Friday, August 22, 2025

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Florida City Implements Gender Neutral Toilets In *ALL* Bathrooms.

In a blow to Governor Ron DeSantis’s “war on woke”, the city of St. Petersburg in Florida is set to convert 164 city bathrooms into “all-gender” facilities in a gesture of defiance towards the political right, and support for the transgender movement. Any signage indicating specific genders must now be replaced with all-gender designations, while multi-stall bathrooms will remain separated into men’s and women’s facilities.

Mayor Ken Welch – a far left Democrat and the first African American mayor of St. Petersburg – signed the executive policy on September 1st, with implementation expected by March 2024.

The city’s LGBTQ+ Liaison, Jim Nixon, said the move aims to remove gender identity restrictions to ensure that transgender individuals feel secure using the facilities. “We just felt like this was a good opportunity to make that change since we had made it here in City Hall,” he explained.

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LIV Golf Revokes Reporter’s Credentials for Questioning Saudi Links.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A reporter had his credentials revoked by LIV Golf after refusing to remove questions about Saudi funding from an interview.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bill Hobson, host of Michigan Golf Live, golfer Pat Perez, LIV Golf officials, and Saudi Arabia.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The incident occurred ahead of LIV Golf’s tournament at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Michigan.

💬KEY QUOTE: “I told them, ‘Those were perfectly fine questions and [Perez] answered them fine.’ They said, ‘No, he didn’t answer them fine. He was out of his lane and he shouldn’t have gone there.'” – Bill Hobson

🎯IMPACT: LIV revoked Hobson’s credentials and offered him spectator tickets instead, which Hobson called “largely unprecedented.”

IN FULL

Bill Hobson, host of the radio show Michigan Golf Live, had his media credentials revoked by LIV Golf after refusing to edit an interview in which he asked about the league’s ties to Saudi Arabia. The interview, conducted with LIV golfer Pat Perez, was arranged by LIV to promote its upcoming tournament at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Michigan.

During the podcast, Hobson asked Perez about LIV’s funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns and operates the league. According to Hobson, Perez answered without issue. However, within ten minutes of the interview’s conclusion, Hobson said LIV officials contacted him to request the removal of the Saudi question, as well as another regarding former LIV CEO Greg Norman.

“I told them, ‘Those were perfectly fine questions and he answered them fine,’” Hobson recalled. “They said, ‘No, he didn’t answer them fine. He was out of his lane and he shouldn’t have gone there,'” Hobson continued, relating that he explained to LIV that he had “not agreed to any limitations or, you know, ‘I won’t go there’ categories… And I wouldn’t have done the interview with that.”

Hobson said multiple LIV representatives followed up over the next two days, continuing to pressure him to edit the podcast. He refused. Seemingly in retaliation, Hobson was informed on Tuesday that his media credentials for the Michigan tournament had been revoked and that he was instead being offered general admission spectator tickets. He called the decision “largely unprecedented.”

The situation reflects growing concerns about foreign influence in U.S. sports. LIV Golf is fully funded by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, a government-controlled entity that has spent billions investing in global sports as part of the Kingdom’s broader “Vision 2030” economic diversification plan. These moves are widely seen as attempts at “sportswashing”—a strategy to improve the nation’s global image despite criticism of its human rights record.

Saudi Arabia is not alone. Other countries have expanded their sports investments in the U.S. and beyond. Chinese firms have held stakes in NBA franchises, and Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has taken positions in European soccer and tennis and recently explored opportunities in American sports as well.

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Trump Backs Ukrainian Strikes on Russia.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump defended Ukraine’s direct strikes on Russian territory, calling it a necessary move for their defense.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Comments made on August 21 via Truth Social.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Trump’s remarks come as discussions with Zelensky and Putin have yet to yield a framework for ending the conflict.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has voiced support for Ukraine’s decision to carry out strikes inside Russian territory, calling it a necessary part of the country’s defense. In a post on Truth Social on August 21, Trump criticized former President Joe Biden for placing restrictions on how Ukraine can use U.S.-supplied weapons, suggesting those limitations had undermined Ukraine’s ability to defend itself.

“It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invader’s country,” Trump wrote. “It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning.”

Trump went on to say that the war would never have occurred if he had been in office during the 2022 invasion. “Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? This is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President — ZERO CHANCE,” he added.

Trump’s comments came just days after a high-profile meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, where the two leaders held nearly three hours of private talks. The meeting marked one of the most direct efforts to date by Trump to engage diplomatically on the war.

