Remember that Norwegian student and her infamous sign?
Marie Andersen is actually the victim of Visegrad24,”
Or so claims a hit piece by @terjekarlsen in an obscure Norwegian outlet.
Let’s break down and analyse the tactics used to try rehabilitate an antisemite and smear V24.
Norwegian student received death threats after being identified by Polish propaganda channel,”
That’s the headline of this Norwegian hit piece.
The “article” is full of misinformation about V24 - but what’s worse, it whitewashes a Norwegian antisemite.
So let’s break it down:
The author of the “article” is the editor-in-chief of this obscure Norwegian outlet.
When writing his “hit piece” he did not reach out to Visegrad24.
Why is it that whilst writing an “investigative piece”, this “journalist” had no questions to the subjects of his article?
Was it because he had a foregone conclusion?
Or perhaps, it is because the aim of this article is more nefarious than just slandering V24?
Could it be this Norwegian journalist covered up his defence and rehabilitation of a Norwegian antisemite by hiding it in a hit piece?
The headline of the article omits a detail:
Marie Andersen attended the “pro-Palestinian protest” with an antisemitic poster.
This poster, paraded just several hundred metres away from Umschlagplatz, not only outraged Polish society but was also condemned by Jewish leaders.
The poster was so shocking and led to such fury in Poland, that the Polish President made a statement “strongly condemning” the incident.
"In Poland, there is no consent to express hatred towards anyone. This is completely contrary to the values on which the Republic of Poland is based."
Not only that, but the Auschwitz memorial bosses called for Marie Andersen to be prosecuted for her “racist act."
We hope that the relevant authorities will take legal action in response to this racist act as per Polish law,” said the Auschwitz memorial spokesperson.
And yet, @terjekarlsen decided to frame the headline differently:
“Norwegian student
received death threats
after being identified by Polish propaganda channel
Swedish citizen is behind it.”
So let’s break this down;
@terjekarlsen “Norwegian student”
The most relevant part about Marie Andersen is not that she is “Norwegian” or a “student”.
Her ANTISEMITISM outraged people around the world nor why the Auschwitz Memorial hoped for legal action against her.
@terjekarlsen conveniently omitted that.
@terjekarlsen The lead photo of the article chosen for the article is not one showing Marie Andersen clearly.
Why? Perhaps because that would reveal the sign and the message she has.
Instead, a (rather poorly done) collage of V24 posts was assembled.
@terjekarlsen “received death threats”
The Norwegian student is cast as a victim, almost as if she received death threats out of nowhere.
Btw @terjekarlsen, if you bothered to reach out, you would know Visegrad24 and our small team have received over a thousand death threats.
@terjekarlsen FOR THE RECORD:
We condemn those who sent Marie Andersen any sort of threats.
Especially since the V24 team is at the receiving end of numerous threats.
Her punishment is up to the authorities of her university and potentially up to the Polish legal system, not the internet.
@terjekarlsen “after being identified by Polish propaganda channel”
Who is to blame for poor, innocent “Norwegian student” receiving death threats?
It’s not her shocking sign, but rather it is Visegrad24 who is responsible.
The headline immediately casts V24 as “the villain”.
The headline labels Visegrad24 a “propaganda channel”.
This is an attempt to discredit us in the eyes of the reader before they even start reading the article.
Why “channel” rather than the more accurate “news aggregator”?
Probably because it has a more menacing ring to it.
The use of the description “propaganda channel” by this obscure Norwegian outlet, which did not bother to reach out to Visegrad24 when writing this extremely tendentious “hit piece” filled with misinformation, is if anything rather amusing.
The headline also points out that V24 “identified” the student.
The framing of it is negative, as if Visegrad24 did something wrong by identifying the girl with an antisemitic poster.
What the article omits to point out is that Marie Andersen is a public figure.
Marie Andersen went to the protest with her face uncovered.
She posed for photographs.
She gave a video interview to Nexta.
She is a public figure with 21.6k followers on IG.
“Swedish citizen is behind it.”
Bizarrely, the article tries to blame a “Swedish citizen” for identifying Marie Andersen.
The subheading of the article says:
“Visegrad 24 recently published the name and picture of a Norwegian woman after a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Warsaw.
The publication went viral and resulted in her receiving death threats.”
Once again, @terjekarlsen:
- does not point out that Marie Andersen had an antisemitic banner which shocked the world.
