For KING & COUNTRY‘s holiday album, A Drummer Boy Christmas, and their holiday tours are very popular. But the duo’s Luke and Joel Smallbone say the irony is that as kids growing up in Australia, many beloved Christmas songs just never made sense to them — especially the ones that mention winter or snow.
December is summertime in Australia, which makes certain songs “really bizarre,” Joel notes: “You know, ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,’ if there’s an open fire in Australia in the summer, it’s a bushfire. You’ve got to run. Don’t write a song about it.”
“Or ‘Frosty the Snowman’ … we have Frankie the Sandman,” he laughs. “Or ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas,’ of course you’re dreaming.” So when their family moved to Tennessee when they were young, Joel says, “We exploded when we actually experienced a Northern Hemisphere Christmas.”
“Every Australian loves snow,” Luke adds. “And even for the last few decades, while we’ve been here, if we bring family over, if it doesn’t snow here, we will take them to snow, because that’s how special it is.”
“The first Christmas that we were here, it did indeed snow,” Luke recalls. “And it’s one of only maybe two or three ever since we’ve lived in Tennessee … and so it was a magical moment.” Of course, all eight members of the family ran out and built snowmen — with disastrous results.
“The neighbors bought an F150 and they mowed over the snowman,” Luke reveals. “So it was a cultural experience all the way around. We’re building these new memories, these snowmen, and then we realized that maybe the neighbors don’t like snowmen all at the same time.”
“… And America’s a dangerous place!” adds Joel. “It’s a very dangerous place!” laughs Luke.
Not only will the upcoming Punk Rock Museum display artifacts of the genre, it’ll also give you the opportunity to learn about punk history from the punk rockers themselves.
Artists including The Offspring‘s Noodles and Rise Against guitarist Zach Blair will be giving guided tours of the museum.
“Everyone who books one of these tours will hear stories no one else has heard before, from the people who lived them,” a press release declares.
Only 20 people will be allowed to join a tour at a time, though they’ll be offered multiple times a day.
Other tour guides include members of The Germs, NOFX, Suicidal Tendencies, Fishbone and The Vandals.
The Punk Rock Museum will open on March 10 in Las Vegas, and guided tours will begin April 1. For more info, visit ThePunkRockMuseum.com.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences just announced the short lists in several categories for the upcoming 95th Academy Awards and documentaries about two iconic musicians are in the running.
The David Bowie doc Moonage Daydream, as well as the Leonard Cohen documentary Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song are among the 15 films in the running for a possible nomination in the Documentary Feature Film category.
Moonage Daydream, directed by Brett Morgen, focuses on Bowie’s catalog from 1970 to 1977 and was described as “a sublime kaleidoscopic experiential cinematic odyssey that explores Bowie’s creative, spiritual, and philosophical journey.” Hallelujah, created by Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine, tells the story of Cohen’s life and how his song “Hallelujah” became such an iconic track.
The short list was also announced for the Best Original Song category, with LCD Soundsystem making the cut for their White Noise song “New Body Rhumba.” The David Byrne/Mitski track “This is a Life,” from EverythingEverywhere All at Once, is also in the running, as are songs by Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Rihanna, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga.
The 95th Academy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, are set to air March 12 on ABC. Nominations will be announced January 24.
(COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.) — A Black Army veteran allegedly beaten by Colorado Springs police during an October traffic stop has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the three officers involved in the encounter.
The lawsuit alleges CSPD officers Colby Hickman, Matthew Anderson and Christopher Hummel violated Dalvin Gadson’s Fourth Amendment rights by using excessive force. Each defendant also failed to intervene in preventing the other defendants in using excessive force against Gadson, according to the lawsuit.
At the time of the Oct. 9 encounter, Gadson, a 29-year-old Army veteran, was homeless, living out of his car as he ran a business selling electronics.
“I was taking all my money from DoorDash, literally, and putting it into my business,” Gadson told ABC Denver affiliate KMGH.
Gadson said it felt like “paradise” to be self-sufficient as he saved up his earnings to eventually afford an apartment.
But everything changed the night of Oct. 9 when a CSPD officer pulled Gadson over, telling him it was for a missing license plate, bodycamera footage released by the Colorado Springs Police Department shows.
After taking Gadson’s driver’s license, the officers can be heard in the video discussing a knife they noticed in Gadson’s cupholder. They also described smelling cannabis coming from his vehicle.
When they return to Gadson’s car, telling him he’s under arrest for a DUI, Gadson responds saying, “no I’m not” and backs into his car. From there, the situation escalates with the officers grabbing Gadson to pull him outside of the vehicle and throwing punches at him.
“It turned into the worst nightmare I could ever imagine,” Gadson said.
CSPD said in a statement that its Internal Affairs division opened an ongoing investigation into the arrest but noted that a separate administrative review found that the officers’ use of force was in line with department policy.
“Mr. Gadson refused to exit the vehicle,” the statement says. “When officers attempted to pull Mr. Gadson from the vehicle he physically fought with officers and on more than one instance re-entered the vehicle in the area of the knife.”
Anderson, one of the officers named in the lawsuit, was previously named in a federal civil rights complaint in 2020 for allegedly wrongfully arresting and using excessive force against a man by wrenching his arm after the man made an obscene gesture. The case was dismissed in 2021.
The officers named in the lawsuit could not immediately be reached for comment. The police department declined ABC News’ request for comment on the lawsuit, citing pending litigation.
Gadson was originally charged with two counts of second-degree assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstructing a peace officer, driving under the influence, and driving without license plates. Both assault charges were dropped, and the DUI charge was dismissed in a DMV hearing, his attorneys said.
“If you look at the video, Dalvin is laying on that cupholder. He’s lying on that panel with the knife,” Harry Daniels, Gadson’s attorney, said in an interview with KMGH. “If somebody is beating the hell out of you, I would hope you try to stop them beating the hell out of you. And I mean, try and stop and cover up. That’s not resistant, that’s what we call survival.”
Gadson suffered eye injuries, a ruptured eardrum, and PTSD after the incident, Daniels said. At one point in the video, Gadson is seen lying on the pavement in a pool of blood. Additional photos of Gadson at the hospital also show visible lacerations and contusions on his body as well as his swollen face.
“If you’ve ever been punched in the eye multiple times, it literally sends you unconscious. You can’t see. You can’t hear for some reason,” Gadson said. “I’m looking at my blood on the asphalt and I felt the punches in my face.”
