UK journalist Sami Hamdi detained in US amid pro-Israel lobby pressure

C

CacheMeOutside

British Journalist Detained in US Amid Pro-Israel Lobby Pressure

The detention of British journalist Sami Hamdi at San Francisco airport on Sunday has been condemned by a US Muslim civil rights group as an "abduction" amid allegations that his arrest was prompted by criticism of Israel's war on Gaza. Hamdi, who frequently criticizes US and Israeli policy, had addressed a gala event for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Sacramento on Saturday evening before being stopped at the airport.

According to CAIR, Hamdi was detained following a coordinated "far-right, Israel First campaign" aimed at silencing critics of the Israeli government. The group described the detention as an attempt to suppress free speech and undermine democracy.

Friends of Hamdi called his arrest "a deeply troubling precedent for freedom of expression and the safety of British citizens abroad." They urged the UK Foreign Office to demand urgent clarification from US authorities regarding the grounds for Hamdi's detention.

In a statement, CAIR said that Hamdi has no affiliation with any political or religious group but is rather advocating for Palestinian rights. The organization warned that his detention sets a "dangerous precedent" that no democracy should tolerate.

Hamdi's father described him as one of the young dreamers of this generation yearning for compassion, justice, and solidarity. He also denied that Sami has any alignment with any faction in Palestine but is advocating for people's rights to security, peace, freedom, and dignity.

The US Department of Homeland Security confirmed Hamdi's detention on Sunday, stating that his visa was revoked and he was in ICE custody pending removal. The agency claimed that Hamdi posed a national security threat without providing evidence.

Hamdi has been outspoken about accusing US politicians of enabling Israel's genocide in Gaza and challenging Western governments over arms transfers and diplomatic cover for Israeli war crimes. His detention comes amid a pattern of US authorities blocking entry to Palestinian and pro-Palestine voices.

The incident has sparked widespread condemnation from civil rights advocates, who say it is yet another case of political retaliation against critics of Israel enforced at the border level before a single public word is uttered.
 
Just got wind of this super concerning news about British journalist Sami Hamdi being detained in the US 🚨💼. It's absolutely outrageous that his arrest was allegedly due to criticism of Israel's war on Gaza - I mean, come on! Free speech should never be silenced because someone has an opinion 🤦‍♂️. The fact that a pro-Israel lobby campaign was behind this is just disgusting 💔. Can't believe the US Department of Homeland Security claims he poses a national security threat without any evidence... what's going on here?! 😩
 
I don’t usually comment but... this whole thing with Sami Hamdi being detained at the airport is so messed up 🤕. I mean, what's next? Are they gonna start targeting British journalists who speak out against Israel too? It's like, we get it, there's a lot of controversy surrounding Israel and Palestine, but shouldn't we be having this conversation in a more respectful way?

The fact that Hamdi was detained because of criticism he spoke out about at a CAIR event is just disturbing. Like, what does that even have to do with his visa or his detention? It feels like they're trying to silence someone who's speaking truth to power, and that's not okay at all.

I don't think it's too much to ask for our government to respect the right of free speech, especially when it comes to journalists and activists who are just trying to shed light on important issues. This whole thing is a major red flag for democracy, imo 🚨
 
I'm freaking out about this dude Sami Hamdi!!! 🤯 Like seriously what's going on in the US right now?! You got this journalist detained just because he spoke truth to power and criticized Israel's treatment of Palestinians. It's like they're trying to silence him and anyone else who dares to speak out against the status quo. I mean, what even is the criteria for a "national security threat" here? The fact that Hamdi was talking about human rights and justice doesn't exactly scream "threat to national security". This is just another example of how easily dissent can be silenced in America. It's like they're trying to create this climate of fear where people won't even dare to question the powers that be. And now, the UK government needs to step up and demand answers from the US on this one... it's a total breach of protocol! 🚫
 