Following the meeting, both Trump and Putin described the discussion as productive, though no formal agreements were reached. Trump said the two sides had made progress on several issues but acknowledged that key disagreements remain. Putin described the talks as being conducted in a “constructive atmosphere,” and called the meeting a potential starting point for future negotiations. No ceasefire or roadmap for peace was announced.

Meanwhile, the war continues to escalate. Russia launched a major drone and missile attack this week, targeting infrastructure in western Ukraine. A U.S.-owned civilian factory in Mukachevo was destroyed, leaving at least one dead and several injured. Ukraine responded with drone strikes on Russian territory, using both local and foreign equipment.

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Several Trump White House Aides Are Leaving For K Street Lobbying Gigs.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Several senior White House aides are leaving for lobbying jobs.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Harrison Fields, Trent Morse, Bo Hines, and May Davis Mailman, among others.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcements were made in August 2025 in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The demand for these folks is so high that business and folks are looking for a sherpa for this administration,” said Ivan Adler, known as the “Lobbyist Hunter.”

🎯IMPACT: The moves highlight ongoing concerns about the revolving door between government and lobbying.

IN FULL

Several senior Trump administration officials have recently left the White House for roles in Washington’s influence industry, raising fresh concerns about ethics and the revolving door between government and lobbying.

On Wednesday, CGCN Group, a prominent Republican lobbying firm, announced it had hired Harrison Fields, formerly the White House’s principal deputy press secretary. Just a day earlier, Trent Morse, a deputy assistant to the President and deputy director of the Office of Presidential Personnel, confirmed he is leaving to launch his own lobbying firm, partnering with the Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck firm.

The departures come amid growing demand from businesses and organizations seeking help navigating the Trump administration’s policymaking. “The demand for these folks is so high that business and folks are looking for a sherpa for this administration, just because it’s so different,” said Ivan Adler, a veteran D.C. headhunter known as the “Lobbyist Hunter.”

Fields and Morse are not the only ones making the jump. Earlier this month, longtime Trump adviser May Davis Mailman left to start her own government affairs firm. Meanwhile, Bo Hines recently stepped down as executive director of the White House’s crypto council and joined digital asset giant Tether to advise on U.S. crypto policy.

Despite federally mandated one-year cooling-off periods preventing Fields and Morse from lobbying the White House or working for foreign entities directly, they are still permitted to lobby Congress and advise others seeking influence.

Kedric Payne, head of ethics at the Campaign Legal Center, called White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’s public praise of Morse “a commercial for him. It’s great for business.”

Wiles, a former lobbyist who worked with Morse at multiple firms before, was blunt in her endorsement of Morse’s value as a lobbyist. “Nobody is better able to [guide clients] than Morse,” she said, citing his knowledge across virtually every department due to his role vetting over 3,000 administration hires.

Fields, in a statement, said he leaves the White House “with a heart full of incredible memories,” and looks forward to continuing to support the “MAGA movement” in a new role.

While such moves are common near midterms, the speed and volume of early exits from Trump’s White House have drawn attention. Adler noted, “Trump staffers can command top dollar.”

Image by AgnosticPreachersKid.

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Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
If you can’t drain ’em, become ’em, I guess!
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By Popular Demand.
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Chip Roy Joins Packed Field for Texas Attorney General.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) announced his candidacy for Texas attorney general, entering a competitive race to succeed Ken Paxton as the state’s top prosecutor.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Chip Roy, a conservative member of the House of Representatives and policy chair of the House Freedom Caucus, along with other candidates, including Paxton’s former deputy Aaron Reitz, Mayes Middleton, and Joan Huffman.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Roy announced his campaign on Thursday, with the race taking place in Texas.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It has been my honor to represent the 21st congressional district of Texas—the best part of the best state in the greatest country in the history of the world… But representatives should not be permanent,” said Roy.

🎯IMPACT: Roy’s entry into the race is expected to shake up the primary, with a poll showing nearly three-quarters of Republican voters undecided before his announcement.

IN FULL

Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX) launched a bid for Texas Attorney General on Thursday, entering a crowded race to replace the Lone Star state’s current Attorney General, Ken Paxton, as the state’s top prosecutor. Roy, who serves as the policy chair of the House Freedom Caucus, enters the race with $2.5 million in campaign funds and notable name recognition due to his prominence on Capitol Hill.

“It has been my honor to represent the 21st congressional district of Texas—the best part of the best state in the greatest country in the history of the world,” Roy said in his campaign announcement. He added, “I am particularly proud of our work to deliver on President Trump’s agenda and fight to drain the swamp. I could do it forever and be fulfilled professionally. But representatives should not be permanent.”

Roy also emphasized his desire to return to Texas, stating, “My experience watching Texans unite in response to the devastating Hill County floods made clear that I want to come home. I want to take my experience in Congress, as a federal prosecutor, and as First Assistant Attorney General to fight for Texas from Texas.”