- calls the demonstration “pro-Palestinian” despite the fact that Marie Andersen had an anti-Israeli poster
- blames death threats on V24 (indirectly)
@terjekarlsen . @terjekarlsen seems to indirectly blame V24 for:
- Marie Andersen deciding to make an antisemitic poster
- actually writing a thinly veiled call for genocide on cardboard
- going to protest with her face uncovered
- posing for photos
- giving an interview to Nexta
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As the recent events in Iran are taking place, it becomes increasingly clear that the opportunity to bring down the Ayatollah regime may have finally arrived.
But it seems that some have been waiting for this moment more eagerly than others
A 🧵 on Iran’s minorities:
For many years, Iran’s diverse minority groups have endured systematic oppression under the Islamic Republic:
violent suppression of protests, crumbling water and electricity infrastructure, and treatment as second-class citizens — scapegoats for the regime’s failures.
In recent days, however, these minorities have begun to rise.
A recent meeting between members of the PAK and Komala organizations concluded with a joint decision to unite forces — not only to address domestic issues but also to amplify the voice of Iran’s minorities in defence of their rights, through international forums.
What was once a scattered opposition is now being described as an organized, militarized movement.
Spain’s left-wing PM Pedro Sanchez was hit by a major scandal today that might force him to resign.
A police investigation indicates that the primary election which made him PSOE party leader in 2014 was falsified by his right-hand man Santos Cerdán
Thread - 🧵1/?
In July 2014 the socialist PSOE party held primary election for their new party leader.
It was a significant moment for PSOE, as it was one of the first times the party used a direct vote by its members to choose its leader, aiming to revitalize its image and democratic credentials.
Pedro Sánchez, then a relatively unknown MP, won with 48% of the votes, defeating his main rival Eduardo Madina who won 36%.
Allegations of fraud and strange voting patterns quickly emerged at the time but were swept under the rug until the Spanish police revealed their bombshell report today.
Created by the Central Operative Unit (UCO) of the Spanish police, the report implicates Sanchez’s right-hand man Santos Cerdán in rigging the 2014 primary.
The UCO uncovered messages from July 13, 2014, between Cerdán and Koldo García, a former aide to Sanchez’s ex-Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos, who is also implicated in corruption scandals.
In one message, Cerdán allegedly instructed García to “mark it as if those two who are missing have voted without anyone seeing you and put in the two ballots,” to which García responded, “It’s done.” These communications were discovered after the UCO analyzed García’s devices as part of the ongoing Koldo case investigation.
The evidence suggests Cerdán may have orchestrated the inclusion of fraudulent votes to secure Sánchez’s victory.
The Supreme Court judge, Leopoldo Puente, says he considers this sufficient to potentially charge Cerdán with participating in a criminal organization and bribery offenses, and has offered him the opportunity to testify voluntarily
The Central Operative Unit (UCO) is an elite investigative unit within Spain’s Civil Guard, specializing in complex cases involving organized crime, corruption, and economic offenses.
It's known for its rigorous and independent investigations and is one of the most respected authority bodies in the country.
It operates under the Ministry of the Interior but reports to judicial authorities, such as Supreme Court judges, when investigating high-profile cases.
The UCO’s work in the Koldo case, which initially focused on inflated COVID-era contracts for medical supplies, has expanded to uncover broader corruption within the PSOE party, including the allegations against Cerdán.
The UCO’s reputation for impartiality has made its findings particularly damaging to the PSOE.
Beyond the primary rigging, the UCO report also links Cerdán to financial corruption in the Koldo case.
The allegations suggest Cerdán managed kickbacks and commissions related to the awarding of public works contracts, potentially worth up to 620,000 euros, in collaboration with the former Transport Minister José Luis Ábalos and Koldo García.
The UCO’s investigation indicates Cerdán played a central role in a scheme where contracts were adjudicated in exchange for illicit payments, implicating him in a broader "criminal organization" within the PSOE’s leadership.
Specific evidence include:
- Messages linking Cerdán to contract adjudications with companies like Acciona, a major Spanish construction firm.
- UCO raids, including one on Ábalos’s home in Valencia, which uncovered further evidence of Cerdán’s involvement.
UCO has levelled allegations that Cerdán’s actions were part of a systemic effort to enrich party insiders, with UCO describing the PSOE leadership as operating like a “criminal organisation.”
In just a little over 5 months, South Africa has seen a string of brutal farm attacks and murders. Elderly victims, bloody scenes, and terrifying violence.
Here are a few of the recent cases President Trump was referring to in the oval office : 🧵
1. UITKYK, MBOMBELA
Jan Jurgens (73) was ambushed in a storeroom.
He was hacked with a panga, his skull crushed with rocks. Tied up with shoelaces. Every time he regained consciousness, they stomped and kicked him.
