Las Vegas man accused of killing girlfriends son 4 found

Las Vegas man accused of killing girlfriend’s son, 4 found dead in FREEZER garage

IN Las Vegas a man accused of killing his girlfriend’s four-year-old son and keeping his body in a freezer in a garage for six weeks has appeared in court for the first time.

On Wednesday, 35-year-old Brandon Tozland appeared in court in Las Vegas, where he faces two charges of kidnapping and an additional charge of open murder in the death of a four-year-old boy, identified as Mason Dominguez by family members.

Mason’s body was found in the freezer at his mother’s northeast home in Las Vegas, located at 4300 on Saddle Brook Park Drive.

She sent a note to school with her eldest daughter saying that Tozeland had become abusive weeks ago and that she was being held against her will at home.

Prosecutors revealed in court that the letter, written by the mother, also stated that she had not seen her son since December 11 and that “the young child may have died.”

Toseland is scheduled to appear in court next Monday, February 28. He was enrolled at the Clark County Detention Center.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, a Toseland neighbor said his family looked normal and he was shocked to learn the sad news.

– Only I have seen [Toseland] in passing letting and picking up children from school. [He] I looked like a normal person from what I saw … I’ve never seen my mother in person except my wife, “said Brian Izley.

Brandon Tozland appears at the Las Vegas Regional Justice Center after his arrest Tuesday

Brandon Tozland appears at the Las Vegas Regional Justice Center after his arrest Tuesday

Mason's body was found in the freezer at his mother's Las Vegas home after she sent a note to school with her eldest daughter (left) saying she was being held against her will at home.

Mason’s body was found in the freezer at his mother’s Las Vegas home after she sent a note to school with her eldest daughter (left) saying she was being held against her will at home.

Brandon Towsland, 35, faces two counts of kidnapping and an additional charge of open murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend's 4-year-old son

Brandon Towsland, 35, faces two counts of kidnapping and an additional charge of open murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son

Mason's mother (left) told police during an interview that she had been abused by Toseland and had been instructed not to leave the house, not to enter the garage and to ask about her missing child.

Mason’s mother (left) told police during an interview that she had been abused by Toseland and had been instructed not to leave the house, not to enter the garage and to ask about her missing child.

Toseland was arrested Tuesday after a Clark County Police officer contacted the Las Vegas Subway Police Department shortly before 9 a.m.

After school officials informed police of the letter, Mason and Tozeland’s mother, who is not the father of any children, was detained at a bus stop around 10 a.m. Law and crime reported.

The mother told staff during an interview that she had been abused by Toseland and had been instructed not to leave the house, not to enter the garage and not to ask about her missing child, police said.

She went on to say that she believed her son, whom she had not seen since December 11, was dead.

After receiving a search warrant, police found Mason’s body in a freezer held in the garage around 4:30 p.m.

Prosecutors revealed that the preschool child was found with visible injuries, but the cause of death was not revealed pending the results of the autopsy.

No indictment has been filed against the boy’s mother.

“Anyone who goes through situations where you feel you can’t handle a child, you can take that child to the hospital, you can take that child to the fire department, you can call 211, there are a lot of resources out there.” said Lieutenant Ray Spencer after Toseland’s arrest.

Brandon Tozland, 35, (pictured in this undated photo) faces two counts of kidnapping and an additional charge of open murder in the death of four-year-old Mason Dominguez

Brandon Tozland, 35, (pictured in this undated photo) faces two counts of kidnapping and an additional charge of open murder in the death of four-year-old Mason Dominguez

Prosecutors have revealed that the preschool child (pictured) was found with visible injuries, but the cause of death has not been revealed pending autopsy results.

Prosecutors have revealed that the preschool child (pictured) was found with visible injuries, but the cause of death has not been revealed pending autopsy results.

Mason Dominguez (pictured) is now remembered by family members who said that a preschooler

Mason Dominguez (pictured) is now remembered by family members who said that a preschooler “is like any other 4-year-old – happy, sweet, intelligent, very friendly!”

The young boy was found dead in a freezer after officers from the Las Vegas Police Department searched the residence

The young boy was found dead in a freezer after officers from the Las Vegas Police Department searched the residence

Patrol officers saw the mother and boyfriend leave the house and detained them before detectives began searching the house at about 4:30 p.m.

Patrol officers saw the mother and boyfriend leave the house and detained them before detectives began searching the house at about 4:30 p.m.

Lt. Ray Spencer of the Las Vegas Homicide Squad said the mother told police she had not seen her child alive since Dec. 11.

Lt. Ray Spencer of the Las Vegas Homicide Squad said the mother told police she had not seen her child alive since Dec. 11.

Young Mason is now remembered by broken-hearted family members who said that a preschooler “is like any other 4-year-old, happy, sweet, intelligent, very friendly!”

“On February 22, 2022, my family discovered that our sweet Mason had been killed by people he thought he could trust,” his relatives said in a statement. GoFundMe for his funeral expenses.

“When my family or I couldn’t see Mason, he and his sister missed us a lot, but knowing that we would never see Mason again hurt the whole family 1,000 times more. We always hoped we could see him again, at least once … just to hug him? Kiss him and tell him that we love him … To know that Mason was loved, he will live through all his family members, friends, his father and most importantly his older sister.

According to the fundraiser, Mason’s father died of pneumonia last year at the age of 29, and the family plans to buy the burial site right next to his father.

A neighbor said KVVU-TV: “We were a quiet neighborhood. We are a new, quiet neighborhood.

They went on to say that they contacted HOA this month after they became suspicious of a U-Haul truck parked in front of the house where the boy was found.

The neighbor added: “Within the last week, week and a half. It was in front of this house and we were connecting with the HOA again.

Toseland has data on previous nonviolent arrests. In 2010, he was arrested for driving at speeds of more than 70 miles per hour under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

He was found guilty and convicted. In 2011, he was again found guilty of drunk driving.

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An armed man wounded a Kentucky senator and killed his

An armed man wounded a Kentucky senator and killed his 32-year-old daughter in a mysterious mansion at a $ 6.5 million mansion

The 32-year-old daughter of an ex Kentucky a senator was killed while her father was wounded in a shooting during an invasion of the family mansion home in the state.

Jordan Morgan, who lived part-time at a home in Richmond, died while her father was taken to hospital, state police said.

Former United States official Wesley Morgan owns the home, according to the Madison County Property Valuation Administrator’s office, and was previously put up for sale by Morgan.

Wesley Morgan's 32-year-old daughter, Jordan Morgan, was killed in a home invasion

Wesley Morgan’s 32-year-old daughter, Jordan Morgan, was killed in a home invasion

The incident took place at Morgan's $ 6.5 million mansion in Richmond, Kentucky, pictured

The incident took place at Morgan’s $ 6.5 million mansion in Richmond, Kentucky, pictured

Morgan confirmed to Leader of the Lexington Herald that his daughter Jordan was killed. He also said that he and his wife had been “shot”.