“Sometimes, I just cry watching [the body camera video],” Gadson added. “I have to watch it alone with nobody watching me because it is heartbreaking to even know that that was me that went through this.”
(NEW YORK) — Alleged New York City subway shooter Frank James wants to plead guilty to federal terrorism charges, his attorneys said Wednesday in a letter to the court.
James, who was charged last week in a superseding indictment with 10 counts of committing a terror attack on a mass transit system, was accused of opening fire on a Manhattan-bound N train in Brooklyn on April 12.
Ten people were hurt in a shooting that prosecutors said terrorized the city. James was caught after initially escaping in the chaotic aftermath of the train pulling into the 36th Street station in Sunset Park.
“Mr. James has advised undersigned counsel that he wishes to schedule a guilty plea to the superseding indictment. If the Court is available, we wish to proceed during the first week of January 2023,” the defense letter said.
The court has scheduled a change of plea hearing for Jan. 3.
The superseding indictment charges James with 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation system and vehicle carrying passengers and employees — one count for each injured passenger. He was also charged with a count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
James had previously been charged with a single terrorism offense to which he pleaded not guilty.
James “terrifyingly opened fire on passengers on a crowded subway train, interrupting their morning commute in a way this City hasn’t seen in more than 20 years,” assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Winik said when James first appeared in court. “The defendant’s attack was premeditated; it was carefully planned; and it caused terror among the victims and our entire City.”
The shooting, which took place during a Tuesday morning commute, set off a 24-hour search for the gunman. The following day, several callers to the New York Police Department tipline said a man matching the description of the shooter was wandering around the Lower East Side and East Village. James himself also called the tip line to turn himself in.
A motive for the shooting remains unclear, but authorities have said James posted a number of “race-based grievances and conspiracy theory narratives” on social media.
(NEW YORK) — Sam Bankman-Fried’s ex-girlfriend and the co-founder of FTX have each pleaded guilty to criminal charges and are cooperating with prosecutors, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Wednesday.
Caroline Ellison, CEO of Alameda Research, Bankman-Fried’s privately-controlled hedge fund, and Gary Wang, co-founder of FTX, pleaded guilty earlier this week, according to newly unsealed court documents.
Ellison pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on customers of FTX, wire fraud on customers of FTX, conspiracy to commit wire fraud on lenders of Alameda Research and wire fraud on lenders of Alameda Research, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the court documents.
Together, the seven counts carry a maximum sentence of 110 years in prison.
Wang pleaded guilty to four counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud on customers of FTX, wire fraud on customers of FTX, conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and conspiracy to commit securities fraud, the court documents stated. He faces up to 50 years in prison.
Wang’s attorney, Ilan Graff, who is a partner at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP, said in a statement: “Gary has accepted responsibility for his actions and takes seriously his obligations as a cooperating witness.”
Word of the guilty pleas and cooperation agreements came after Bankman-Fried took off from the Bahamas aboard a U.S. government plane flying to New York, where he is expected to be arraigned Thursday on an eight-count indictment that charges him with orchestrating one of the biggest financial frauds in American history.
Williams made the announcement in a videotaped message shared with ABC News.
(WASHINGTON) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a dramatic visit to Washington Wednesday — his first known trip outside Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February.
He met with President Joe Biden at the White House and later addressed Congress as lawmakers are set to vote on $45 billion more in emergency aid as part of a larger spending package. Biden on Wednesday also announced the U.S. will send Ukraine a Patriot anti-missile battery to defend against devastating Russian attacks.
In a virtual address to U.S. lawmakers back in March, Zelenskyy emotionally pleaded for more aggressive measures to help fight the war. Invoking key American tragedies, including Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 attacks, Zelenskyy told members at the time, “Just remember it … Our country experiences the same every day right now.”
Here is how the story developed:
Dec 21, 8:21 PM EST
Zelenskyy’s speech welcomed by numerous ovations
ABC News’ Will Steakin estimates that Zelenskyy, who has broad bipartisan support on the Hill, received 18 standing ovations during his speech.
Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, the likely next House speaker, stood and clapped along with other lawmakers at nearly every interval.
Some other Republicans, including Reps. Jim Jordan, Andrew Clyde, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert, stood for less than half of the ovations but were seen repeatedly clapping as well.
Gaetz appeared to be on his phone through the speech. At one point he showed Boebert something with a smile
Gaetz has been critical of future Ukrainian aid while McCarthy has called for Republicans to ensure accountability on how it is used.
-ABC News’ Adam Carlson
Dec 21, 8:43 PM EST
A gift for Congress: Ukrainian flag from soldiers
Closing his speech, Zelenskyy quoted late President Franklin D. Roosevelt and gifted a battle flag signed by soldiers to Congress as lawmakers debate additional funding to Ukraine.
“‘The American people, in their might, will win to absolute victory.’ The Ukrainian people will win too, absolutely,” he said to applause.
“I know that everything depends on us, on Ukrainian armed forces, yet so much depends on the world. So much in the world depends on you,” he told lawmakers. “When I was in Bakhmut yesterday, our heroes gave me the flag, the battle flag, the flag of those who defend Ukraine, Europe and the world at the cost of their lives.”
He said soldiers gave him the flag to bring to U.S. lawmakers, “whose decisions can save millions of people.”
“So let this decision be taken, let this flag stay with you, ladies and gentlemen. This flag is a symbol of our victory in this war. We stand, we fight and we will win because we are united, Ukraine, America and the entire free world,” he said, handing the flag to Pelosi.
She then gifted Zelenskyy a folded and framed U.S. flag that had flown over the Capitol on Wednesday in honor of his visit. He held it aloft, to more applause, and then exited the chamber shortly afterward.
Dec 21, 8:31 PM EST
‘Your money is not charity,’ Zelenskyy tells lawmakers of aid
While continuing to ask for help with weapons and financial assistance, Zelenskyy reminded lawmakers that he has never asked for U.S. troops on the ground, which American leaders have long resisted.
“I believe in us and our alliance. Ukraine never asked the American soldiers to fight on our land instead of us. I assure you that Ukrainian soldiers can perfectly operate American tanks and planes themselves,” he said to some laughs and applause.
“Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way,” he said, also to applause and cheers.
The speech comes as lawmakers consider billions in additional aid to Ukraine as part of a larger government spending package, which is seeing resistance from some House Republicans and calls on the right for more oversight on funding to the war-torn country.