His dogs tried to defend him, they were slashed too.
2. His wife, Antoinette (72), arrived home mid-attack.
The men turned on her, but she fought back and locked herself inside.
She called for help. Security teams found Jan unconscious, barely breathing, bloodied in the storeroom.
Macron delivered a very important 15 minute speech to the nation tonight in which he announced he will offer France’s nuclear weapons umbrella “to all allies on the European continent”
Tomorrow, the EU leaders will meet to decides on Europe’s remilitarization. Hundreds of billions of euros will be spent on defense.
Here’s the full transcript of the speech:
“Inknow that you are legitimately concerned about the historic events that are shaking up the world order.
The war in Ukraine, which has resulted in almost a million deaths and injuries, continues unabated.
The United States of America, our ally, has changed its position on this war, supporting Ukraine less and leaving doubt as to what will happen next.
At the same time, the same United States intends to impose tariffs on products from Europe.
Finally, the world continues to grow ever more brutal, and the threat of terrorism continues unabated. All in all, our prosperity and security have become more uncertain.
It has to be said that we are entering a new era. The war in Ukraine has now been going on for more than three years. From day one, we decided to support Ukraine and sanction Russia.
And we were right to do so, because it is not only the Ukrainian people who are courageously fighting for their freedom, but it is also our security that is under threat. If one country can invade its neighbour in Europe with impunity, then no one can be sure of anything any more, and the law of the strongest will apply, and peace can no longer be guaranteed on our own continent. History has taught us that.
Beyond Ukraine, the Russian threat is there, affecting the countries of Europe, affecting us. Russia has already turned the Ukrainian conflict into a global conflict. It has mobilised North Korean soldiers and Iranian equipment on our continent, while helping these countries to further arm themselves.
President Putin's Russia violates our borders to assassinate opponents and manipulates elections in Romania and Moldova.
It is organising digital attacks on our hospitals to stop them operating. Russia is trying to manipulate our opinions with lies spread on social networks.
And basically, it's testing our limits. It does so in the air, at sea, in space and behind our screens. This aggression seems to know no bounds, and at the same time Russia continues to rearm, spending over 40% of its budget on it.
By 2030, it plans to have increased its army still further, with 300,000 more soldiers, 3,000 more tanks and 300 more fighter planes.
Against this backdrop, who can believe that the Russia of today will stop at Ukraine?
As I speak and for years to come, Russia has become a threat to France and to Europe. I deeply regret this and I am convinced that in the long term there will be peace on our continent with Russia once again at peace.
But this is the situation I am describing to you, and we have to live with it. Faced with this dangerous world, it would be foolish to remain a spectator.
Without further delay, we must take decisions for Ukraine, for the safety of the French, for the safety of Europeans.
First and foremost for Ukraine. All the initiatives that are helping to bring about peace are moving in the right direction. And this evening I would like to pay tribute to them.
We must continue to help the Ukrainians to resist until they can negotiate with Russia a solid peace for themselves and for us all. That is why the road to peace cannot involve abandoning Ukraine. Quite the contrary.
Peace cannot be achieved at any price and under Russian dictatorship. Peace cannot be Ukraine's capitulation. It cannot be its collapse.
Nor can it mean a ceasefire that is too fragile. And why not? Because here too we have the experience of the past. We cannot forget that Russia began invading Ukraine in 2014 and that we then negotiated a ceasefire in Minsk.
(1/?) 🧵
“And the same Russia did not respect that ceasefire. And we have not been able to maintain the balance due to a lack of solid guarantees. Today, we can no longer take Russia at its word.
Ukraine has a right to peace and security for itself. And it is in our interest, it is in the interest of the security of the European continent. That is why we are working with our British and German friends and several other European countries.
That's why you've seen me bring several of them together in Paris in recent weeks, and meet them again in London a few days ago to consolidate the commitments that Ukraine needs.
Once peace has been signed, we need to prepare Ukraine so that it is not invaded by Russia again. This will undoubtedly involve long-term support for the Ukrainian army.
It may also involve deploying European forces. These forces would not go and fight today, they would not go and fight on the front line, but they would be there once the peace has been signed to ensure that it is fully respected.
Next week, in Paris, we will be bringing together the Chiefs of Defence Staff of those countries that wish to assume their responsibilities in this respect.
This is a plan for a solid, lasting and verifiable peace, which we have prepared with the Ukrainians and several other European partners, and which I defended in the United States a fortnight ago and throughout Europe.
And I want to believe that the United States will remain at our side, but we must be ready if this is not the case.