Mr Morgan was taken to hospital after the shooting but released home Tuesday.

Several people were sleeping in the home when someone or possibly a group of people entered the home and fired, police said. Morgan was able to return fire, police said.

The armed suspect then left the house and no other shots were fired.

Investigators returned to the scene on Wednesday afternoon.  Sergeant Robert Purdy, pictured, addresses the public for help

Investigators returned to the scene on Wednesday afternoon. Sergeant Robert Purdy, pictured, addresses the public for help

Former Wesley Morgan, 71, was shot dead along with his wife after exchanging gunfire with an invader before dawn on Tuesday.

Former Wesley Morgan, 71, was shot dead along with his wife after exchanging gunfire with an invader before dawn on Tuesday.

Kentucky State Police said they received a call at 4:30 p.m.

Detectives are still in the “very early stages, preliminary stages of the investigation,” said Kentucky State Police Officer Robert Purdy, and the motive is still unknown.

“This is not the kind of incident or situation we see a lot in Madison County,” he said. NBC News.

“I know the family and it is a tragic loss for the community. As a father myself, I can’t imagine anything like this happening. Our hearts go to them.

Investigators returned to the scene on Wednesday afternoon. Sergeant Purdy turned to the public for help.

“Honestly, we believe that someone knows something and we just want to get accurate information,” he said.

The Madison County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Morgan had been shot “more than once.”

Morgan served one term as state representative for Richmond and Beria in Madison County.

While in office, Morgan, who owns several liquor stores in Kentucky, was accused of smuggling alcohol across the county.

At the time, doing so without a carrier’s license was illegal.

The house is said to be

The house is said to be “the safest home on the market” and was built to withstand an earthquake.

A judge eventually dropped the charges after the state law was changed.

Morgan continued to unsuccessfully challenge Senator Mitch McConnell in the state’s Republican primary in 2020.

His daughter, Jordan Morgan, worked on Republican Matt Bevin’s successful campaign for governor of Kentucky in 2015 and worked with him a year and a half later as a member of his communications team.

In 2017, she left the world of politics to become an assistant to a community attorney prosecuting crime based in Boone County. She recently joined Reminger Law Firm in Lexington.

“Reminger wishes to express its sincere condolences to Morgan’s family,” the company said in a statement. “She was a nice colleague and a promising lawyer. We are shocked and saddened by the circumstances surrounding her unfortunate death. ”

Jordan was last in the news in 2017 after receiving inappropriate text messages from one of four Republicans in the House of Representatives involved in a secret sexual harassment agreement with another employee.

One message is shown on The courier newspaper read “You’re about 1.8 feet tall with black hair and high heels and you can probably find a way to convince someone of something if you need strength, haha.”

Morgan had announced his 14,300-square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms for sale last year.  The property was complete with an underground, reinforced steel bunker

Morgan had announced his 14,300-square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms for sale last year. The property was complete with an underground, reinforced steel bunker

When the house was put up for sale, it was announced complete with a nuclear bunker and capable of withstanding a nuclear attack and the strongest earthquake.  The photo shows the food reserves

When the house was put up for sale, it was announced complete with a nuclear bunker and capable of withstanding a nuclear attack and the strongest earthquake. The photo shows the food reserves

Morgan had announced his 14,300-square-foot mansion with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms for sale last year.

Comes complete with a saltwater pool, steam sauna and heated floors on a 200-acre lakeside property.

However, perhaps its most unusual feature is the 2,000-square-foot, fully loaded underground bunker, located behind a huge steel and concrete door.

$ 6.5 million list advertises the home as capable of withstanding a nuclear attack and the strongest earthquake, with the bunker alone worth $ 3 million.

“It was built by someone who wanted the best refuge for the fallen. He wanted to be very secure and he wanted to have things that none of the others had, “said listing agent Marilyn Hoffman of Hoffman International Properties. Realtor.com. “It’s a nuclear, biological and chemical refuge.”

Zillow described the home as “the safest home on the market in this country”.

“I just wanted somewhere safe,” Morgan said at the time the home was on the market.

An armed man wounded a Kentucky senator and killed his 32-year-old daughter in a mysterious mansion at a $ 6.5 million mansion Read More »

Husband of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins felt so angry seeing

Husband of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins felt ‘so angry’ seeing Alec Baldwin interview

The husband of the cinematographer shot and killed by Alec Baldwin on the set of his Western has told of his shock and anger at Baldwin’s failure to take responsibility for her death.

Halyna Hutchins 42, died on October 21 when a prop gun used in the film Rust fired, shooting Hutchins in the chest.

Baldwin, 63, was told the gun he brandished was ‘cold’ – not loaded – and on December 3 he told ABC News that he did not feel guilty for her death, because he did not believe he was responsible.

‘Watching him I just felt so angry,’ said Matt Hutchins, Halyna’s husband of 16 years.

‘I was just so angry to see him talk about her death so publicly in such a detailed way and then to not accept any responsibility after having just described killing her.’

Matt Hutchins, husband of Halyna Hutchins and father of their nine-year-old son Aldous, spoke to Hoda Kotb for an interview to be aired on Thursday

Matt Hutchins, husband of Halyna Hutchins and father of their nine-year-old son Aldous, spoke to Hoda Kotb for an interview to be aired on Thursday

Matthew and Halyna Hutchins are pictured with their son Aldous, aged nine

Matthew and Halyna Hutchins are pictured with their son Aldous, aged nine

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was shot and killed on set on October 21

Halyna Hutchins, 42, was shot and killed on set on October 21

Halyna Hutchins is shown on set with Alec Baldwin, who was also the executive producer of Rust, and the film's other stars - Josh Hopkins (left), Travis Fimmel (second from right) and Jensen Ackles (right)

Halyna Hutchins is shown on set with Alec Baldwin, who was also the executive producer of Rust, and the film’s other stars – Josh Hopkins (left), Travis Fimmel (second from right) and Jensen Ackles (right) 

Alec Baldwin is seen on Wednesday in New York City with two of his children

Alec Baldwin is seen on Wednesday in New York City with two of his children

Baldwin, seen on Wednesday, angered Hutchins with his claim that he felt no guilt for his wife's death

Baldwin, seen on Wednesday, angered Hutchins with his claim that he felt no guilt for his wife’s death

Hutchins, a Harvard-educated lawyer, told Today in an interview to be broadcast in full on Thursday that he felt the majority of the blame lay with Baldwin.

Baldwin, in the December interview, said: ‘Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but it’s not me.’

Hutchins said: ‘The idea that the person holding the gun and causing it to discharge is not responsible is absurd to me.

