings, apply for funding, or formally associate with UCLA while officials <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-02-12/ucla-suspends-students-for-justice-in-palestine-jay-sures-protest">investigate</a> their alleged misconduct, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Frenk described the alleged harassment in a campus <a href="https://chancellor.ucla.edu/messages/a-stand-against-violence-in-our-community">update</a> on Wednesday:
<ul>
<li>
<blockquote>On February 5, 2025, individuals affiliated with the student groups harassed Mr. Sures and members of his family outside his home.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Individuals surrounded the vehicle of a Sures family member and prevented that family member’s free movement.</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>Individuals pounded on drums, chanting and holding signs with threatening messages such as “Sures you will pay, until you see your final day.”</blockquote>
</li>
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<blockquote>Individuals vandalized the Sures home by applying red-colored handprints to the outer walls of the home and hung banners on the property’s hedges.</blockquote>
</li>
</ul>
“This is not about me. I’m the target but this is about protecting every member of our community from intimidation and hate,” Sures said.
The Los Angeles Police Department is reportedly examining potential criminal charges stemming from the incident, and the university’s conduct proceedings for both organizations have no set end date.
The interim ban follows a trend of other University of California campuses halting the activities of Students for Justice in Palestine. UC Santa Cruz placed the group under suspension until 2026, with UC Irvine enacting a restriction through 2029. At UC San Diego, the organization faced charges related to campus disruptions last spring and did not renew its official status for the current academic year.
Kira Stein, who leads the Jewish Faculty Resilience Group at UCLA, welcomed the move. “We have a long list of SJP violations of university rules and regulations that we have been sharing with the administration,” Stein said, asserting that the group’s actions amount to “intimidation, harassment, and inflammatory disinformation.”
Meanwhile, the union representing university law enforcement encouraged UCLA officials “to demand prosecution” for any illegal conduct and emphasized that administrative responses should deter incidents that cross legal boundaries.
“Universities cannot allow lawlessness under the guise of activism,” said Wade Stern, who serves as the president of the Federated University Police Officers&#8217; Association.
The two student activist groups swiftly responded to UCLA&#8217;s decision on social media, describing the action as “crazy” and encouraging supporters to closely watch for updates.
In prior statements online, the organizations accused the UC system of “militarizing” campuses to stifle demonstrations, and they repeated calls for the university to cut financial ties with certain funds, weapons manufacturers, and other holdings allegedly linked to Israel.
University leaders, however, have publicly affirmed they do not intend to pursue divestment.

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