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Tag: arrest
February 25, 2026
Crime
Politics

Ilhan Omar’s Guest Was Arrested at Trump’s State of the Union, Here’s Why:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A guest of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) was arrested by Capitol Police during President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening for unlawful conduct and disruption of Congress.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Ilhan Omar, her guest Aliya Rahman, Capitol Police, and President Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: During the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional Buildings.” – Capitol Police statement.

🎯IMPACT: Rahman was previously arrested last month after refusing lawful orders from federal immigration agents to move her vehicle in an apparent attempt to interfere with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.

IN FULL

Aliya Rahman, a guest of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), was arrested by Capitol Police during President Donald J. Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening for alleged unlawful conduct and disruption of Congress. Rahman, a Minneapolis, Minnesota resident, had been invited by Omar following her detention last month after refusing lawful orders from federal immigration agents to move her vehicle, in an apparent attempt to interfere with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation.

At the time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that Rahman “ignored multiple commands by an officer to move her vehicle away from the scene.” She was arrested along with six other alleged anti-ICE agitators, though Rahman insists she was actually en route to a medical appointment.

During the State of the Union address, Rahman was standing silently when officers asked her to sit down, which she refused, according to police. The Capitol Police stated, “The guest was told to sit down, but refused to obey our lawful orders. It is illegal to disrupt the Congress and demonstrate in the Congressional Buildings.” Rahman was arrested and charged with unlawful conduct. She was later taken to George Washington University Hospital for treatment after allegedly sustaining injuries during the arrest.

Following her arrest on Tuesday, Rahman claimed she was not demonstrating but merely standing silently. “No buttons, no facial expressions, no gestures, no signs, not one sound,” she said. She added that she stood up when President Trump made remarks she described as “some of the most racist things I have heard come out of any leader’s mouth about the people of my city.”

Rep. Omar has called for an investigation into the arrest, stating that Rahman was “forcibly removed” despite warning officers about her injured shoulders. Omar said, “The heavy-handed response to a peaceful guest sends a chilling message about the state of our democracy.” However, the Capitol Police emphasized that all State of the Union tickets explicitly prohibit demonstrations, and Rahman’s actions were considered a violation of those rules.

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February 5, 2026
Crime
World

FBI Recaptures Alex Saab, Maduro’s Top Money Launderer Released by Biden.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Colombian businessman Alex Saab, considered a top money launderer for Nicolás Maduro, was reportedly arrested in Caracas during a joint U.S.-Venezuela operation.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Alex Saab, Nicolás Maduro, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Venezuelan authorities, and businessman Raúl Gorrín.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Saab was captured on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela.

🎯IMPACT: Saab had initially been captured by the U.S. in 2020, but was subsequently released by former President Joe Biden as part of a prisoner exchange with the Maduro regime.

IN FULL

Former Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro’s top money launderer, Alex Saab, was captured in a joint operation by the United States and Venezuelan authorities on Wednesday in the country’s capital of Caracas. Saab—a Colombian businessman with extensive ties to Maduro and the illicit narcotics trade—was apprehended in an operation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), along with Venezuelan businessman Raúl Gorrín, the head of Globovision TV network and another close Maduro ally.

The United States placed sanctions on Saab and Gorrín during President Donald J. Trump‘s first term in office. In June 2020, U.S. law enforcement arrested Saab in Cape Verde during a stopover on a flight from Venezuela to Iran and charged him with laundering $350 million taken from Venezuela’s treasury through the U.S. financial system.

However, in 2023, as part of a prison swap with the Maduro regime, former President Joe Biden signed an order for Saab’s release and return to Venezuela. Officials in the former Biden government argued that Maduro would be more inclined to help reduce the number of Venezuelan illegal immigrants attempting to enter the U.S. as a result of the release. Upon his return, Saab was appointed by Maduro as Venezuela’s Minister of Industry and National Production, a role he held until he was stripped of it by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s former deputy, in January.

Despite U.S. officials confirming Saab’s arrest, his lawyer Luigi Giuliano claimed late Wednesday that Saab was still in Caracas and called reports of his capture “fake news.” Giuliano claimed that Saab may make a public appearance to refute the reports of his capture, but thus far, that has not materialized.