‘But gun safety was not the only problem on that set. There were a number of industry standards that were not practiced and there’s multiple responsible parties,’ he added.

Hutchins met Baldwin in New Mexico, shortly after the fatal shooting.  

‘Her husband comes to town, her husband Matthew,’ Baldwin said in the December interview. 

‘And I met with him and their son. He was as kind as you could be. ‘

Asked what he said, Baldwin replied: ‘I didn’t know what to say. He hugged me and he goes, ‘I suppose you and I are going to go through this together.’ And I thought, ‘Well, not as much as you are.’ 

Hutchins, who has a nine-year-old son named Andros with his late wife, filed a wrongful death suit against Baldwin on February 15.

Brian Panish, representing Hutchins, said the Oscar-nominated actor and others are named defendants ‘responsible for the safety on the set and whose reckless behavior in cost cutting led to the senseless and tragic death of Halyna Hutchins.’

The suit also names the armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, who has said that she loaded the antique Colt .45 revolver with what she believed were dummy rounds.

Gutierrez-Reed named crew member Seth Kenney, who supplied ammunition to the set, in her own suit, filed in January.

Gutierrez-Reed gave the gun to Dave Halls, an assistant director on the movie, who is also named in the Hutchins family’s lawsuit.

The set of Rust, at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside of Santa Fe

The set of Rust, at the Bonanza Creek Ranch outside of Santa Fe 

She was shot just moments after the crew entered a church set to rehearse a scene (above)

She was shot just moments after the crew entered a church set to rehearse a scene (above)

Halyna Hutchins Hannah Gutierrez Reed

The gun prepared by the film’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez Reed (right), discharged in Baldwin’s hands as it was aimed at Hutchins (left)

Halls told Baldwin the gun was ‘cold’.

Gutierrez-Reed, in her suit, described the set of Rust as a ‘rushed and chaotic atmosphere, (that) created a perfect storm for a safety incident.’

NBC News reported that ‘multiple previous misfires’ by the same prop gun that killed Hutchins caused multiple crew members to walk off the movie’s set hours before the incident. 

Lane Luper, who served as the film’s A-camera first assistant, said he quit one day before the fatal shooting because employees were being overworked, COVID-safety was not being enforced properly, and gun safety was poor.

‘I think with Rust, it was the perfect storm of the armorer, the assistant director, the culture that was on set, the rushing. It was everything,’ he told Good Morning America about the events that led up to the fatal shooting.

‘It wasn’t just one individual. Everything had to fall into place for this one-in-a-trillion thing to happen.’

In his letter of resignation, Luper said there had been two accidental weapon discharges on set and one accidental sound-effects explosion that went off around the crew.

‘There have been NO explanations as to what to expect for these shots. When anyone from production is asked we are usually met with the same answers about not having enough time to complete the day if we rehearse or that ‘this is a 21 day shoot,” Luper wrote in the letter.

He added that the crew grew exhausted of the long commutes from the set to their lodging, which for some more than two hours away.

‘In my 10 years as a camera assistant I’ve never worked on a show that cares so little for the safety of its crew,’ Luper said.

In a statement to Sky News, a spokesperson for the producers hit back at his claims, saying: ‘Mr Luper’s allegations around budget and safety are patently false, which is not surprising considering his job was to be a camera operator, and he had absolutely nothing to do with it or knowledge of safety protocols or budgets.

‘As we continue to cooperate with all investigations, we are limited in what we can say,’ the spokesperson continued. 

‘However, safety is always the number one priority.’

Baldwin insisted that he was unaware of any problems on set. 

He was rehearsing a scene in which he pulls out his gun and, in an interview with ABC on December 2, said that he never pulled the trigger, but the gun went off anyway. 

Hutchins, a 42-year-old cinematographer, was shot and killed. The director of the film, Joel Souza, was shot in the shoulder and survived.

It is unclear why it has taken so long for New Mexico police to seize Baldwin’s phone. 

The actor has insisted that he has fully cooperated with the investigation. 

Baldwin on December 2 gave an emotional interview to ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, in which he said he did not pull the trigger, and felt no guilt because he believed he had done nothing wrong.

Alec Baldwin, 63, spoke to George Stephanopoulos for an interview which aired on December 2

Alec Baldwin, 63, spoke to George Stephanopoulos for an interview which aired on December 2

Stephanopoulos said Baldwin spoke to him in detail about everything that happened on the day of the shooting

Baldwin wept as he described accidentally shooting dead his cinematographer on the set of his film Rust during an interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos

Baldwin speaks on the  phone in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21 after he was questioned about the shooting

Baldwin speaks on the  phone in the parking lot outside the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on October 21 after he was questioned about the shooting

‘I let go of the hammer, bang. The gun goes off. Everyone is horrified. They’re shocked. It’s loud,’ he said.   

He told Stephanopoulos that he didn’t know she’d died until hours later, at the end of his police interview when he was photographed in the sheriff’s parking lot in Santa Fe.

He said that he has been told by people ‘in the know’ that it is ‘highly unlikely’ he’ll face criminal charges. 

‘Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who it is, but it’s not me,’ Baldwin told Stephanopoulos.

‘Honest to God, if I thought I was responsible I might have killed myself. And I don’t say that lightly.’  

He also took a swipe at former President Donald Trump, his media foe who he impersonated on Saturday Night Live, for suggesting that he ‘loaded the gun himself.’ 

‘He said that I did it deliberately. Just when you think things can’t get any more surreal, here’s the president of the United States making a comment on this tragic situation.’  

Baldwin described in detail for the first time the immediate aftermath of the accident on October 21. 

He was filming a scene inside a church on the set of the movie when the gun was handed to him. 

‘She’s getting me to position the gun – everything is at her direction. I draw the gun, to her marker. I’m not shooting to the camera lens, I’m shooting just off. In her direction. This was a completely incidental shot, that may not have ended up in the film.’

Baldwin says he cocked the gun, and was discussing with Hutchins how it looked on camera. 

‘I’m just showing. I go, ‘How ’bout that? Does that work? You see that? Do you see that?’  And then she goes, ‘Yeah, that’s good.’

‘I let go of the hammer, bang. The gun goes off. Everyone is horrified. They’re shocked. It’s loud. They don’t have their earplugs in. 

Hutchins' October 19, 2021 Instagram post showed cast members and staffers, including Baldwin alongside Hutchins herself and armorer Gutierrez-Reed (circled left to right) on the set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Hutchins’ October 19, 2021 Instagram post showed cast members and staffers, including Baldwin alongside Hutchins herself and armorer Gutierrez-Reed (circled left to right) on the set of Rust in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Baldwin’s version of on-set tragedy 

‘I’m just showing. I go, ‘How ’bout that? Does that work? You see that? Do you see that?’ 

‘And then she goes, ‘Yeah, that’s good.’ 