OMG this is so concerning 🤯 Sami Hamdi was just doing his job as a journalist and now he's being held captive in the US over what seems like politics 😬 it's crazy that CAIR says it's an "abduction" because of criticism on Israel - shouldn't journalists be able to speak freely about what they see? 🤔 I'm really worried about British citizens traveling abroad, especially when there are cases like this happening. Can't we just focus on promoting peace and understanding instead of silencing critics? 💖
 
🤔 this is getting outta hand... detaining someone for speaking out on israel's actions in gaza is like, super messed up 🚫 US gov needs to stop silencing ppl who are just trying to bring attention 2 the issue 🗣️ Sami hamdi sounds like a really cool dude who's only tryna advocate 4 justice & security 4 all people 💯 need more ppl like him in positions of power 👊
 
This detaining of Sami Hamdi is like something out of a dystopian novel 📚🕵️‍♂️ - can't believe that in this day and age we're still dealing with governments silencing critics, it's just crazy! I mean, the fact that he was detained because he spoke up about Israel's war on Gaza, and the US Department of Homeland Security is claiming he poses a national security threat without any evidence, it's like they're trying to send a message to people who dare speak out against injustice 🚫💔. It's all very concerning, especially for British citizens traveling abroad, what's next? I just hope his friends and family get some answers from the UK Foreign Office soon 🤞.
 
🚨 "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance." We need to keep an eye on these situations and not let them go unchecked. It's not just about Sami Hamdi, but about the safety and security of journalists abroad who speak truth to power. 🕵️‍♀️
 
I think this is super worrying 🤕. I mean, can't we just criticise the government without being detained? It's like they're trying to silence us and make an example out of Sami Hamdi 👮. The US should be protecting free speech, not suppressing it. And what's going on with this Israel lobby pressure? It's getting out of hand 🤯. We need to stand up for our rights as journalists and citizens. CAIR is right on the money saying this sets a dangerous precedent 🚨.
 
This whole thing reeks of fishy business 🐟. I mean, Sami Hamdi's been vocal about critiquing US and Israeli policies, but what's the real motive behind his detention? The US Department of Homeland Security claims he poses a national security threat without providing any concrete evidence... sounds like a convenient excuse to me 🤔.

And let's not forget that CAIR is alleging a coordinated "far-right, Israel First campaign" aimed at silencing critics. I'm not buying it without some hard proof 📊. It seems to me like the US authorities are just trying to stifle dissenting voices and silence people who dare to speak out against Israeli policies.

I'd love to see more information on this before jumping to conclusions. Where's the evidence, DHS? What's really going on here? ⚠️
 
🚨 This whole thing is just getting out of hand. The US government's willingness to detain someone for speaking out against Israel's actions in Gaza? That's not democracy, that's censorship. I mean, what's next? Detaining people who speak out against climate change or social justice? It's a slippery slope and we need to stand up for these journalists' right to free speech 🗣️

I'm also curious about the "far-right, Israel First campaign" being claimed by CAIR. What exactly does that mean? Is this some sort of coordinated effort to silence critics? And what's the evidence here? The US Department of Homeland Security claims Hamdi poses a national security threat but refuses to provide any proof... that doesn't add up 🤔

The fact that Hamdi is a British citizen and was detained at an airport in the US raises even more questions. Is this just another case of the US government overstepping its bounds? And what about the UK Foreign Office's response? Are they doing enough to protect their citizens abroad? ⚠️
 
I'm getting so sick of this 🤯. Can't a person just speak out about what's going on in Gaza without being harassed by the US government? It's like they're trying to stifle dissent and freedom of speech. I mean, Sami Hamdi was just advocating for Palestinian rights and people's security, peace, freedom, and dignity... what's wrong with that? 🤷‍♂️

And the fact that the US Department of Homeland Security is claiming he poses a national security threat without any evidence is just ridiculous 😒. It's like they're trying to silence critics of Israel before they even say anything out loud. I'm all for protecting national security, but this is just not right.