Venezuelan businessman Raúl Gorrín was also apprehended during the operation. A close associate of Maduro, Gorrín was indicted in 2024 by a U.S. federal grand jury in Florida for a scheme to launder $1.2 billion. Like Saab, Gorrín was sanctioned by the Trump administration for corruption.

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February 4, 2026
Politics

LGBT Activist Judge Charged With ‘Official Oppression.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A Texas judge was arrested and charged with unlawful restraint and official oppression after allegedly handcuffing and detaining a defense attorney in her courtroom.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Bexar County Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez and defense attorney Elizabeth Russell.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The arrest occurred on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, stemming from an incident that occurred in 2024 in a Bexar County courtroom, Texas.

🎯IMPACT: The arrest raises concerns about the stability and bias of activist judges in positions of power.

IN FULL

Bexar County, Texas Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez—an outspoken LGBTQ activist—has been arrested and charged with a felony count of unlawful restraint by a judicial officer and a misdemeanor count of official oppression. The charges stem from a 2024 incident where Gonzalez allegedly handcuffed and detained defense attorney Elizabeth Russell in the courtroom during a probation hearing.

During the hearing on a motion to revoke probation, which occurred in December 2024, Russell’s client—who the attorney claims suffers from cognitive issues—answered “true” to one of the allegations presented by prosecutors. This prompted Russell to interject during the questioning and request for a moment to confer with her client. After an ensuing argument between Russell and Gonzalez, the latter ordered her court officers to handcuff the defense attorney and confine her to the jury box.

Judge Gonzalez—known for her far-left political and LGBTQ activism—has had a controversial tenure on the bench, facing a number of legal and ethical issues. In 2022, she was fined for attempting to bring a loaded rainbow-painted firearm through airport security in her carry-on luggage. Earlier, in 2019, she was sanctioned for displaying Pride flags in her courtroom, violating the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.

Former staff members have accused Gonzalez of fostering a “hostile work environment” and exhibiting erratic and aggressive behavior, particularly toward defendants and litigants. Some described her as “unstable” and prone to violent outbursts.

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January 28, 2026
Immigration
The Resistance

Dozens Arrested After Mamdani-Backed Anti-ICE Agitators Occupied Hotel.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Police arrested dozens of anti-ICE agitators after they occupied a hotel lobby in New York City and blocked pedestrian traffic.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The New York City Police Department (NYPD), Sunrise Movement activists, and other anti-ICE agitators.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Tuesday at the Hilton Garden Inn on Sixth Avenue in Tribeca, Lower Manhattan, New York City.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Everyday people have the power to shut down ICE’s ability to operate. We are making it impossible for ICE to get a moment’s rest.” – Sunrise Movement

🎯IMPACT: The protest disrupted operations at the hotel and led to over 65 arrests.

IN FULL

The New York Police Department (NYPD) on Tuesday arrested dozens of anti-ICE agitators after they attempted to occupy a New York City hotel lobby and blocked pedestrians in the area. The protest occurred at the Hilton Garden Inn on Sixth Avenue in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.

The Sunrise Movement, a far-left activist group that organized the protest, claimed the hotel was housing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and other federal law enforcement. The group stated on social media, “BREAKING: 65+ New Yorkers have been arrested for occupying the lobby of a Hilton in NYC that’s housing ICE. Everyday people have the power to shut down ICE’s ability to operate. We are making it impossible for ICE to get a moment’s rest.”

Another post from the organization claimed, “100+ New Yorkers have taken over the lobby of a Hilton housing ICE agents. We won’t stand for a company that aids a fascist military killing and abducting our neighbors.” Protestors chanted slogans such as “No ICE, No KKK, No Fascist USA” and “ICE out of New York.”

In one video, protestors reportedly chanted, “Kristi Noem will hang,” referencing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem. Nevertheless, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s spokesman, Sam Raskin, said the city government backed the protestors, stating, “Mayor Mamdani commends the protestors who exercised their right to protest against ICE today. As he has said, ICE is a rogue agency that has repeatedly carried out cruel, inhumane, and lawless raids, arrests, shootings, and even targeted American citizens.”