‘I let go of the hammer, bang. The gun goes off. Everyone is horrified. They’re shocked. It’s loud. They don’t have their earplugs in. 

‘No one was – the gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun. 

‘If they were cosmetic rounds, nothing with a charge at all, a flash round, nothing. 

‘She goes down, I thought to myself, ‘Did she faint?’ 

‘The notion that there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me ’till probably 45 minutes to an hour later.’

He added: ‘Well, she’s laying there and I go, ‘Did she hit by wadding? Was there a blank?’  

‘I never pulled the trigger. No, no, no. You would never do that. 

‘The gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun.  

‘Nobody gave a f*** who you are any more until this. You see a lot of people with their phones now, in a coffee shop,’ he said, showing them filming him. 

‘No one was – the gun was supposed to be empty. I was told I was handed an empty gun. If they were cosmetic rounds, nothing with a charge at all, a flash round, nothing. 

‘She goes down, I thought to myself, ‘Did she faint?’ The notion that there was a live round in that gun did not dawn on me ’till probably 45 minutes to an hour later.’

He added: ‘Well, she’s laying there and I go, ‘Did she hit by wadding? Was there a blank?’ Sometimes those blank rounds have a wadding inside that packs, it’s like a cloth that packs the gunpowder in. Sometimes wadding comes out, it can hit people, and it could feel like a little bit of a poke. 

‘But no one could understand. Did she have a heart attack? Because remember the idea that someone put a live bullet in the gun was not even in reality.’ 

‘I never pulled the trigger. No, no, no. You would never do that.’ 

Halls, the assistant director who was watching, confirmed Baldwin’s account, through his lawyer. 

He said he stood over her for ‘about 60 seconds’ and was then ushered out. 

‘Was she conscious?’ Stephanopoulos asked. 

‘My recollection is yes,’ said Baldwin.

He said ‘no one had any idea’ there was live ammunition used until a police officer showed a photo of the shrapnel removed from Souza’s arm.

He said then began ‘the agony, insanity, that someone put a live bullet in the gun. 

‘She was laying there and she was there for a while. 

‘I was amazed at how long they didn’t get her in a car or get her out, but they waited until a helicopter came,’ he said.

‘And by the time the helicopter took off with her we were literally all glued to that process outside.

‘When she finally left, I don’t know how long she was there for. 

‘She kept saying, she’s stable, just as you disbelieve there was a live round in the gun, you disbelieve its going to be a fatal accident.

‘At the end of my interview with the sheriff’s department, they told me ‘we regret to inform you she didn’t make it,’ they told me then and there.’ 

He added: ‘That’s when I went outside and called my wife.’ 

Husband of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins felt ‘so angry’ seeing Alec Baldwin interview Read More »

The Queen may deprive Prince Harry of a key role

The Queen may deprive Prince Harry of a key role because he does not live in Britain

Prince Harry must not qualify for substitution the queen as a state adviser because he no longer resides in the country, reveals a new briefing in parliament.

But Prince Andrew he could still replace his mother if she became incapacitated, although he had to resign from public office and relinquish his HRH title due to the Epstein scandal.

This week, the Library of the House of Commons quietly published for the first time guidelines on what measures could be introduced if the monarch is unable to perform his royal functions.

An intense public debate ensued over the roles of the Dukes of Sussex and York as “substitutes” for the sovereign, and both have now left as working royalty, especially in light of the 95-year-old queen’s recent ill health.

She tested positive for Covid-19 on Sunday, but was well enough to maintain her weekly phone audience with Boris Johnson last night.

The parliamentary briefing will increase the pressure on Buckingham Palace to take legal steps to resolve the issue once and for all.

Prince Harry (pictured with the queen) should not be eligible to replace the queen as state councilor because he no longer resides in the country, reveals a new briefing document

Prince Harry (pictured with the queen) should not be eligible to replace the queen as state councilor because he no longer resides in the country, reveals a new briefing document

The newspaper says Andrew is still eligible for state counsel despite the Epstein scandal

The newspaper says Andrew is still eligible for state counsel despite the Epstein scandal

There were calls for the appointment of the next two high-ranking royals, Prince Edward and Princess Anne, in their place.

A government source said: “There was a lot of noise about Harry and Andrew and their roles as state advisers, and it was thought that important MPs had all the facts. It has nothing to do with Her Majesty being ill.

The regency laws of 1937 and 1953 are designed to deal with four potential scenarios: a monarch succeeding the throne before the age of 18, a monarch becoming permanently or temporarily incapacitated, and the absence of the monarch from the United Kingdom.

In the event of temporary incapacity for work or absence from the United Kingdom, the Queen may appoint State Councilors to ensure the continuation of “public service”.

Duties include giving royal assent to acts of parliament, approving public appointments and ministers to the crown, and fixing the Great Seal of the Kingdom – a symbol of royal power – to royal proclamations or written patents.

According to 1937 law, all advisers must be members of the royal family.

There were calls for the appointment of the next two dignitaries to the throne ¿Prince Edward and Princess Anne (both standing behind the Queen) ¿in place of Harry and Andrew

There were calls for the appointment of the next two dignitaries to the throne – Prince Edward and Princess Anne (both standing behind the Queen) – in place of Harry and Andrew.

They consist of the husband or wife of the monarch and the next four in succession.

Following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh last May, the current advisers are the Prince of Wales, the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York.

Most importantly, however, the newly published guidelines state: “According to the 1937 Act, a public adviser must be domiciled in ‘some part’ of the United Kingdom.”

He added: “The Regency Act of 1943 adds the discretionary provision that if he ‘appears before the sovereign’, that any eligible adviser will be ‘absent from the United Kingdom or intends to be absent for the whole or part of the period of such a delegation ”, Then Letters Patent [a legal tool available to the monarch] “May foresee” the release of that person.

Harry remains sixth in line to the throne, but has not lived in the UK since late 2019.

However, the law does not provide for the exclusion of a family member who is no longer a working king, as long as he remains in the line of succession, so Andrew, who is ninth, can be called to stand.

Both the Queen and the Prince of Wales tested positive for Covid earlier this month. If they were both unable to fulfill their constitutional obligations, they would fall to William and Harry.

State councilors often performed royal functions during the queen’s reign. In 1974, Queen Mother and Princess Margaret declared a state of emergency and dissolved parliament when the Queen was on an official visit to the Pacific with her husband.

Buckingham Palace said last night that there is no “change” in the current councilors. An aide said there were “no plans” to change them.

Sources speculate that the royal family may be concerned about the “beyond the lake” response if changes are made. “They may just not be willing to sting the bear,” they said.

■ The BBC launches a national vote for 10,000 citizens to win free tickets to the Queen’s platinum anniversary celebrations. He is hosting a platinum party at the Palace on June 4.