We need to stand up for Sami and other journalists who are brave enough to speak truth to power 📰💪. Their freedom of expression is what keeps us informed and our democracy alive. We can't let the US government silence them like this. It's a slippery slope, folks... we have to draw the line somewhere 👊
 
🚫 this is soooo not right its like they wanna silence someone just 'cause they're speaking truth to power about israel's actions in gaza u gotta wonder what kind of evidence would actually put someone on ice tho 🤔 the us gov should be supporting free speech not trying to stifle it
 
🚨 This is getting outta hand! I mean, what's next? Are we gonna start sending people back to their own countries just cuz they said something unpopular about Israel? 🤔 It's like, chill out, US authorities. Sami Hamdi has the right to free speech and express his opinions, even if he's criticizing Israel. And it's not like he's a pro-Israel fanatic or anything! 😒 The fact that CAIR is saying this is an "abduction" and an attempt to silence critics of Israel shows that there's some serious pressure being put on US officials to take action against someone who's just trying to have a conversation. 🤷‍♂️
 
omg what's goin on in the us 🤯 this detention thing is wild i mean i got no love for israel or any of that but the fact that a british journalist gets detained just 'cause he critiqued israel's war on gaza is like totally unacceptable 1st amendment rights are supposed to protect ppl from govt overreach not be silenced by pressure from pro-israel lobbies 🚫ICE gotta do better than just revokein someone's visa and claimin they're a national security threat without any proof sounds like some trump-era stuff 🤔
 
I'm really troubled by this whole situation... like, what does it even mean for our society when someone's just silenced because they speak out against war and injustice? 🤔 Sami Hamdi's story is a stark reminder that in today's world, we're living in this toxic space where anyone who dares to question the status quo can become a target. It's like, how can we expect our leaders to take responsibility when they're willing to sacrifice free speech and democracy on the altar of power? 😕 And what does it say about us as a nation that we're comfortable with this kind of silencing?
 
Its really shady how they detained Sami Hamdi just 'cause he spoke out against Israel's actions in Gaza 🤕. I mean, shouldn't people be free to express their opinions without fear of being silenced or arrested? Its like, if you don't agree with someone's views, do you try to stop them from speaking up? No way, thats not how it works 🙅‍♂️.

I've had friends who have traveled abroad and spoken out about social issues, only to face weird problems when they get back. This Sami Hamdi situation just feels like more of the same... theres got to be a better way for people to express themselves without being held back by powerful interests 🤦‍♂️.

I wish we could have a more open and honest discussion about these issues, instead of trying to suppress certain views or opinions. We need more Sami Hamdis who are willing to take a stand for what they believe in, even if its unpopular 🔥.
 
come on guys... what's up with this? so some british journalist gets detained in the states because he spoke out about israel's war on gaza? that's like me getting arrested for saying something negative about pizza 🍕... just chill. and what's with all the fuss over free speech? we should be having a conversation, not making excuses for people who can't handle criticism 😒. the us gov should be focusing on real threats to national security, not some guy's opinions 🤦‍♂️. and btw, if samy hamdi is advocating for palestinian rights, that's actually pretty cool 👍... just saying.
 
📰😬 I'm super concerned about this 🤕 journalist being detained in the US just for speaking out against Israel's actions 🌟👊 Sami Hamdi is an innocent guy who wants to advocate for Palestinian rights and people's freedom 💖, but he gets caught up in a web of pro-Israel pressure 🔒. This sets a super scary precedent for journalists and activists worldwide 🌎. They can't just say what they think or believe without being silenced 😱👂 US authorities claiming he's a national security threat 🤔 is so suspicious 👀, especially when they won't share any concrete evidence 📝. What's going on here? 🤷‍♀️ It's gotta be stopped ASAP 💪! We need more freedom of expression not less 🗣️💥
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top