However, the Texas Republican could face headwinds among supporters of President Donald J. Trump, as Roy has been a critic of the America First leader and was the subject of an infamous social media meltdown during the 2024 Republican primary when Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the House.

“Some of our brothers and sisters, particularly in the, uh, you know, MAGA camp, I think, particularly enjoy the circular firing squad,” The National Pulse reported Rep. Roy saying in October 2023 after McCarthy’s removal for failing to honor his commitments to America First conservatives on spending, border security, the Ukraine war, and impeaching Joe Biden. Rep. Roy added, “You want to come at me and call me a RINO? You can kiss my ass.”

He also endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis against Trump in the Republican primary.

Roy’s entry into the race adds to a growing list of candidates, including former Department of Justice (DOJ) appointee and Paxton deputy Aaron Reitz—who has Paxton’s endorsement—and Texas state senators Mayes Middleton and Joan Huffman. A recent poll by Texas Southern University showed that nearly three-quarters of Republican primary voters were undecided, though the survey was conducted before Roy’s announcement.

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Trump Has Sealed a Deal to Mass Deport Migrants to This African Country:

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump secured a deportation deal with Uganda, allowing the U.S. to send illegal immigrants to the East African nation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, the U.S. State Department, and Ugandan officials.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The agreement was confirmed by Uganda on Thursday, with similar deals involving other nations taking place over the past year.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The U.S. State Department continues to work with international partners to manage illegal immigration.” – U.S. State Department.

🎯IMPACT: The deal is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to expand deportations and manage migration more effectively.

IN FULL

President Donald J. Trump has finalized a significant new immigration agreement with Uganda, allowing the United States to deport certain illegal aliens to the East African nation. Under this arrangement, third-country nationals who are denied asylum in the U.S. but cannot be easily returned to their countries of origin can be resettled in Uganda instead.

Uganda currently accommodates nearly two million refugees, mainly from neighboring conflict zones such as South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its government has described the deal with the U.S. as “a temporary arrangement with conditions, including that individuals with criminal records and unaccompanied minors will not be accepted,” per Foreign Affairs Ministry official Vincent Bagiire Waiswa.

Comparable arrangements have already been made with countries like Honduras, Paraguay, and Rwanda. Panama and Costa Rica have also joined similar efforts, accepting migrants from Africa and Asia. Several highly violent migrants have already been deported to the small African kingdom of Swaziland, or Eswatini, pending final removal to their countries of origin. President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has also made a deal with the U.S. to host criminal migrants at his CECOT super-prison.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal government’s authority to deport migrants to third countries without requiring hearings about potential risks they may face upon relocation.

Since President Trump began his second term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has seen a sharp rise in enforcement actions. ICE arrests have doubled, and for several months running, deportations have topped 10,000 per month.

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White House Tours Halted for Trump Ballroom Construction.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Tours of the White House have been postponed indefinitely as construction begins on a new $200 million ballroom.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Donald J. Trump, White House staff, and the general public who had booked tours.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Construction begins September 1, 2025, on the White House East Wing.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Beginning on September 1st, 2025, the White House will be undergoing extensive renovations. As a result, all tours of the White House are postponed indefinitely,” reads a statement on the website of Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA).

🎯IMPACT: Disappointment among visitors and criticism from some Democrats over the indefinite postponement of tours.

IN FULL

The White House has indefinitely suspended tours as construction begins on September 1 on a new $200 million ballroom funded by President Donald J. Trump. The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House grounds, between the Executive Residence and the Treasury Department’s main headquarters.

Visitors who had booked tours have received cancellation notices. It remains unclear when public access will resume. “Beginning on September 1st, 2025, the White House will be undergoing extensive renovations,” a statement on the website of Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA) reads. “As a result, all tours of the White House are postponed indefinitely.”

Some members of Congress, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), have criticized the decision. “Seriously? School trips. Families. All shut out indefinitely for the building of a ballroom?” Klobuchar wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Other social media users also expressed frustration.

The White House Press Secretary has not provided a timeline for when tours might resume. In the meantime, some have suggested alternative attractions in Washington, D.C., such as monuments and museums, which remain accessible to the public. “I was super excited for the White House tour during our trip and it turned out to be a bit underwhelming,” one social media user commented, advising others to explore the People’s House and other landmarks instead.