There are 5,000 pairs of free tickets available today at 7am at www.bbc.co.uk/platinumjubileeconcert.

The Queen may deprive Prince Harry of a key role because he does not live in Britain Read More »

Louisiana sheriffs victim convicted of child rape and incest confronts

Louisiana sheriff’s victim convicted of child rape and incest confronts assailant

The victims of a Louisiana the sheriff, who was convicted of child rape and incest, managed to stand up to his attacker as he was sentenced to four life sentences on Tuesday.

Jack Strain, the former sheriff of St. Tammany Parish, was convicted in November of four counts of aggravated incest, one count of misconduct with a minor and one count of sexual assault.

He was sentenced on Tuesday to four life sentences without parole on aggravated rape charges, 15 years and a $ 15,000 fine for each aggravated charge of incest and five years for misconduct with a minor and five years for sexual assault, according to FOX 8 News.

Judge A. Bruce Simpson also imposed an additional 30 years for crimes committed against some of his family members, NOLA.com reports, and the 59-year-old Strain now also has to pay $ 30,000 in fines and nearly $ 28,000 in court costs.

Lawyers say Strain will appeal the decision.

But after the verdict, some of his victims got a chance to face the man who harassed them as little boys, as one of the victim’s mothers said he was praying he would “never get away”, so “never, never will to hurt another child. “

Jack Strain, former sheriff of St. Tammany Parish, was convicted in November on charges of incest and sexual assault

Jack Strain, former sheriff of St. Tammany Parish, was convicted in November on charges of incest and sexual assault

1645666431 52 Louisiana sheriffs victim convicted of child rape and incest confronts

One of his victims, Mark Finn, a childhood friend of Strain, unloaded in half an hour as he called him a predator, a monster and a pervert of his sentence on Tuesday.

Patricia Finn, Mark's mother, said she blamed herself for not realizing what her son was going through and told WWL that Strain had

Patricia Finn, Mark’s mother, said she blamed herself for not realizing what her son was going through and told WWL that Strain had “got exactly what he deserved”.

Patricia showed old photos of Mark when he was a little boy who was abused

Patricia showed old photos of Mark when he was a little boy who was abused

Mark Finn, a childhood friend of Strain, unloaded for half an hour on Tuesday as he called him a predator, a monster and a pervert.

He asked Steen, who also pleaded guilty to a concession scheme in December, how he likes to wear prison clothes.

“I did more than 25 years – prison, prison, halfway through and you controlled me,” said Finn, who testified that the sexual violence he suffered at the hands of Strain between the ages of 6 and 11, along with the things he Strain made him watch – leading to drug problems, deep anger and inability to believe.

“What did you do to me?” My family? ”He asked. “My mother thought you were God and wouldn’t hurt her boy, but you did.”

At one point, Finn looked directly at Steen and said, “Look at me, are you sorry? If you’re sorry, I’ll forgive you. If not, I hope you rot in hell.

Strain reportedly said nothing, but Finn’s mother, Patricia, said WWL: He kept looking at me.

She said she blamed herself for what happened to her son, saying: “I am a mother, I should have known. But I swear to God I didn’t.

“Because I’ve known this man since I was 10 and I would never have thought of it.”

Skip Keane, another victim, also spoke out against Strain in sentencing on Tuesday, telling him: “You are the reason my wife and children have memories of an angry, uncontrollable man who would attack for no reason.

“I hate myself more days than not,” he said. “I have considered suicide. It depends on you.

“You better be glad I can’t catch you, my friend,” he threatened. “You better rejoice.”

Steam, at the center, was sentenced on Tuesday to four life sentences without parole

Steam, at the center, was sentenced on Tuesday to four life sentences without parole

He had previously pleaded guilty to a refund scheme while in office

He had previously pleaded guilty to a refund scheme while in office

Strain headed the St. Tammani Sheriff’s Office from 1996 to 2016, before losing his re-election.

He was arrested in 2019 on charges of incest and rape following a state investigation into his sexual crimes against minors.

The indictment alleges that he raped one victim between June 1, 1979 and July 19, 1980, and against another victim between January 1, 1975 and September 8, 1981, according to the indictment. Strain would have been 12 years old in January 1975.

He was also charged with aggravated incest with a third victim and misconduct with the same victim between 1 April 1996 and 1 July 2002.

He was also charged with aggravated incest and sexual assault against a fourth victim on June 1, 2004.

Strain was also charged, using his position as sheriff to cover up his crimes by offering his victims jobs and pay.

Strain led the St. Tammani Sheriff's Office from 1996 to 2016, before losing his re-election

Strain led the St. Tammani Sheriff’s Office from 1996 to 2016, before losing his re-election

At last week’s trial, FOX 8 reported that five victims, some of whom are relatives of the Strain, testified to the sexual violence they were facing.

They all said they saw Steen as an older brother or father, but he betrayed their trust when he mistreated or raped them in tents, campers and his bedroom. In many cases, the abuse continued into adulthood.

A jury found him guilty on all eight counts just five hours after the two-week trial ended.

Patricia Finn later said she did not get any “satisfaction” from Strain’s suppression.

“I remember the little boy I fell in love with when I was 10 – to do this to my 6-year-old.” I blame myself.

“How could I not see the pain my child is going through.

“I live with it in my heart and brain 24 hours a day,” she told WWL, “He got exactly what he deserved,” and said, “They have a special place in hell for you.”

Louisiana sheriff’s victim convicted of child rape and incest confronts assailant Read More »

Adam Schiff asks FBI to explain whether DNA from rape

Adam Schiff asks FBI to explain whether DNA from rape kits is being used to make them suspects

The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Adam Schiff, wrote a letter to FBI urges the agency to check whether police use data from rape kits to link victims of sexual violence to other crimes.

San Francisco police were accused last week of doing just that by linking DNA from a rape kit to a woman who said she was sexually assaulted to link her to an unrelated property. crime.

The city’s district attorney, Chesa Budin, said he had learned that DNA samples collected from rape victims were included in a database of suspects.

It is unclear whether the woman was convicted on the basis of DNA.

Referring to this incident, Schiff, a California Democrat, wrote on FBI Director Christopher Ray: “While some details of this reported incident remain unclear, they deserve your attention and action, because even the feeling that law enforcement is looking for DNA profiles collected from victims of sexual violence can have a chilling effect on the desire to reports sexual assault attacks.

“Do current federal laws and regulations allow law enforcement agencies to upload DNA profiles obtained from victims of crime to the database of violators of the National DNA Index System?” Schiff asked.

Representative Adam Schiff wrote a letter to the FBI asking the agency to check whether police are using data from rape kits to link victims of sexual violence to other crimes.

Representative Adam Schiff wrote a letter to the FBI asking the agency to check whether police are using data from rape kits to link victims of sexual violence to other crimes.