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January 27, 2026
Lawfare
Politics

Appeals Court Overturns Biden Judge’s Ban on ICE Pepper Spraying, Arresting Agitators.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit lifted an injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Katherin Menendez, which had restricted federal agents’ actions during Minneapolis protests.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump Administration, U.S. District Court Judge Katherin Menendez, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and anti-ICE protesters in Minneapolis.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was issued by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals following a January 16 ruling by Judge Menendez in Minneapolis.

💬KEY QUOTE: “To the extent the injunction’s breadth and vagueness cause federal agents to hesitate in performing their lawful duties, it threatens to irreparably harm the government and undermine the public interest.” – Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals

🎯IMPACT: The ruling allows federal agents to resume their duties without the restrictions imposed by the injunction, which the court found to be overly broad and vague.

IN FULL

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has overturned an injunction issued by U.S. District Court Judge Katherin Menendez blocking federal law enforcement from pepper spraying, detaining, arresting, or otherwise engaging with protestors in Minneapolis, Minnesota, without probable cause. Judge Menendez, a Joe Biden appointee, had ruled in favor of protesters suing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), claiming violations of their First and Fourth Amendment rights.

The Eighth Circuit decision emphasizes that Judge Menendez’s decision failed to consider the varied nature of the conduct and circumstances involved. The court stated, “We accessed and viewed the same videos the district court did. What they show is observers and protestors engaging in a wide range of conduct, some of it peaceful but much of it not. They also show federal agents responding in various ways.” The court further noted that the differences in conduct made it impossible to address all claims in “one stroke.”

Additionally, the panel criticized the injunction for being too vague, stating that it left federal agents in a precarious position of having to predict what might be considered “peaceful and unobstructive protest activity.” The court emphasized that the videos demonstrated a rapidly changing environment where peaceful and obstructive actions often overlapped, making it difficult for law enforcement to act decisively.

The court also warned that the injunction’s vagueness and breadth could lead federal agents to hesitate to perform their lawful duties, potentially harming the government and undermining the public interest. The ruling stated, “To the extent the injunction’s breadth and vagueness cause federal agents to hesitate in performing their lawful duties, it threatens to irreparably harm the government and undermine the public interest.”

Judge Menendez is also presiding over another case involving a broader motion to enjoin ICE operations, a filing by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison that has been criticized as constitutionally unfounded.

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October 29, 2025
Crime

Trump’s City Crime Crackdown Nets 1,700 Arrests in One Month.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Over 1,700 arrests were made in Memphis, Tennessee, following a federal crime crackdown led by the Trump administration.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Federal agencies, local law enforcement, the Trump administration, and Memphis criminals.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The operation began in September 2025 in Memphis, Tennessee.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Tolerating crime is a choice. Under President Trump, we choose law and order: residents of our cities do not have to live in fear of violent crime.” – Attorney General Pam Bondi

🎯IMPACT: Crime in Memphis reportedly dropped 46 percent since the operation began, with dozens of missing children found and hundreds of firearms seized.

IN FULL

Law enforcement officers in Memphis, Tennessee, have made over 1,700 arrests in a month as part of a federal crime crackdown initiated by President Donald J. Trump. Those arrested included suspects charged with homicides, drug offenses, gun charges, and sex offenses. Among them were 126 known gang members.

The Department of Justice (DOJ)-led effort also located dozens of missing children and seized 293 firearms. Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the operation, stating, “Tolerating crime is a choice. Under President Trump, we choose law and order: residents of our cities do not have to live in fear of violent crime.”

The operation, known as the “Memphis Safe Task Force,” was launched by President Trump in mid-September. Federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) have been involved, as well as National Guard troops and local law enforcement. The effort has no set end date.

Since September, serious crime in the city has reportedly dropped by 46 percent. Arrests included a gang member charged with first-degree murder and suspects found with over $1 million in cash, methamphetamine, and firearms.