Dec 21, 8:23 PM EST
‘The light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out’
Zelenskyy said his country will persevere through the winter and celebrate Christmas. Alluding to Russian strikes on his country’s infrastructure such as its energy resources, he said, “Even if there is no electricity, the light of our faith in ourselves will not be put out.”
“If Russian missiles attack us, we’ll do our best to protect ourselves. If they attack us with Iranian drones and our people will have to go to bomb shelters on Christmas Eve, Ukrainians will still sit down at the holiday table and cheer up each other, and we don’t have to know everyone’s wish as we know that all of us, millions of Ukrainians, wish the same: Victory,” he said. “Only victory.”
He thanked President Biden, “both parties” of Congress and the American people for supporting Ukraine over the last 10 months.
Dec 21, 7:33 PM EST
Pelosi wears broach Zelenskyy gifted her
Presiding over the House chamber, Speaker Nancy Pelosi wore a blue suit with a broach — the “Order of Olga the Duchess of 3rd Degree,” a Ukrainian civil decoration given to her by Zelenskyy when she was in Kyiv, her office said.
Pelosi visited Ukraine in May, marking the first official congressional delegation since Russia invaded.
Dec 21, 7:34 PM EST
Color inside the chamber ahead of speech
Here is some early color ahead of Zelenskyy’s scheduled 7:30 p.m. remarks to a joint meeting of Congress:
The mood is good inside with members mingling. Early attendees included incoming House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.
Gaetz has been one of the most vocal critics in Congress of future Ukraine funding, vowing a few weeks ago not to support additional money.
Some members are wearing yellow scarves and yellow suit jackets — an apparent reference to solidarity with Ukraine.
Shortly ahead of Zelenskyy’s address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi welcomed senators to the House chamber for the joint meeting, including Vice President Kamala Harris, president of the Senate.
Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney was seated on the Democrats’ side of the House chamber next to lawmakers she served with on the Jan. 6 committee.
-ABC News’ Will Steakin
Dec 21, 7:00 PM EST
Top congressional leaders meet behind closed doors with Zelenskyy
The big four — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy — met behind closed doors with Zelenskyy ahead of his address to Congress.
Zelenskyy was spotted walking through Statuary Hall outside the House chamber with Pelosi, Schumer and McConnell, but McCarthy, the likely incoming House speaker, was not with them for that walk.
McCarthy, also needing to win over conservatives to back his bid for speaker, has signaled he could oppose more funding to Ukraine, warning that Republicans will not write a “blank check” for aid when they soon assume the majority.
Some conservative House Republicans have made it clear they would oppose any additional funding even as Congress votes on a must-pass $1.7 trillion government funding bill this week that includes $45 billion in aid to Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Lauren Peller
Dec 21, 5:48 PM EST
Biden defends sending Patriot missile defense system: ‘Not escalatory’
President Biden defended the decision to send a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine and denied the move was escalatory.
“It’s a defensive system. It’s a defensive weapon system. It’s not escalatory, it’s defensive,” Biden said. “We’d love to not have them use it. Just stop the attacks,” he said, referring to Russia.
Zelenskyy delicately added that he may call on the U.S. to send another Patriot missile in the near future, prompting laughter.
“We’re working on it,” Biden said with a smile.
Zelenskyy said, “We are in war. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. That is my appreciation.”
Dec 21, 5:35 PM EST
Training Ukrainian troops on Patriot system could take months, official says
The training of Ukrainian troops on the Patriot missile battery could take “several months,” according to a senior defense official who briefed reporters this afternoon.
“I can just say that the training will begin very soon,” the official said, noting the “Ukrainians will have to complete the training in order to be able to field the system and it’s the Ukrainians who are operating the system.”
The Patriot missile system and JDAM kits to convert “dumb bombs” to “smart bombs” are included in the latest round of military aid to Ukraine. Ukraine has been asking for the advanced air defense system since shortly after Russia’s invasion began.
The official would not provide any concrete timelines, telling reporters: “We also would obviously want to be really, really careful for operational security reasons to not you know, not be overly precise on a date, even once we have it.”
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Dec 21, 5:27 PM EST
Zelenskyy’s message to Americans: ‘We will win’
Zelenskyy was asked by a reporter what his message is to the American people ahead of his address to U.S. lawmakers later this evening.
“I think I will tell you very simple things which are very important for me,” Zelenskyy responded. “And I think so that we have the same values and the same understanding of the life, the sense of the life. My message: I wish you peace.”
“And I wish you to see your children alive and adult,” Zelenskyy continued. “And I wish you to see your children when they will go to universities, and to see their children. I think that is the main thing, what I can wish you.”
Zelenskyy said the U.S. and Ukraine are fighting for “common victory against this tyranny” and predicted, “We will win.”
“I really want win together,” he said, before slightly amending his words: “Not ‘want.’ Sorry. I’m sure.”
Dec 21, 5:21 PM EST
Zelenskyy confident of continued support ‘regardless of changes in the Congress’
At the top of their joint news conference, Zelenskyy again thanked Biden, Congress and the American people for providing defense and aide to Ukraine against Russia, which he called a “terrorist country.”
“This visit to the United States became really a historic one for our relations with the United States and the American leadership,” Zelenskyy said.
“I have good news returning home,” he continued, raising the new nearly $2 billion aid package. “This is a very important step to create a secure airspace for Ukraine, and that’s the only way we would be able to deprive the terrorist country and terror attack.”
Zelenskyy said “regardless of changes in the Congress,” he believes there will be support for Ukraine, showing his apparent knowledge of resistance from House Republicans.
“We need to survive this winter, we need to protect our people, and we need to be very specific in this area. This is a key humanitarian issue for us right now. This is the survival issue,” he said. “We are discussing sanctions and legal pressure on the terrorist country of Russia. Russia needs to be held accountable for everything it does against us, against our people, against Europe, and the whole free world.”
Dec 21, 5:10 PM EST
Biden tells Zelenskyy Ukraine ‘will never stand alone’
At a joint news conference in the White House East Room, Biden said it’s important for the world to hear directly from President Zelenskyy as his country stands up to the aggression of Russia’s “imperialist autocrats.”
“We should be clear about what Russia is doing,” Biden said. “It is purposely attacking Ukraine critical infrastructure, destroying the system to provide heat and light Ukrainian people during the coldest darkest part of the year. Russia is using winter as a weapon, Freezing people, starving people, cutting them off from one another.”