Schiff wrote to FBI Director Christopher Ray above:

Schiff wrote to FBI Director Christopher Ray above: “While some details of this reported incident remain unclear, they deserve your attention and action, because even the feeling that law enforcement is searching DNA profiles collected from victims of sexual violence may has a chilling effect on the willingness to report sexual assault. “

“Will you try to tell state and local law enforcement why why having a DNA profile of a victim of a crime in this way, especially a victim of sexual violence, will have a chilling effect on reporting rape and sexual assault?” He said.

Schiff asked Ray to respond by March 4 and said he was ready to draft legislation banning cross-testing of DNA rape kits with other criminal databases.

Buden and many local lawmakers condemned the “legally and ethically wrong” practice and warned that it would stop future victims from moving forward.

Since then, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott has launched an investigation into the allegations and vowed to end the practice.

“Whatever disagreement we have with District Attorney Budin, we agree that this issue needs to be addressed,” he said in a statement. “Ultimately, our respective departments exist to administer justice to victims of crime. The last thing we need to do is discourage their cooperation with us to achieve this.

The suspect Budin is talking about may have been identified by storing DNA in a non-victim database, Scott added.

San Francisco District Attorney Chelsea Budin San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott

San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott (right) says if Budin’s (left) allegations are true, he is committed to ending the practice.

Buden said he was calling for an end to the practice, which is being investigated by the legislature and the police

Buden said he was calling for an end to the practice, which is being investigated by the legislature and the police

“Rape and sexual violence are violent, dehumanizing and traumatic,” he said in a press release Monday. “I am concerned that victims who have the courage to undergo an invasive examination to help identify their perpetrators are treated as criminals, not supported as victims of crime.

“We need to encourage survivors to come out, not gather evidence to use against them in the future. This practice treats victims as evidence, not as human beings.

Victims of sexual violence who report to the police are often asked to pass an exam so that investigators can gather evidence. The victim presents his or her own DNA so that it can be excluded as evidence in the analysis of the samples.

Using their DNA to convict them of future crimes could prevent future victims from moving forward, Budin’s office said.

Democrat Sen. Scott Wiener said he was working with the prosecutor’s office to deal with the situation.

Rape in San Francisco has dropped dramatically in the last five years;  207 were reported in 2021, compared to 446 rapes investigated in 2017.

Rape in San Francisco has dropped dramatically in the last five years; 207 were reported in 2021, compared to 446 rapes investigated in 2017.

Ronen drafts legislation to prevent San Francisco practice and says evidence from rape victim kit should be used exclusively to investigate sexual assault

Ronen drafts legislation to prevent San Francisco practice and says evidence from rape victim kit should be used exclusively to investigate sexual assault

“Going out after sexual assault to provide a rape kit can be re-traumatic,” he said in a statement. “Too many people decide not to take this step, given the trauma. Yet survivors can at least be sure – or so they thought – that the sample they provide as a rape kit will only be used to investigate sexual violence and not misused for other purposes.

“If survivors believe their DNA could be used against them in the future, they will have another reason not to participate in the rape kit process.”

District 9 Superintendent Hillary Ronen said she had asked the city attorney to draft legislation to prevent the use of evidence from the rape kit for any purpose other than investigating the rape.

“There are already huge barriers for rape victims to show up to report the crime,” Ronen said.

The DNA of rape victims must be protected at all levels of government, everywhere.

Rape cases in San Francisco are declining, police data show. In 2021, 207 cases were reported, compared to 449 rapes investigated in 2018.

However, there are other violent crimes in the city of Northern California, and Budin has been widely criticized for enabling criminals with his crime reform policies.

The city’s chief of police has publicly criticized Buden for showing leniency to criminals, and earlier this month accused him of withholding evidence of shootings involving officers and deaths in custody.

Adam Schiff asks FBI to explain whether DNA from rape kits is being used to make them suspects Read More »

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San Diego elementary school teacher fired for using word N in Harlem’s Renaissance poem

A white teacher at a multiracial elementary school in San Diego was fired for using the N-word while reciting an iconic Harlem Renaissance poem about the black writer Countee Cullen’s experience of racism as a child.

Amy Glancey, a fourth-grade teacher at High Tech Elementary School in Point Loma, read aloud the racial insult from the famous poem Incident, which caused two upset students to leave the classroom while others complained to the school’s dean.

“I can’t believe you did that!” Said a student before leaving the room with another insane peer, Glance said Los Angeles Times columnist Sandy Banks.

‘Miss. Glancy, you don’t understand how hard it is to hear that word, “said a Glancy student an hour before complaining to the dean.

Glancy, who is in her first year teaching at High Tech Elementary School, told Banks that she decided not to censor the poem “to demonstrate that the poet’s words can evoke emotion – in this case anger and sadness.” .

Amy Glancy, a white elementary school teacher in San Diego, was fired for using the word N while reciting the famous Harlem Renaissance poem

Amy Glancy, a white elementary school teacher in San Diego, was fired for using the word N while reciting the famous Harlem Renaissance poem “Incident.” She is pictured above with a group of her students

When she read the racial slander, two students stormed the classroom and others reported it to the school's dean.  Count Cullen's

When she read the racial slander, two students stormed the classroom and others reported it to the school’s dean. Count Cullen’s “Incident,” published in 1925, describes his experience of racism as a child.

She said she did not expect to be at the center of a debate over whether young children should be exposed to harmful language or other sensitive material in an educational setting.

Earl Cullen’s “Incident,” published in 1925, describes a narrator who visits Baltimore at the age of eight to see a “Balitmore” boy stick out his tongue and call the narrator an N-word.

The narrator writes about the impact of the interaction and how, even though he spent seven months in the city, this is the memory that stands out the most.

“On Tuesday, a High Tech Elementary teacher read a poem to students that included language that was upsetting to some students. We take these issues very seriously, “said High Tech spokesman Anthony Milican San Diego Union Tribune in a statement

An Incident by Count Cullen

Once, while driving in old Baltimore, full of hearts, full of heads, I saw a Baltimore fortress looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very young, And he was not older, And so I smiled, but he stretched out his tongue and shouted at me: “H ****”.

I saw all of Baltimore from May to December; Of all the things that happened there, that’s all I remember.

Milican confirmed that Glance was on administrative leave after the incident and said the school was “committed to ensuring that the school is a safe place for all our students,” Milican added.

After seeing the reactions of his students, Glancy apologized in an email to parents seen by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

“I learned a great lesson today as I tried to teach your students the mood and tone of poetry,” she wrote.

“The lesson was intended to show that the poet’s words can evoke emotion – in this case anger and sadness. “Unfortunately, this caused some very big emotions for the students, which I did not expect,” she wrote.

