US Detains Journalist for 'Challenging Orthodoxy,' Claims Free Speech
British journalist Sami Hamdi, detained by ICE, now publicly states there's a 'war on US freedom of speech.' Hamdi's alleged offense? He 'challenged American orthodoxy.' The Independent reports his release, but fails to connect an obvious thread: the intensifying crackdown on speech critical of Israeli government actions. ICE’s track record, from family separations to deportations, hardly screams
'freedom protection,' yet here they are, suddenly gatekeeping political discourse. This isn't about protecting 'American orthodoxy'; it's about protecting specific foreign policy interests. The Biden administration, which just approved another $15 billion in aid to Israel in April 2024 (AP News), finds dissent inconvenient. When public figures like Senator Tom Cotton publicly call for prosecuting
pro-Palestinian protesters who *block roads*, one might wonder if ICE's actions align neatly with this chilling environment. The message is clear: criticize the American-Israeli nexus at your own peril.