Biden criticized Vladimir Putin, who he said has “no plans” to pursue peace or bring an end to the war.
Biden told Zelenskyy “you will never stand alone” and that the U.S. and its partners are ready to provide necessary assistance.
“The American people know that if we stand by in the face of such blatant attacks, on liberty and democracy and the core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the world would surely face worse consequences,” Biden said, adding, “The American people are prepared to have us stand up to bullies, stand up for freedom.”
Dec 21, 4:21 PM EST
Biden, Zelenskyy to hold White House news conference as Congress weighs aid to Ukraine
Zelenskyy and Biden are scheduled to hold a joint news conference in the White House East Room at 4:30 p.m. before Zelenskyy travels to Capitol Hill to address lawmakers at 7:30 p.m.
The high-security trip to Washington comes as Biden announced another $2 billion package in security assistance for Ukraine, which includes a Patriot missile defense system Zelenskyy had been requesting.
The visit also comes as Congress weighs $45 billion in funding for Ukraine, which has met resistance from some House Republicans. Asked how much of the visit is about Biden sending a message them, the White House said it’s not about politics, despite the timing.
“This isn’t about sending a message to a particular political party,” said a senior administration official. “This is about sending a message to Putin and sending a message to the world that America will be there for Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
-ABC News Justin Gomez
Dec 21, 3:25 PM EST
McCarthy tells ABC News he’ll attend Zelenskyy’s address to Congress
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — who has previously signaled his reluctance to further back Ukrainian aid as the country fends off a Russian invasion — told ABC News he would attend the Ukrainian president’s address to Congress this evening.
“Well, by going to the Zelenskyy speech, we’d be listening to it,” he said in remarks to reporters.
“We’ll meet with him privately,” he added.
McCarthy oversees some conservative members of the House Republican caucus who have ardently opposed additional funding for Ukraine and has himself spoken out against providing a “blank check” for the county without an audit of how it’s spending the billions in U.S. aid.
Before his remarks, it was unclear if McCarthy would attend.
–ABC News’ Trish Turner
Dec 21, 3:13 PM EST
Zelenskyy presents Biden with Ukrainian soldier’s award
As they spoke at the White House, Zelenskyy presented Biden with an award given to a Ukrainian soldier. The soldier wanted the president to have it, Zelenskyy explained.
“He’s very brave,” Zelenskyy said of the soldier, who he said is a captain of an HIMARS battery — an advanced rocket system sent by the U.S. “And he said, ‘give it to a very brave president.'”
Biden then asked for the solider’s name and if there was any way to contact him.
“Undeserved but much appreciated,” Biden said, adding he would give the captain a challenge coin.
Dec 21, 3:00 PM EST
Zelenskyy thanks Biden, ‘ordinary’ Americans for support
In front of a roaring fire inside the Oval Office and flanked by reporters, Zelenskyy thanked President Biden for the support of the United States, which Biden said now includes a Patriot missile defense system and precision bomb kits.
“Thank you so much. Mr. President. Great honor for me to be here, with your journalists. Thank you so much for the invitation,” Zelenskyy said. “I really wanted to come earlier, Mr. President knows, but I couldn’t do it because the situation was so difficult.”
Zelenskyy thanked Biden for his “big support and leadership,” as well as the “ordinary” American people for standing with Ukraine.
“Thanks from our ordinary people to your ordinary people — Americans — I really appreciate.” Zelenskyy said. “Thank you so much.”
Dec 21, 2:55 PM EST
Biden says US will support Ukraine in pursuing a ‘just peace’
Welcoming Zelenskyy back to the Oval Office, Biden said it was an honor to be meeting again amid the “brutal” war being waged by Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
“Hard to believe 300 days we’ve going through this, and Putin has waged a brutal assault on the Ukraine’s right to exist as a nation and the attack on innocent Ukrainian people for no reason other than to intimidate,” Biden said.
“And he’s escalated his assault on civilians after hitting schools, orphanages, hospitals, landmarks, it’s just — and he’s trying to use winter as a weapon. But the Ukrainian people continue to inspire the world. I mean that sincerely, not just inspire us but inspire the world with their courage and how they have chose resilience and resolve for their future,” Biden said.
Biden said Democrats and Republicans will make sure Ukraine has the economic, humanitarian and security assistance they need to keep fighting and will “support Ukraine in pursuing a just peace.”
“President Zelenskyy, the United States stands with the brave people of Ukraine, we stand with you, you’ve been a great leader,” he said as he turned it over to Zelenskyy to give remarks.
Dec 21, 2:09 PM EST
Biden greets Zelenskyy at the White House
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden greeted Zelenskyy on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday afternoon just after 2 p.m. Zelenskyy, donning army green, shook hands with the Bidens after exiting the motorcade.
The South Portico, decorated with holiday wreaths, was also adorned with the American and Ukrainian flags.
“Mr. President, welcome back,” Biden said.
In a show of support, Biden was wearing a blue-and-yellow striped tie, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Dec 21, 1:34 PM EST
Zelenskyy arrives at Blair House
President Zelenskyy has arrived at Blair House, which now has a Ukrainian flag flying overhead. Blair House, located across the street from the White House, is the residence where foreign dignitaries often stay when visiting Washington.
Dec 21, 1:21 PM EST
McConnell says more Ukraine aid boosts ‘American interests’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case for more military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday as some in his party oppose sending more money to the nation.
“The reason that a big bipartisan majority of the American people and a big bipartisan majority in Congress support continuing to assist Ukraine is not primarily about inspiring speeches or desire to engage in philanthropy,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
“The most basic reasons for continuing to help Ukraine degrade and defeat the Russian invaders are cold, hard, practical, American interests,” he continued. “Helping equip our friends in eastern Europe defeat this world is also a direct investment in reducing Putin’s future capabilities to menace America, threaten our allies and contest our core interests.”
But some in the GOP are questioning the amount of aid being sent to Ukraine, arguing the government should be investing that money domestically. “American taxpayers are literally paying to prop up many countries all over the world in foreign aid, but America is virtually crumbling before our eyes,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene argued in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
Other Republicans argue the need for more oversight of the funds being approved for Ukraine, stating they don’t want to write a “blank check” to Ukraine.
Dec 21, 1:02 PM EST
Zelenskyy continues to take risks for country
From the frontlines of the war in Ukraine to the political frontlines of Washington on Capitol Hill and the White House, Zelenskyy continues to take risks to defend Ukraine and show masterful skill at using language and symbolism to marshal international support.