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October 23, 2025
Crime

Trump’s Anti-Cartel Task Force Has Taken Down Over 3,000 Violent Criminals.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: President Donald J. Trump praised the success of the Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) operation targeting drug cartels, operatives, and gang members.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: President Trump, HSTFs, and members of various drug cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel and MS-13.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Remarks were made on Thursday, October 23, during a roundtable at the White House.

💬KEY QUOTE: “In a matter of weeks, the task force has made the largest number of arrests of cartel leaders, operatives and gang members in American history, more than 3,000 and counting.” – Donald Trump

🎯IMPACT: Over 3,000 arrests of cartel members, with military strikes targeting drug-trafficking operations.

IN FULL

The Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs), a 50-state joint task force established by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, has arrested more than 3,000 violent criminals—including cartel leaders, operatives, and gang members—since its inception. “We’re here today to discuss a sweeping, unprecedented, and historically successful operation that my administration has carried out in recent weeks to arrest, prosecute, and permanently remove members of foreign drug cartels from American soil,” President Trump said on Thursday at a White House roundtable on his administration’s efforts to combat foreign drug cartels and domestic gang crime.

“In a matter of weeks, the task force has made the largest number of arrests of cartel leaders, operatives and gang members in American history, more than 3,000 and counting,” he said, continuing: “That includes members of the ultra-violent new generation cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel, the lnfm Cartel, MS-13 cartel… and Tren de Aragua.”

“These are, in addition to the massive numbers of dangerous criminals my administration arrested nationwide since January 20, numbering over 120,000. It’s a record and 120,000 criminal arrests. Unfortunately, for four long years before I took office, the last administration allowed the cartels and their operatives to frankly take over our country,” Trump added.

The America First leader declared that South and Central American drug cartels “are the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere.” The National Pulse reported earlier this month that President Trump formally notified Congress that the United States is now engaged in an official “armed conflict” with the cartels. Since late September, the Trump administration has ramped up foreign operations targeting cartel members, including executing military strikes on suspected drug-trafficking boats launching from Venezuela.

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October 23, 2025
Immigration
Politics

Nancy Pelosi Wants Local Police to Arrest ICE Agents.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) suggested that local law enforcement could arrest federal agents who break local laws while enforcing federal immigration policies.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA), San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, and federal agents.

📍WHEN & WHERE: California, as outlined in a statement on Wednesday.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law—and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them.” – Nancy Pelosi and Kevin Mullin

🎯IMPACT: Legal experts have noted that the authority for states to arrest federal officers lacks clear precedent and could face significant legal challenges.

IN FULL

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), in a joint statement with Representative Kevin Mullin (D-CA), suggested that local law enforcement authorities could arrest federal agents who violate California laws while enforcing federal immigration policies.

“Reports of a planned mass immigration raid in the Bay Area are an appalling abuse of law enforcement power. Broad sweeps that target families and terrorize law-abiding residents betray our nation’s values and waste resources that should focus on real threats to public safety,” Pelosi and Mullin wrote, continuing: “It is important to note that California law protects communities and prevents federal agents from taking certain actions here that we have witnessed in other states. While the President may enjoy absolute immunity courtesy of his rogue Supreme Court, those who operate under his orders do not.”

“Our state and local authorities may arrest federal agents if they break California law—and if they are convicted, the President cannot pardon them,” the two House Democrats concluded.

San Francisco District Attorney (DA) Brooke Jenkins devised the idea of arresting federal immigration agents on charges like excessive use of force. “I had lead time to think about what authority I have and what I can do. This is something I felt very strongly about, and I had my office research it,” she explained in a recent interview.

According to the San Francisco DA, her office could review footage of incidents involving federal agents and seek warrants for their arrests if excessive force is identified. However, Jenkins acknowledged potential hurdles, including agents operating in masks or without identification, as well as legal challenges to a new California law barring agents from wearing masks, which takes effect in January.

Legal experts, including Berkeley School of Law Dean Erwin Chemerinsky, note the lack of precedent for such actions. Chemerinsky recently commented, “As long as the ICE agents are acting legally, the state can’t prosecute them and hold them liable, even if it dislikes what they’re doing.”