Whether or not peace in Ukraine is achieved quickly, given the Russian threat that I have just described to you, the European states must be able to defend themselves better and deter any further aggression.
Yes, whatever happens, we need to equip ourselves more, we need to raise our defence posture, and we need to do this for peace itself, to act as a deterrent.
In this respect, we remain committed to NATO and our partnership with the United States of America, but we need to do more, to strengthen our independence in terms of defence and security.
The future of Europe should not be decided in Washington or Moscow.
And yes, the threat is returning to the East and the innocence of the last thirty years, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, is now over.
Tomorrow in Brussels, at the Extraordinary Council meeting between the 27 Heads of State and Government, the Commission and the President of the Council, we will be taking decisive steps forward.
A number of decisions will be taken that France has been proposing for several years.
Member States will be able to increase their military spending without this being taken into account in their deficit.
Massive joint funding will be agreed to buy and produce some of the most innovative munitions, tanks, weapons and equipment in Europe.
I have asked the government to take action to ensure that this strengthens our armies as quickly as possible and speeds up the reindustrialisation of all our regions.
In the next few days, I will be meeting with the relevant ministers and industrialists in the sector.
The Europe of Defence that we have been advocating for eight years is therefore becoming a reality.
It means European countries that are more ready to defend and protect themselves, that produce together the equipment they need on their own soil, that are ready to cooperate more, to reduce their dependence on the rest of the world.
And that's a good thing. Germany, Poland, Denmark, the Baltic States and many of our partners have announced unprecedented efforts in terms of military spending.
So, in this time of action that is finally opening up, France has a special status.
We have the most effective army in Europe and, thanks to the choices made by our elders after the Second World War, we have nuclear deterrent capabilities.
This protects us much more than many of our neighbours.”
(2/?) 🧵
“What's more, we didn't wait for the invasion of Ukraine to realise that the world was a worrying place, and through the two military programming laws that I decided on and that successive Parliaments voted for, we will have doubled the budget for our armed forces in almost ten years.
But given the changing threats and the acceleration I have just described, we will have to make new budgetary choices and additional investments, which have now become essential.
I have asked the government to work on this as quickly as possible. These new investments will require the mobilisation of both private and public funding, without raising taxes.
This will require reforms, choices and courage. Our nuclear deterrent protects us. It is comprehensive, sovereign and French through and through.
Since 1964, it has explicitly played a role in preserving peace and security in Europe.
But in response to the historic appeal of the future German Chancellor, I have decided to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European continent by our deterrent.
Whatever happens, the decision has always been, and will remain, in the hands of the President of the Republic, the head of the armed forces.
Controlling our destiny, becoming more independent, is something we must work towards not only militarily, but also economically. Yes, economic, technological, industrial and financial independence are essential.
We must also prepare ourselves for the possibility that the United States may decide to impose tariffs on European goods, as it has just confirmed for Canada and Mexico.
This incomprehensible decision, both for the American economy and for ours, will have consequences for some of our industries.
It adds to the difficulty of the moment, but it will not go unanswered by us. So, while we prepare to fight back with our European colleagues, we will continue, as I did a fortnight ago, to do everything we can to convince them that this decision will hurt us all.
And, yes, I hope to convince and dissuade the President of the United States of America.
All in all, these are times that call for decisions unprecedented in many decades. When it comes to our agriculture, our research, our industry and all our public policies, we cannot have the same debates as in the past.
That's why I've asked the Prime Minister and his government, and I invite all the country's political, economic and trade union forces, to join with them in putting forward proposals in the light of this new context.
Tomorrow's solutions cannot be yesterday's habits. My dear compatriots, in the face of these challenges and these irreversible changes, we must not give in to any excesses, neither the excesses of the warmongers, nor the excesses of the defeatists.
France will follow only one course, that of the will for peace and freedom, faithful in this to its history and its principles.
Yes, this is what we believe in, for our security, but it is also what we believe in, to defend democracy, a certain idea of truth, a certain idea of free research, of respect in our societies, a certain idea of freedom of expression that is not the return of hate speech, basically, a certain idea of humanism. This is what we stand for and what is at stake.
Our Europe has the economic strength, the power and the talent to rise to the challenge of these times. And we have the means to take on the United States of America, let alone Russia. So we must act as one, as Europeans, and we must be determined to protect ourselves.
That's why our country needs you, and your commitment. Political decisions, military equipment and budgets are one thing, but they will never replace the fortitude of a nation. Our generation will no longer receive the dividends of peace.
It is up to us to ensure that our children reap the rewards of our commitments tomorrow. So we will face the future together.