“Remember Pearl Harbor. The morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Remember. Remember September 11. A terrible day in 2001 when people tried to turn your cities into battlefields. When innocent people were attacked from the air. No one expected it. You couldn’t stop it,” he said in his virtual speech to Congress in March.
“Our country experiences the same every day,” he said.
Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to the front-line city of Bakhmut on Monday, where Ukrainian and Russian forces have fought a months-long battle. The comedian-turned-politician who was elected to lead Ukraine in 2019, was named Time’s person of the year earlier this month “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear.”
Dec 21, 12:45 PM EST
Zelenskyy has landed in the US
A U.S. official confirms to ABC News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in the U.S.
–ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Dec 21, 12:27 PM EST
‘Significant’ security measures in place at Capitol
Zelenskyy’s trip to Capitol Hill will be similar to State of the Union preparations because of the high-level nature of the address. Security officials at the most senior levels of government are “very” concerned about the prospect of something happening tonight, domestically or abroad, one source told ABC News.
According to an email sent to staff at the Capitol and obtained by ABC News, security measures will be “significant.” The email says only staff and members will be allowed in the House wing past a certain time.
Another official said, “We are very cognizant that Russia has assets in this country and might try to do something. We know what is at stake.”
The source said the U.S. is aware that early on in the conflict the Russians apparently plotted to kill Zelenskyy. The official expressed concern that news of Zelensky’s visit broke so early about him coming to the United States. It would have been much better, he said, if our adversaries had less time, not more time, to think about doing something and to move assets and operatives around.
-ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas and Luke Barr
Dec 21, 12:19 PM EST
Secret Service leading security for Zelenskyy’s trip
Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington is being treated as a mini-state visit — a visit with extraordinary security implications, according to multiple sources. Hundreds of law enforcement and intelligence officials have been activated for this visit with the U.S. Secret Service tasked as the lead agency.
“From the moment he lands and walks down those stairs of his plane, he will have a Secret Service security detail,” one official tells ABC News. “He will have that detail until he gets on the plane to leave.”
Secret Service is also consulting with the Capitol Police, CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies about the security environment. One source told ABC News every Capitol Police officer is on standby.
-ABC News’ Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas and Luke Barr
Dec 21, 11:50 AM EST
Schumer compares Zelenskyy to Winston Churchill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., compared Zelenskyy to Winston Churchill during floor remarks on Wednesday.
“Where Winston Churchill stood generations ago, so, too, President Zelenskyy stands not just as a president but also as an ambassador to freedom itself,” Schumer said.
Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, addressed U.S. lawmakers in a speech the day after Christmas in 1941 — just weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack.
“Sure I am, that this day, now, we are the masters of our fate,” Churchill told Congress. “That the task which has been set us is not above our strength. That its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our cause, and an unconquerable willpower, salvation will not be denied us.”
Schumer said he will “happily join” Congress in welcoming Zelenskyy, and urged Republicans to attend the joint meeting.
“It is a high honor to welcome a foreign head of state to Congress, but it is nearly unheard of to hear from a leader who is fighting for his life fighting for his country’s survival and fighting to preserve the very idea of democracy,” Schumer said.
(DETROIT) — On July 6 of this year, Detroit police officer Loren Courts responded to a call for a shooting on Marlowe Street. When police arrived, the 19-year-old suspect shot and killed Courts while he was arriving in his cruiser, according to police.
At his memorial service, Courts, whose father was a retired Detroit Police Department officer, was lauded for his work.
“He was the person others leaned on and sought for advice. He had a calming influence within the precinct and on the street. I do not ever recall seeing him rattled or not on point,” one of his fellow officers said, according to local reports. “He was a consummate professional who was the epitome of what a Detroit police officer should be.”.
Courts was one of the 323 police officers shot in the line of duty this year, according to statistics released by the National Fraternal Order of Police, one of the largest police unions in the country, on Wednesday.
The numbers are up 7% from 2020 and 13% from 2019, according to the FOP. In total, 60 law enforcement officers were killed by gunfire in 2022, the FOP reports. The numbers are down from 2021, however, which was a record-breaking year.
“Last year we saw more officers shot in the line of duty than any other since the National Fraternal Order of Police began recording this data in late 2015, and this year is not far behind,” FOP President Patrick Yoes said in a statement. “If these violent criminals are willing to commit brazen acts of violence against the men and women of law enforcement, we can’t begin to fathom what heinous acts they are willing to commit against law-abiding citizens. As crime rates continue to rise, more citizens in this country are justifiably living in fear, constantly wondering if they too will become a victim.”
Texas, followed by Arizona, Georgia and California, had the most officers shot in 2022.
“Every felonious attack on a law enforcement officer, especially by gunfire, is disturbing regardless of the circumstances,” the report said.
Of concern, the union said, 124 law enforcement officers were shot in “ambush” style attacks, which lead to more than half the deaths in 2022. The union said the year-end report will be released in mid-January.
(WASHINGTON) — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making a dramatic visit to Washington Wednesday — his first trip outside Ukraine since the Russian invasion began in February.
He’s set to visit President Joe Biden at the White House and address Congress as lawmakers vote on $45 billion more in emergency aid, and Biden is expected to announce the U.S. will send Ukraine a Patriot anti-missile battery to defend against devastating Russian attacks.
In a virtual address to U.S. lawmakers back in March, Zelenskyy emotionally pleaded for more aggressive measures to help fight the war. Invoking key American tragedies, including Pearl Harbor and the Sept. 11 attacks, Zelenskyy told members at the time, “Just remember it … Our country experiences the same every day right now.”
Please check back for updates. All times Eastern:
Dec 21, 7:33 PM EST
Pelosi wears broach Zelenskyy gifted her
Presiding over the House chamber, Speaker Nancy Pelosi wore a blue suit with a broach — the “Order of Olga the Duchess of 3rd Degree,” a Ukrainian civil decoration given to her by Zelenskyy when she was in Kyiv, her office said.
Pelosi visited Ukraine in May, marking the first official congressional delegation since Russia invaded.
Dec 21, 7:34 PM EST
Color inside the chamber ahead of speech
Here is some early color ahead of Zelenskyy’s scheduled 7:30 p.m. remarks to a joint meeting of Congress:
The mood is good inside with members mingling. Early attendees included incoming House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Lauren Boebert of Colorado.