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Kamala Harris Launches ‘Global Tour’ for Book No One Wants to Read.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: Former Vice President Kamala Harris announced a 15-city book tour to promote her upcoming memoir, 107 Days.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Kamala Harris, Simon & Schuster, and several independent bookstores.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The tour begins September 24 and ends in late November, spanning cities including New York, San Francisco, Toronto, and London.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Over the next few months, I will travel our country to share behind-the-scenes moments, lessons learned, and how we keep moving forward together.”  — Kamala Harris

🎯IMPACT: The tour will spark further speculation about Harris’s political future, including a potential 2028 presidential run.

IN FULL

Kamala Harris, the former vice president and failed Democratic presidential candidate, has announced a 15-city book tour to promote her memoir, 107 Days. The book covers her 2024 campaign after former President Joe Biden was forced to drop out of the race. The tour will begin on September 24, one day after the book’s release, and conclude in late November at Miami’s Ziff Opera House. Stops include major cities such as New York, San Francisco, Toronto, and London.

Harris made the announcement in a post on X (formerly Twitter) with a video featuring clips from the 2024 presidential campaign trail. The memoir, which Harris described as “a journal,” recounts her brief, disastrous presidential run. “107 Days is my candid and personal account of the shortest presidential campaign in modern history,” Harris wrote. “Over the next few months, I will travel our country to share behind-the-scenes moments, lessons learned, and how we keep moving forward together.”

According to Simon & Schuster, the events will allow Harris to share her experiences and insights while engaging with audiences in theaters and music halls.

The tour will include partnerships with small, independent bookstores in several cities, and Harris reportedly expanded the itinerary to include less traditional stops such as Portland, Oregon, and Durham, North Carolina. A source familiar with Harris’ plans hinted at potential surprise visits in addition to the scheduled events.

Some stops include conservative-leaning states like Texas, Tennessee, and Alabama, and the tour has fueled speculation about Harris’ political ambitions. The National Pulse reported in late July that Harris will forego a run for California governor in 2026, emphasizing her desire to travel across the country and engage with people.

Two sources close to Harris have suggested she is keeping her options open for a 2028 presidential run.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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Serial Sex Offender Opts for Castration in Plea Deal.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A Louisiana man has been sentenced to surgical and chemical castration after pleading guilty to the attempted rape of a seven-year-old girl.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Thomas Allen McCartney, a 37-year-old “Tier Three” sex offender with a history of child sex abuse.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The plea deal was accepted on Tuesday in Louisiana, following a February 2023 attack.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This is a horrific crime that never should have happened. Thomas McCartney is a predator that needs to be locked away from others in our community.” – Vernon Parish District Attorney Terry Lambright.

🎯IMPACT: Louisiana is the first state to allow surgical castration for certain child sex offenders under a law signed by Governor Jeff Landry (R).

IN FULL

Thomas Allen McCartney, a 37-year-old Tier Three sex offender, has been sentenced to both surgical and chemical castration after pleading guilty to the attempted rape of a seven-year-old girl. The punishment was part of a plea deal for attempted first-degree rape of a child under the age of 13, according to reports. McCartney will also serve 40 years in prison.

The case stems from a February 2023 incident when a mother discovered McCartney sexually abusing her daughter. He fled the scene armed with a firearm and was later apprehended at a Houston hotel before being extradited back to Louisiana. McCartney has a history of child sex abuse, including convictions for attempted aggravated rape and other offenses dating back to 2006.

The sentencing comes under a new Louisiana law, signed by Governor Jeff Landry (R), which allows judges to order surgical castration for certain sex offenders against children. The law went into effect on August 1, 2024, and aims to deter such crimes. The procedure involves the removal of the testicles to stop the production of sex hormones, while chemical castration uses medication to lower testosterone and further reduce sex drive.

Vernon Parish District Attorney Terry Lambright condemned McCartney, stating, “This is a horrific crime that never should have happened. Thomas McCartney is a predator that needs to be locked away from others in our community.”

Image by RichardBH.

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State Dept Fires Iranian-American Embassy Staffer Branded a ‘Jihadi’ by Laura Loomer.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A State Department press officer was terminated over his handling of Trump administration policy statements involving Israel and Gaza.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Shahed Ghoreishi, U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem officials, Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s aides, and investigative reporter Laura Loomer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The termination occurred over the weekend, following incidents last week involving the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and the State Department in Washington, D.C.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The agency has zero tolerance for employees who commit misconduct by leaking or otherwise disclosing confidential deliberative emails or information.” – State Dept. spokesman Tommy Pigott

🎯IMPACT: The firing highlights the Trump administration’s strict enforcement of officials adhering to policy.