The arrest of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has previously been threatened by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey Cummings, who has barred arresting illegal immigrants inside or near the Cook County courthouse in downtown Chicago, Illinois, unless they can produce a warrant.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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October 10, 2025
Crime

Democrat Lawmaker Charged with Statutory Rape.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A North Carolina Democrat state representative was arrested and charged with statutory rape of a teen.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Rep. Cecil Brockman, 41, a Democrat representing Guilford County, and a 15-year-old victim.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Alleged attacks occurred in August 2025; Brockman was arrested on Wednesday and is being held in Guilford County Jail.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The charges against Rep. Brockman are shocking and extremely serious. Given the evidence that’s publicly known, he should resign immediately so these charges do not distract from the work of the North Carolina House.” – Speaker of the House Destin Hall.

🎯IMPACT: Calls for Brockman’s resignation have come from both parties, and the North Carolina Democratic Party has stated he cannot effectively represent his community.

IN FULL

North Carolina state Representative Cecil Brockman, 41, a Democrat representing Guilford County, was arrested and charged earlier this week with two counts of statutory rape of a person aged 13 to 15 and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. According to warrants, the alleged attacks occurred in August 2025 and involved a 15-year-old victim.

The arrest warrants claim Brockman “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did commit and attempt to commit lewd and lascivious act” with the victim. He was denied bond upon his arrest, and the magistrate’s order alleges he attempted to locate the victim at a hospital and use his position as a representative to make contact with the victim.

The North Carolina Democratic Party has called for Brockman’s resignation, stating, “The profound seriousness of these criminal charges makes it impossible for him to effectively represent his community.” House Democratic Minority Leader Robert Reives echoed this sentiment, saying, “Rep. Brockman must resign immediately.”

Speaker of the House Destin Hall (R) also called for Brockman to step down. “The charges against Rep. Brockman are shocking and extremely serious. Given the evidence that’s publicly known, he should resign immediately so these charges do not distract from the work of the North Carolina House,” Hall said in a statement.

If Brockman resigns, North Carolina’s rules dictate that the Guilford County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee would select his replacement.

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October 8, 2025
Crime

Suspect Nabbed for Devastating Palisades Fires in Los Angeles.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An arrest has been made in connection with the devastating Palisades Fires that destroyed homes and claimed lives in Los Angeles, California, earlier this year.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli, Jonathan Rinderknecht, first responders, and fire victims.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Fires broke out on January 7, 2025, in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles. Details on the arrest were revealed on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January.” — Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli

🎯IMPACT: The fires claimed 30 lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and exposed critical failures in California’s emergency responses.

IN FULL

California law enforcement has made an arrest in the case of the Palisades Fires that ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year, destroying homes and claiming lives. At a press conference on Wednesday, Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for Los Angeles named 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht the suspect, noting that the evidence points to Rinderknecht having intentionally set the fire.

“Today we are announcing the arrest of 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht on a criminal complaint charging him with maliciously starting what became the Palisades Fire in January,” Essayli wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding:  “Among the evidence that was collected from his digital devices was an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a burning city.”

The fires, which erupted on January 7, 2025, killed 12 people in Pacific Palisades and another 18 in Altadena. Over 6,000 homes and buildings were destroyed, including properties owned by high-profile figures such as Paris Hilton, Tom Hanks, and Mandy Moore. The fires burned for days, reducing neighborhoods to ash and rubble.

An outside review released in September pointed to a series of failures in Los Angeles County’s emergency response. The report highlighted outdated policies, inconsistent practices, and communication vulnerabilities that delayed evacuation orders, leaving residents to flee on their own as flames rapidly spread.

The first evacuation order for the Pacific Palisades fire came 40 minutes after some homes were already burning. Severe winds hindered aerial firefighting efforts, while water hydrants ran dry due to unprecedented demand. A nearby reservoir was empty because it was under repair, and fire commanders had not pre-deployed additional resources despite the forecasted conditions.

Despite these challenges, nearly all residents of Pacific Palisades managed to escape, thanks to their awareness of fire risks and the efforts of first responders. The fires were the most destructive in California’s history.

Image by FireEditorHomiee.

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