Gaetz has been one of the most vocal critics in Congress of future Ukraine funding, vowing a few weeks ago not to support additional money.
Some members are wearing yellow scarves and yellow suit jackets — an apparent reference to solidarity with Ukraine.
Shortly ahead of Zelenskyy’s address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi welcomed senators to the House chamber for the joint meeting, including Vice President Kamala Harris, president of the Senate.
Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney was seated on the Democrats’ side of the House chamber next to lawmakers she served with on the Jan. 6 committee.
-ABC News’ Will Steakin
Dec 21, 7:00 PM EST
Top congressional leaders meet behind closed doors with Zelenskyy
The big four — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy — met behind closed doors with Zelenskyy ahead of his address to Congress.
Zelenskyy was spotted walking through Statuary Hall outside the House chamber with Pelosi, Schumer and McConnell, but McCarthy, the likely incoming House speaker, was not with them for that walk.
McCarthy, also needing to win over conservatives to back his bid for speaker, has signaled he could oppose more funding to Ukraine, warning that Republicans will not write a “blank check” for aid when they soon assume the majority.
Some conservative House Republicans have made it clear they would oppose any additional funding even as Congress votes on a must-pass $1.7 trillion government funding bill this week that includes $45 billion in aid to Ukraine.
-ABC News’ Katherine Faulders and Lauren Peller
Dec 21, 5:48 PM EST
Biden defends sending Patriot missile defense system: ‘Not escalatory’
President Biden defended the decision to send a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine and denied the move was escalatory.
“It’s a defensive system. It’s a defensive weapon system. It’s not escalatory, it’s defensive,” Biden said. “We’d love to not have them use it. Just stop the attacks,” he said, referring to Russia.
Zelenskyy delicately added that he may call on the U.S. to send another Patriot missile in the near future, prompting laughter.
“We’re working on it,” Biden said with a smile.
Zelenskyy said, “We are in war. I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. That is my appreciation.”
Dec 21, 5:35 PM EST
Training Ukrainian troops on Patriot system could take months, official says
The training of Ukrainian troops on the Patriot missile battery could take “several months,” according to a senior defense official who briefed reporters this afternoon.
“I can just say that the training will begin very soon,” the official said, noting the “Ukrainians will have to complete the training in order to be able to field the system and it’s the Ukrainians who are operating the system.”
The Patriot missile system and JDAM kits to convert “dumb bombs” to “smart bombs” are included in the latest round of military aid to Ukraine. Ukraine has been asking for the advanced air defense system since shortly after Russia’s invasion began.
The official would not provide any concrete timelines, telling reporters: “We also would obviously want to be really, really careful for operational security reasons to not you know, not be overly precise on a date, even once we have it.”
-ABC News’ Luis Martinez
Dec 21, 5:27 PM EST
Zelenskyy’s message to Americans: ‘We will win’
Zelenskyy was asked by a reporter what his message is to the American people ahead of his address to U.S. lawmakers later this evening.
“I think I will tell you very simple things which are very important for me,” Zelenskyy responded. “And I think so that we have the same values and the same understanding of the life, the sense of the life. My message: I wish you peace.”
“And I wish you to see your children alive and adult,” Zelenskyy continued. “And I wish you to see your children when they will go to universities, and to see their children. I think that is the main thing, what I can wish you.”
Zelenskyy said the U.S. and Ukraine are fighting for “common victory against this tyranny” and predicted, “We will win.”
“I really want win together,” he said, before slightly amending his words: “Not ‘want.’ Sorry. I’m sure.”
Dec 21, 5:21 PM EST
Zelenskyy confident of continued support ‘regardless of changes in the Congress’
At the top of their joint news conference, Zelenskyy again thanked Biden, Congress and the American people for providing defense and aide to Ukraine against Russia, which he called a “terrorist country.”
“This visit to the United States became really a historic one for our relations with the United States and the American leadership,” Zelenskyy said.
“I have good news returning home,” he continued, raising the new nearly $2 billion aid package. “This is a very important step to create a secure airspace for Ukraine, and that’s the only way we would be able to deprive the terrorist country and terror attack.”
Zelenskyy said “regardless of changes in the Congress,” he believes there will be support for Ukraine, showing his apparent knowledge of resistance from House Republicans.
“We need to survive this winter, we need to protect our people, and we need to be very specific in this area. This is a key humanitarian issue for us right now. This is the survival issue,” he said. “We are discussing sanctions and legal pressure on the terrorist country of Russia. Russia needs to be held accountable for everything it does against us, against our people, against Europe, and the whole free world.”
Dec 21, 5:10 PM EST
Biden tells Zelenskyy Ukraine ‘will never stand alone’
At a joint news conference in the White House East Room, Biden said it’s important for the world to hear directly from President Zelenskyy as his country stands up to the aggression of Russia’s “imperialist autocrats.”
“We should be clear about what Russia is doing,” Biden said. “It is purposely attacking Ukraine critical infrastructure, destroying the system to provide heat and light Ukrainian people during the coldest darkest part of the year. Russia is using winter as a weapon, Freezing people, starving people, cutting them off from one another.”
Biden criticized Vladimir Putin, who he said has “no plans” to pursue peace or bring an end to the war.
Biden told Zelenskyy “you will never stand alone” and that the U.S. and its partners are ready to provide necessary assistance.
“The American people know that if we stand by in the face of such blatant attacks, on liberty and democracy and the core principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the world would surely face worse consequences,” Biden said, adding, “The American people are prepared to have us stand up to bullies, stand up for freedom.”
Dec 21, 4:21 PM EST
Biden, Zelenskyy to hold White House news conference as Congress weighs aid to Ukraine
Zelenskyy and Biden are scheduled to hold a joint news conference in the White House East Room at 4:30 p.m. before Zelenskyy travels to Capitol Hill to address lawmakers at 7:30 p.m.
The high-security trip to Washington comes as Biden announced another $2 billion package in security assistance for Ukraine, which includes a Patriot missile defense system Zelenskyy had been requesting.
The visit also comes as Congress weighs $45 billion in funding for Ukraine, which has met resistance from some House Republicans. Asked how much of the visit is about Biden sending a message them, the White House said it’s not about politics, despite the timing.
“This isn’t about sending a message to a particular political party,” said a senior administration official. “This is about sending a message to Putin and sending a message to the world that America will be there for Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
-ABC News Justin Gomez
Dec 21, 3:25 PM EST
McCarthy tells ABC News he’ll attend Zelenskyy’s address to Congress
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — who has previously signaled his reluctance to further back Ukrainian aid as the country fends off a Russian invasion — told ABC News he would attend the Ukrainian president’s address to Congress this evening.