A high-tech elementary school in the United School District of San Diego is listed with 64% of minorities enrolled in american news – 42.2% are Hispanic / Latino, 36% are white, 7.2% are Asian / Asia Pacific, 6.7% are black or African American, 5.7% are of mixed ethnicity and 2.1% are Indians.

Michael Dominguez, chairman of the San Diego Unified School’s Ethnic Studies Committee, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that he advises anyone who is not black not to use the word N, even if it is in an educational context.

“Words matter to everyone … without context, without preparation, without framing and thinking, seeing one of these words or hearing one of these words pop up in the context of literature can be really triggering because it triggers this whole historical a relationship of trauma, frustration and feelings about something else, “Dominguez said.

“It requires training, it requires skills and support, and we need to give our teachers more than that, not on a superficial level,” he said.

Francine Maxwell, chair of the San Diego-based Black Men and Women United, told the San Diego Union-Tribune that she had received calls from families at the High Tech Elementary School about the incident.

“We need to acknowledge the trauma that has been caused and what we can do to get through it and start treatment,” she told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “Given that this is the month of black history and things are getting worse, we see this as an opportunity to start a dialogue that has not taken place.”

Count Cullen, born Count Leroy Porter, moved to the pastor of the largest congregation in Haarlem, the Rev. Frederick A. Cullen of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Salem, beginning in 1918 after his paternal grandmother and guardian died.

He began his poetic career at New York University before pursuing his master’s degree at Harvard University, where he published his first volume of poetry, Color, according to his biography at the Poetry Foundation.

Cullen received a Guggenheim Fellowship to write poetry in France in 1928 and married Nina Yoland Dubois, the daughter of the famous civil rights activist WEB DuBois. Cullen was discreetly bisexual and left his marriage by writing a letter in which he confessed his love for his wife’s men.

He had a series of homosexual relationships before marrying Ida May Robertson in 1940, with whom he remained until his death in 1946.

The high school, in the United School District of San Diego, is listed as a 64% minority by US News

The high school, in the United School District of San Diego, is listed as a 64% minority by US News

The charter school left Glance on administrative leave after the incident, saying the school was

The charter school left Glance on administrative leave after the incident, saying the school was “committed to making sure the school is a safe place for all our students.”

Glance said she had decided not to censor the poem,

Glance said she had decided not to censor the poem, “to demonstrate that the poet’s words can evoke emotion – in this case anger and sadness.”

Glance told Los Angeles Times columnist Sandy Banks that he wanted to “raise the voice of black poets” and chose Incident because of his focus on US history “from the point of view of non-whites.”

She added that after the students confronted her in an hour, she said she shared “the experience of the poet and his language and it is not my job to censor this.”

Glance told Banks that he was sorry to say the word out loud.

“I’m trying to get an education. I want to do better, “she told the writer.

“What I struggle most is that I am quite well educated and literate and I read a lot of opinions that are different from mine. I’m looking for information and I still had no idea. That’s what scares me, “she added.

Glance’s reaction comes amid an escalating debate on the censorship of literature and what is appropriate and necessary for young children to learn.

Last month, a Tennessee school board voted unanimously to remove Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about Holocaust survivors from the eighth grade curriculum, citing a drawing of a naked woman, eight swear words and her “unwise or healthy” content.

The McMinn County Education Council voted 10-0 to remove Art Spiegelman’s Maus from the curriculum on Jan. 10, although teachers say the graphic novel is an “anchor text” in eighth-grade English arts education. and at the center of a month-long Holocaust study.

San Diego elementary school teacher fired for using word N in Harlem’s Renaissance poem Read More »

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Trudeau REVOKES Emergencies Act used to quash Freedom Convoy protesters ahead of inquiry

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday he is revoking the wide-reaching emergency powers that put an end to the Freedom Convoy protest, but said an investigation into whether he was right to use it will not begin for two months.

Trudeau made the announcement after authorities ended the blockades at the borders and the occupation in Ottawa by truckers and others opposed to COVID-19 restrictions – with some police officers accused of beating innocent demonstrators.

The prime minister said the ‘threat continues’ but the acute emergency that included entrenched occupations has ended. His government invoked the powers last week and lawmakers affirmed the powers late Monday.

‘The situation is no longer an emergency, therefore the federal government will be ending the use of the emergencies act,’ Trudeau said. ‘We are confident that existing laws and bylaws are sufficient.’

The Emergencies Act allows authorities to declare certain areas as no-go zones. It also allows police to freeze truckers’ personal and corporate bank accounts and compel tow truck companies to haul away vehicles.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces the end of the Emergencies Act during a news conference, Wednesday

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announces the end of the Emergencies Act during a news conference, Wednesday

Police hang off a truck as authorities work to end a protest against COVID-19 measures that had grown into a broader anti-government demonstration

Police hang off a truck as authorities work to end a protest against COVID-19 measures that had grown into a broader anti-government demonstration

People walk toward Parliament Hill where earlier in the day police moved in on February 19

People walk toward Parliament Hill where earlier in the day police moved in on February 19

Protesters cheer for a truck leaving the area as police take action to put an end to a protest

Protesters cheer for a truck leaving the area as police take action to put an end to a protest

Trudeau‘s government froze bank accounts and other assets during what leaders declared an ’emergency period’ in Ottawa. 

Among those targeted was a single mom on a minimum wage job who donated just $50, according to one local Conservative MP, sparking outrage over what critics of Trudeau claimed was authoritarian behavior. Thousands of protesters flooded the streets outside Parliament Hill and blockades that shut down border crossings into the U.S. 

Also, there were reports of arrests of some of the truckers. A trucker arrested as police cracked down on Freedom Convoy protestors in Ottawa has told of the farcical way the Canadian capital’s ‘Keystone Kops’ tried to bring the weeks’ long demonstration to an end.

Even the officers themselves were complaining about how disorganized the whole operation was, Guy Meister told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview.

‘You could tell they were overwhelmed. They were as dumb as a bag of hammers,’ Meister, 53, said.

‘They wanted to take my booking photograph, but I had to wait for several minutes because they were having issues with the “mug shot board.” They first took my picture before they realized that it didn’t have any numbers on the board I was holding.

‘What should have taken a few minutes turned into 20 minutes, all in the freezing cold.

Long-haul truck driver Guy Meister said Ottawa police who broke up the protests in the Canadian capital were as incompetent as the silent-movie Keystone Kops

Long-haul truck driver Guy Meister said Ottawa police who broke up the protests in the Canadian capital were as incompetent as the silent-movie Keystone Kops

Officers in full riot gear moved in Friday to break up the protests that had paralyzed Ottawa for weeks

Officers in full riot gear moved in Friday to break up the protests that had paralyzed Ottawa for weeks

Meister said he was zip tied outside in -5 degree Celsius (5 degree Fahrenheit) temperatures after he was arrested

Meister said he was zip tied outside in -5 degree Celsius (5 degree Fahrenheit) temperatures after he was arrested

 

An investigation into Trudeau’s decision to invoke the law and what came after begins in 60 days, according to the CBC. Canadian Parliamentarians will launch a committee to oversee that review next week.   