IN FULL

The State Department has dismissed Shahed Ghoreishi, a press officer responsible for shaping public messaging on Israel and Gaza. Ghoreishi, an Iranian-American contractor with the Bureau of Near East Affairs, came under scrutiny after drafting a media response that sparked backlash from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

The controversy began when Ghoreishi included language in response to an Associated Press (AP) inquiry stating that the U.S. “opposes the forced relocation of Palestinians in Gaza.” The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem reportedly rejected that line, prompting further internal reviews.

Additionally, Ghoreishi raised objections to the use of the term “Judea and Samaria” to describe the West Bank, language favored by some Israeli officials and supported by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

Ghoreishi complained that his firing raises questions about “whether our Israel-Palestine policy is about to get even worse—including an unwillingness to take any stand against ethnic cleansing,” adding: “The future looks bleak.”

Investigative reporter Laura Loomer has publicly accused Ghoreishi of ties to pro-Iran groups—which he denies—writing on social media, “While working at the State Department, Shahed [Ghoreishi] expressed anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-Trump, and anti-Rubio views, all while maintaining deep ties to jihadi Islamic groups like the National Iranian American Council (NIAC)—a group labeled as a mouthpiece for the Ayatollah and enablers of Iranian terrorism.”

“Every single Jihadi MUST be removed from the U.S. State Department as a matter of protecting our national security. There has been zero media on this because I doubt the State Department wants to draw attention to the fact that a jihadist pro-Iranian regime operative was working inside the Trump State Department for the last 7 months,” she added.

Deputy State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott stated, “The agency has zero tolerance for employees who commit misconduct by leaking or otherwise disclosing confidential deliberative emails or information.”

Ghoreishi’s removal comes amid a broader purge of officials deemed disloyal to President Donald J. Trump. Earlier this year, for instance, Trump dismissed General Timothy Haugh, the head of U.S. Cyber Command. “NSA Director Tim Haugh and his deputy Wendy Noble have been disloyal to President Trump. That is why they have been fired,” Loomer said of his removal on social media.

Reports suggest that multiple National Security Council staff members were also removed after failing informal “loyalty checks” tied to Loomer’s vetting. One U.S. official described the aftermath as a “bloodbath,” following Loomer’s delivery of a dossier on suspect staffers.

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Woman Imprisoned for Anti-Immigration Social Media Post Released.

PULSE POINTS

WHAT HAPPENED: A woman convicted of “inciting racial hatred” via a social media post following the mass murder of young girls in Southport, England, by a teen of migrant background has been released from prison after serving 40 percent of her sentence.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Lucy Connolly, 42, a mother and wife of a Northampton town councillor, and various legal and political figures, including Judge Melbourne Inman and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Connolly posted to X (formerly Twitter) on July 29, 2024, and she was arrested on August 6, 2024. She was released from His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Peterborough in August 2025.

🎯IMPACT: The case has reignited debates over free speech and two-tier justice in the United Kingdom.

IN FULL

A British woman who was imprisoned for a social media post calling for mass deportations has been released early, with her case having ignited fierce debate over what critics are calling the UK’s two-tier justice system.

Lucy Connolly, 42, was freed from HMP Peterborough after serving roughly 13 months of a 31-month sentence for “inciting racial hatred.” Connolly was convicted over a tweet posted after the Southport stabbing attack in 2024, where three young girls were brutally killed by the son of two Rwandan asylum seekers.

The post read: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f**king hotels full of the bastards for all I care, while you’re at it take the treacherous government and politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist so be it.”

The post was deleted a few hours later, but it triggered swift police action. Connolly was arrested just days later, on August 6, 2024. Connolly, who is married to a local councillor for the Conservative Party in Northampton, pleaded guilty, in large part because she was refused bail—despite being a nonviolent first-time offender—and faced a lengthy spell in jail ahead of her trial, possibly as long as a reduced sentence for pleading guilty.

Many have noted that the draconian length of her sentence—31 months—was far longer than many sentences handed to pedophiles and violent criminals. Notably, Salman Iftikhar, a Pakistani businessman with the British equivalent of a green card, in recent weeks received only 15 months for physically accosting an air stewardess, calling her a “white sheep-shagging bitch,” and threatening that she would be “gang raped and set on fire” after the hotel she was staying at was “blown up.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, of the far-left Labour Party, defended the conviction during Prime Minister’s Questions, stating, “I am strongly in favor of free speech… but I am equally against incitement to violence against other people. I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe.”

The Trump administration in the United States takes the view that you cannot claim to be in favor of free speech while imprisoning people for social media commentary, with a recent State Department human rights report warning of “serious restrictions on freedom of expression” in Britain that have “worsened” under Starmer.

Connolly will complete the remainder of her sentence out on license in the community, with the possibility of being returned to prison if she breaches her license conditions.

Image by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street. 

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