“Well, by going to the Zelenskyy speech, we’d be listening to it,” he said in remarks to reporters.
“We’ll meet with him privately,” he added.
McCarthy oversees some conservative members of the House Republican caucus who have ardently opposed additional funding for Ukraine and has himself spoken out against providing a “blank check” for the county without an audit of how it’s spending the billions in U.S. aid.
Before his remarks, it was unclear if McCarthy would attend.
–ABC News’ Trish Turner
Dec 21, 3:13 PM EST
Zelenskyy presents Biden with Ukrainian soldier’s award
As they spoke at the White House, Zelenskyy presented Biden with an award given to a Ukrainian soldier. The soldier wanted the president to have it, Zelenskyy explained.
“He’s very brave,” Zelenskyy said of the soldier, who he said is a captain of an HIMARS battery — an advanced rocket system sent by the U.S. “And he said, ‘give it to a very brave president.'”
Biden then asked for the solider’s name and if there was any way to contact him.
“Undeserved but much appreciated,” Biden said, adding he would give the captain a challenge coin.
Dec 21, 3:00 PM EST
Zelenskyy thanks Biden, ‘ordinary’ Americans for support
In front of a roaring fire inside the Oval Office and flanked by reporters, Zelenskyy thanked President Biden for the support of the United States, which Biden said now includes a Patriot missile defense system and precision bomb kits.
“Thank you so much. Mr. President. Great honor for me to be here, with your journalists. Thank you so much for the invitation,” Zelenskyy said. “I really wanted to come earlier, Mr. President knows, but I couldn’t do it because the situation was so difficult.”
Zelenskyy thanked Biden for his “big support and leadership,” as well as the “ordinary” American people for standing with Ukraine.
“Thanks from our ordinary people to your ordinary people — Americans — I really appreciate.” Zelenskyy said. “Thank you so much.”
Dec 21, 2:55 PM EST
Biden says US will support Ukraine in pursuing a ‘just peace’
Welcoming Zelenskyy back to the Oval Office, Biden said it was an honor to be meeting again amid the “brutal” war being waged by Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
“Hard to believe 300 days we’ve going through this, and Putin has waged a brutal assault on the Ukraine’s right to exist as a nation and the attack on innocent Ukrainian people for no reason other than to intimidate,” Biden said.
“And he’s escalated his assault on civilians after hitting schools, orphanages, hospitals, landmarks, it’s just — and he’s trying to use winter as a weapon. But the Ukrainian people continue to inspire the world. I mean that sincerely, not just inspire us but inspire the world with their courage and how they have chose resilience and resolve for their future,” Biden said.
Biden said Democrats and Republicans will make sure Ukraine has the economic, humanitarian and security assistance they need to keep fighting and will “support Ukraine in pursuing a just peace.”
“President Zelenskyy, the United States stands with the brave people of Ukraine, we stand with you, you’ve been a great leader,” he said as he turned it over to Zelenskyy to give remarks.
Dec 21, 2:09 PM EST
Biden greets Zelenskyy at the White House
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden greeted Zelenskyy on the South Lawn of the White House Wednesday afternoon just after 2 p.m. Zelenskyy, donning army green, shook hands with the Bidens after exiting the motorcade.
The South Portico, decorated with holiday wreaths, was also adorned with the American and Ukrainian flags.
“Mr. President, welcome back,” Biden said.
In a show of support, Biden was wearing a blue-and-yellow striped tie, the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Dec 21, 1:34 PM EST
Zelenskyy arrives at Blair House
President Zelenskyy has arrived at Blair House, which now has a Ukrainian flag flying overhead. Blair House, located across the street from the White House, is the residence where foreign dignitaries often stay when visiting Washington.
Dec 21, 1:21 PM EST
McConnell says more Ukraine aid boosts ‘American interests’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., made the case for more military aid for Ukraine on Wednesday as some in his party oppose sending more money to the nation.
“The reason that a big bipartisan majority of the American people and a big bipartisan majority in Congress support continuing to assist Ukraine is not primarily about inspiring speeches or desire to engage in philanthropy,” McConnell said on the Senate floor.
“The most basic reasons for continuing to help Ukraine degrade and defeat the Russian invaders are cold, hard, practical, American interests,” he continued. “Helping equip our friends in eastern Europe defeat this world is also a direct investment in reducing Putin’s future capabilities to menace America, threaten our allies and contest our core interests.”
But some in the GOP are questioning the amount of aid being sent to Ukraine, arguing the government should be investing that money domestically. “American taxpayers are literally paying to prop up many countries all over the world in foreign aid, but America is virtually crumbling before our eyes,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene argued in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
Other Republicans argue the need for more oversight of the funds being approved for Ukraine, stating they don’t want to write a “blank check” to Ukraine.
Dec 21, 1:02 PM EST
Zelenskyy continues to take risks for country
From the frontlines of the war in Ukraine to the political frontlines of Washington on Capitol Hill and the White House, Zelenskyy continues to take risks to defend Ukraine and show masterful skill at using language and symbolism to marshal international support.
“Remember Pearl Harbor. The morning of December 7, 1941, when your sky was black from the planes attacking you. Remember. Remember September 11. A terrible day in 2001 when people tried to turn your cities into battlefields. When innocent people were attacked from the air. No one expected it. You couldn’t stop it,” he said in his virtual speech to Congress in March.
“Our country experiences the same every day,” he said.
Zelenskyy made an unannounced visit to the front-line city of Bakhmut on Monday, where Ukrainian and Russian forces have fought a months-long battle. The comedian-turned-politician who was elected to lead Ukraine in 2019, was named Time’s person of the year earlier this month “for proving that courage can be as contagious as fear.”
Dec 21, 12:45 PM EST
Zelenskyy has landed in the US
A U.S. official confirms to ABC News that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in the U.S.
–ABC News’ Sarah Kolinovsky
Dec 21, 12:27 PM EST
‘Significant’ security measures in place at Capitol
Zelenskyy’s trip to Capitol Hill will be similar to State of the Union preparations because of the high-level nature of the address. Security officials at the most senior levels of government are “very” concerned about the prospect of something happening tonight, domestically or abroad, one source told ABC News.