The trucker protest grew until it closed vital trade routes along the Canada-U.S. border and shut down key parts of the capital for more than three weeks. But all border blockades have now ended and the streets around the Canadian Parliament are quiet.

‘We were very clear that the use of the emergencies act would be limited in time,’ Trudeau said.

Trudeau had warned earlier this week there were some truckers just outside Ottawa who might be planning further blockades or occupations. His public safety minister also said there was an attempt to block a border crossing in British Columbia over the weekend.

The protests, which were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers but also encompassed fury over the range of COVID-19 restrictions and hatred of Trudeau, reflected the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger.

A graffitied image of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is seen as city employees clean up Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill

A graffitied image of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is seen as city employees clean up Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill

A vehicle is towed from Kent Street, as Canadian police worked to evict the last of the trucks and supporters occupying the downtown core

A vehicle is towed from Kent Street, as Canadian police worked to evict the last of the trucks and supporters occupying the downtown core

The self-styled Freedom Convoy shook Canada´s reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted trade, causing economic damage on both sides of the border. Hundreds of trucks eventually occupied the streets around Parliament, a display that was part protest and part carnival.

For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing, the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, was blocked. The crossing sees more than 25% of the trade between the two countries.

Authorities moved to reopen the border posts, but police in Ottawa did little but issue warnings until Friday, even as hundreds and sometimes thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the city and besieged Parliament Hill.

On Friday, authorities launched the largest police operation in Canadian history, arresting a string of Ottawa protesters and increasing that pressure on Saturday until the streets in front of Parliament were clear. Eventually, police arrested at least 191 people and towed away 79 vehicles. Many protesters retreated as the pressure increased.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said those who had their bank accounts frozen were ‘influencers in the illegal protest in Ottawa, and owners and/or drivers of vehicles who did not want to leave the area.’

Workers reinforce a fence inside a protected zone around Parliament Hill

Workers reinforce a fence inside a protected zone around Parliament Hill

A flatbed removes a truck from the convoy after police cleared Wellington Street, previously occupied by the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa

A flatbed removes a truck from the convoy after police cleared Wellington Street, previously occupied by the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa

The province of Ontario also announced it is ending its state of emergency but said the ’emergency tools provided to law enforcement will be maintained at this time as police continue to address ongoing activity on the ground.’

Those who block critical infrastructure face up to a year in prison and a maximum fine of $100,000.

The Canadian protest has inspired scores of truckers to begin their 11-day trek from California to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC, on Wednesday to protest COVID-19 vaccine and mandates in the US after the cavalcade raised more than $464,000 in donations.

The People’s Convoy – comprised of more than two dozen 18-wheelers, along with about 50 pickups and recreational vehicles – has called on the federal government to end the National Emergency enacted at the start of the pandemic, arguing the threat posed by the coronavirus has now receded. 

President Joe Biden extended the emergency – which was set to expire next week – last Friday. He did so after arguing that ‘the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause significant risk to the public health and safety of the nation.’ 

The People’s Convoy argues the ‘government has forgotten its place’ and seeks to advocate for all Americans impacted by unconstitutional restrictions. Around 25 separate convoys are expected to join the group in DC. 

‘This is for our freedoms, our human rights. Enough is enough,’ trucker Ron Coleman, 61, of Reno, Nevada, said as he prepared to make the 2,500-mile journey.    

‘I think everybody’s here for different reasons, but it all boils down to the same thing: Freedom and liberty,’ echoed Shane Class, who had travelled from Idaho to join the rally. ‘It’s time for our government to start understanding that people want that freedom in the Constitution back.’

In response to the protest, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved a request from local DC government and the Capitol police to deploy 700 members of the National Guard to the capital city ahead of the convoy’s arrival. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said Guardsmen would not be armed, and will not be empowered to arrest people, but would be reporting wrongdoing to local police. Approximately 50 ‘large tactical vehicles’ will also be stationed in the city 24 hours a day.

Biden, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Pentagon have been accused of overreacting to the convoy after it emerged 500 DC cops had been put on standby for violence.

People’s Convoy organizers claim they do not intend to disrupt roads or bridges, like the Canadian protest did. However, some semi-truck drivers are already calling for widespread blockades, including Bob Bolus who on Monday vowed the Beltway and other roads in and out of DC will be shut down. 

Bolus, who is leading a DC-bound convoy of about 25 semis from Pennsylvania, began his route Wednesday morning after suffering a more than two hour delay caused by a flat tire. He has not specified how they plan to block the Beltway but told WJLA: ‘We’re not going to cause a traffic problem any more than they live with every single day.’ 

Biden elected to extend the National Emergency despite calls from 70 House Republicans and Department of Health and Human Service Secretary Xavier Becerra urging him to end the declaration. The leaders cited access to vaccines, treatments and mental health impacts as reasons to let the order expire, as well as the fact that other nations have started transitioning out of pandemic restrictions. 

‘[The] fact is we have a government that tries to push us around,’ trucker Mike Landis told the Los Angeles Times Tuesday when asked about the People’s Convoy. ‘At this moment, we are living without our Constitution. Our Constitution means nothing right now.’  

The movement has attracted more than $464,000 in donations, according to the website, which organizers say will be used to reimburse fuel and other costs borne by participating truckers. 

The Freedom Convoy sets off from the Adelanto Stadium in California on Wednesday afternoon

The Freedom Convoy sets off from the Adelanto Stadium in California on Wednesday afternoon 

The two-dozen trailers are likely to be joined by other trucks as they make their way across the continental US

The two-dozen trailers are likely to be joined by other trucks as they make their way across the continental US 

Supporters were seen waving flags as the convoy set off from Adelanto on Wednesday afternoon

Supporters were seen waving flags as the convoy set off from Adelanto on Wednesday afternoon 

Other protesters held up anti-censorship placards as the convoy began its intercontinental journey across the US

Other protesters held up anti-censorship placards as the convoy began its intercontinental journey across the US 

Scores of truckers began their 11-day trek from California to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC , on Wednesday in an effort to protest COVID-19 vaccine and mandates

Scores of truckers began their 11-day trek from California to the Beltway, a major highway encircling Washington DC , on Wednesday in an effort to protest COVID-19 vaccine and mandates

People's Convoy participants embark on their cross-country journey to DC from Adelanto, California on Wednesday afternoon

People’s Convoy participants embark on their cross-country journey to DC from Adelanto, California on Wednesday afternoon

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This map shows the route of the People’s Convoy from California to Washington DC, with organizers hoping that up to 1,000 trucks will take part 

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