According to an email sent to staff at the Capitol and obtained by ABC News, security measures will be “significant.” The email says only staff and members will be allowed in the House wing past a certain time.
Another official said, “We are very cognizant that Russia has assets in this country and might try to do something. We know what is at stake.”
The source said the U.S. is aware that early on in the conflict the Russians apparently plotted to kill Zelenskyy. The official expressed concern that news of Zelensky’s visit broke so early about him coming to the United States. It would have been much better, he said, if our adversaries had less time, not more time, to think about doing something and to move assets and operatives around.
-ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas and Luke Barr
Dec 21, 12:19 PM EST
Secret Service leading security for Zelenskyy’s trip
Zelenskyy’s trip to Washington is being treated as a mini-state visit — a visit with extraordinary security implications, according to multiple sources. Hundreds of law enforcement and intelligence officials have been activated for this visit with the U.S. Secret Service tasked as the lead agency.
“From the moment he lands and walks down those stairs of his plane, he will have a Secret Service security detail,” one official tells ABC News. “He will have that detail until he gets on the plane to leave.”
Secret Service is also consulting with the Capitol Police, CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies about the security environment. One source told ABC News every Capitol Police officer is on standby.
-ABC News’ Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas and Luke Barr
Dec 21, 11:50 AM EST
Schumer compares Zelenskyy to Winston Churchill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., compared Zelenskyy to Winston Churchill during floor remarks on Wednesday.
“Where Winston Churchill stood generations ago, so, too, President Zelenskyy stands not just as a president but also as an ambassador to freedom itself,” Schumer said.
Churchill, prime minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, addressed U.S. lawmakers in a speech the day after Christmas in 1941 — just weeks after the Pearl Harbor attack.
“Sure I am, that this day, now, we are the masters of our fate,” Churchill told Congress. “That the task which has been set us is not above our strength. That its pangs and toils are not beyond our endurance. As long as we have faith in our cause, and an unconquerable willpower, salvation will not be denied us.”
Schumer said he will “happily join” Congress in welcoming Zelenskyy, and urged Republicans to attend the joint meeting.
“It is a high honor to welcome a foreign head of state to Congress, but it is nearly unheard of to hear from a leader who is fighting for his life fighting for his country’s survival and fighting to preserve the very idea of democracy,” Schumer said.
(LONDON) — Actress Taraneh Alidoosti was arrested over the weekend by the Iranian regime for supporting the ongoing protests, becoming the most prominent person in the country to be targeted.
Alidoosti, who starred in the 2016 film “The Salesman,” which won an Academy Award for best foreign language film, had posted a photo of herself without a headscarf to her 8 million Instagram followers. She also held a sign with the revolutionary slogan: “Woman, life freedom.”
“Every international organization who is watching this bloodshed and not taking action is a disgrace to humanity,” she posted on social media, denouncing the execution of protesters in prison.
The protests began after a 22-year-old woman was detained by the country’s morality police for not wearing a headscarf in public. She later died in prison.
Alidoosti’s first request was to allow her family to send her medication to prison. That request, observers say, highlights an underreported aspect of the anti-regime protests and the crackdown: the conditions of those arrested in Iranian jails.
“The regime knew that her arrest could track huge international attention. It is why they did not arrest her sooner,” Masoud Kazemi, an Istanbul-based Iranian journalist who has been incarcerated in Islamic Republic prisons, told ABC News. “The first and only thing Alidoosti requested was her medication; it drags our attention into prisoners’ situation and to what happens inside prisons.”
Denial of medical care
There are believed to be at least 15,000 people in Iranian prisons on charges related to the protests. The denial of medical care has become a common complaint of prisoners’ families, who have posted on social media and talked to various news outlets.
Elham Modaressi, a 32-year-old painter in Karaj, is currently in jail for allegedly taking part in the demonstrations. She has PSC, a genetic liver condition that requires special medical care. Her family is concerned about her situation.
“My sister is under severe risk in Kachouei prison,” Nahid Modaressi, Elham’s sister, told ABC News. “Elham needs immediate hospitalization or her liver gets severely damaged. Her life is in danger.”
Elham was arrested on Nov. 2 in a security forces raid on her flat where she lives with her ailing mother and brother.
Authorities may restrict prisoners’ access to medical care at any time, according to Kazemi.
“As long as they know you won’t die in prison, they decline medical care to force you to cooperate,” Kazemi said.
Amnesty International has previously condemned the denial of medical care in Iranian prisons, but the sheer influx of protesters in the prison system has thrown the issue into sharper focus, with families expressing widespread concern.
“Medical care denial is a passive torture many times accompanied by different forms of physical and psychological tortures,” Shahla, an Iranian activist and protester who did not want to be identified for security reasons, told ABC News. “Tortures reported by prisoners vary from beating and keeping prisoners in extremely cold temperature to humiliation, solitary confinement and incarceration in psychiatric wards.”
Physical and psychological torture
According to Nahid Modarresi, her sister has been tortured in an attempt to make her accept the charges, which include “leading riots.”
“My sister is innocent and is being humiliated, beaten and not being sent to the hospital and is told nothing changes unless she confesses to something she hasn’t done,” she said.
Humiliation happens in different ways, according to Shahla.
“Security officials had made some prisoners stand barefoot on frozen waters in the police station’s yard while being insulted and beaten the whole night,” she said. “Or we repeatedly hear the guards ask prisoners to dance for them in the middle of an interrogation.”
Psychological tortures, she added, can take “dangerous and life-threatening turns.”
Among the reported methods used to demoralize prisoners at the notorious Evin prison, where Alidoosti is being held, is to transfer them from regular prison blocks to the Amin Abad psychiatric ward where they are subjected to “the same treatment as the severely mentally ill.”
“Once a prisoner is sent to a psychiatric ward, no one knows what kind of medication they are forced to receive. They may get chained to the bed and receive injections that mess up with their minds,” Kazemi said.
Melika Qaragozlu, a 22-year-old journalism student, was arrested on July 13 after she posted a photo of herself without a hijab. After months in jail, she was sent to Amin Abad on Nov. 16, her lawyer, Mohammad Ali Kamfirouzi, said in a tweet. Qaragozlu was released on bail Tuesday but Ali Kamfirouzi has now himself been arrested, reportedly for his role in trying to represent incarcerated protesters.
“What is happening in Iranian jails is ‘dehumanizing’ prisoners and they use all tools you might think to ‘break’ you,” Kazemi said.
