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Showbiz Heir Gets Judge’s Reality Check in Murder Bid Case

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A showbiz scion accused of knifing three people outside an upscale New York City bar faced a sobering court update on Tuesday, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Arlo Willner, 21, is facing charges including attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon after prosecutors say he stabbed three people outside a Kips Bay bar on May 17, 2025.

Willner previously pleaded not guilty to every charge at his arraignment last year.

The 21-year-old, whose late father Hal Willner was the longtime music coordinator for Saturday Night Live, appeared by video in Manhattan Criminal Court for a disposition hearing.

Exclusive Daily Mail images from the virtual appearance show Willner in a blue suit with tousled hair and a blank expression as he listened in via video link.

His attorney David Scott Smith was physically in the courtroom, standing near to the monitor broadcasting Willner’s video feed.

At a disposition hearing, a judge typically formally resolves the case and decides the formal outcome or penalty.

But instead, the case was adjourned and the judge ordered that Willner must appear in court in person on November 2 – or a warrant would be issued for his arrest.

The Daily Mail has approached Smith for comment. 

Arlo Willner, 21, appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court for a disposition hearing on September 10, 2026 via video call

Arlo Willner, 21, appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court for a disposition hearing on September 10, 2026 via video call

Exclusive Daily Mail photos show the 21-year-old sporting a deadpan expression, blue suit and messy hair as he attended the hearing via video call from what appears to be a personal residence

Exclusive Daily Mail photos show the 21-year-old sporting a deadpan expression, blue suit and messy hair as he attended the hearing via video call from what appears to be a personal residence

His attorney David Scott Smith was physically in the court room, standing near the monitor broadcasting Willner's video feed

His attorney David Scott Smith was physically in the court room, standing near the monitor broadcasting Willner’s video feed

Prosecutors claim Willner stabbed three men outside of Sally’s Bar in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan around 3.30am on May 17 last year, according to a criminal complaint.

Willner approached the trio in an attempt to purchase cocaine, the complaint states.

An argument allegedly ensued after the victims told Willner ‘this was not the place for that’, with violence erupting when the then-20-year-old brandished a pocketknife.

Willner stabbed one man, 46, in the neck, before stabbing another, 45, in the shoulder, according to the complaint. 

He then allegedly stabbed the third, who was in his 30s, in the stomach. 

Police said the victims, whose identities have not been released, were taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

Willner was arrested and charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Prosecutors later upgraded the charges to attempted murder, two counts of first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

Willner allegedly stabbed three men outside Sally’s Bar in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan around 3.330am on Saturday, May 17, 2025

Willner is the son of late Saturday Night Live music coordinator Hal Willner, pictured in 2015. Hal died in April 2020 after suffering from symptoms related to Covid. He was 64 years old

Willner is the son of late Saturday Night Live music coordinator Hal Willner, pictured in 2015. Hal died in April 2020 after suffering from symptoms related to Covid. He was 64 years old

Arlo Willner's mother, Sheila Rogers, pictured, is a three-time Emmy Award-winning supervisor producer for The Late Late Show with James Corden

Arlo Willner’s mother, Sheila Rogers, pictured, is a three-time Emmy Award-winning supervisor producer for The Late Late Show with James Corden

He pled not guilty at his arraignment on July 17, 2025 and later posted bail, which had been set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond, court records show.

He has had nine court appearances since his arraignment, including today’s hearing, according to court records. 

It is unclear if he attended any of those proceedings in person.

The 21-year-old is the offspring of two New York City show business icons, Hal Willner and Sheila Rogers. 

He lives in a luxury apartment complex in Manhattan’s Upper West Side that overlooks the American Museum of Natural History, according to publicly available property records. 

His mother, Sheila, resides at the same address.

Hal died in April 2020 after suffering from symptoms related to Covid. He was 64 years old.

Willner lives in a luxury apartment complex in Manhattan's Upper West side that overlooks the American Museum of Natural History, according to publicly available property records. His mother, Sheila, resides at the same address

Willner lives in a luxury apartment complex in Manhattan’s Upper West side that overlooks the American Museum of Natural History, according to publicly available property records. His mother, Sheila, resides at the same address

He worked with SNL for decades before his death. He also is credited with helping to put together a series of tribute albums.

Sheila is a three-time Emmy Award-winning supervising producer for The Late Late Show with James Corden, which is no longer on the air.

She also previously worked on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Two Bodies Found on Georgia Mountain by Hiker, Sheriff Says

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A hiker on a Georgia mountain came across a disturbing scene Wednesday, discovering human remains believed to be those of two people in a case now under investigation by state and local authorities.

The remains were located on Mount Yonah in White County around 11:20 a.m. on Sept. 9, the White County Sheriff’s Office said.

After the discovery, sheriff’s investigators and officials with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources responded to the Mount Yonah area.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Region 8 Crime Scene Unit was later brought in to assist with processing and examining the scene.

Authorities have not released additional details, and key questions surrounding the deaths remain unanswered.

The sheriff’s office has not identified the two people or said how they died.

Their ages and genders also have not been released, and it is unclear how long their remains had been on the mountain.

The sheriff’s office has not said whether foul play is suspected.

The investigation remained ongoing Wednesday, with Sheriff Rick Kelley saying his office would provide more information as it becomes available.

A hiker stumbled upon the remains of two people on Georgia’s Mount Yonah on Sept. 9. Robert Hainer – stock.adobe.com

Aerial view of downtown Helen, Georgia, at night with Mt. Yonah in the distance.

The remains were discovered on Mount Yonah in White County, as the sheriff’s office launches an investigation. SeanPavonePhoto – stock.adobe.com

“The human remains located on Mt. Yonah have been sent to the GBI crime lab for an autopsy to determine cause of death and for identification purpose,” the sheriff said in a press release Thursday afternoon.

“Investigators are working on trying to identify the two deceased persons. The investigation is active and ongoing.”

Mount Yonah is in northeast Georgia, near the cities of Helen and Cleveland, and is a popular destination for hikers.

Fox News Antisemitism Exposed Newsletter: Hate Takes Center Stage

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– Michael Rapaport blasts Macklemore as a “clown” after anti-Israel concert moment
– Democrats condemn anti-Israel journalist for calling Hakeem Jeffries an “AIPAC monkey”
– Liberal podcast hosts ridicule JD Vance over “blood libel” meaning, then stumble on it themselves

Michael Rapaport is taking aim at Macklemore after the rapper used an opening slot for Ed Sheeran to deliver a pro-Palestinian message onstage. During the performance, Macklemore led the crowd in a “Free Palestine” chant and performed his protest song Hind’s Hall. Rapaport, an outspoken Jewish actor and comedian, fired back on X, branding Macklemore a “talentless clown” and calling the appearance a disaster while also questioning why Sheeran would bring him onto the same bill.

A split of of Michael Rapaport and Ed Sheeran

Michael Rapaport criticized Macklemore after the rapper chanted “Free Palestine” and performed an anti-Israel song while opening for Ed Sheeran. (Bobby Bank/Getty Images; Kieran Frost/Redferns)

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee cautioned that the United Kingdom’s proposed ban on goods from Israeli settlements in the West Bank could carry serious consequences, making the remarks during an interview with “BBC World Service Newsday.”

Journalist Rula Jebreal, known for her sharp criticism of Israel, set off a political firestorm after referring to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries as an “AIPAC monkey” during a podcast appearance. The remark drew immediate condemnation from the Congressional Black Caucus and other Democrats, who denounced it as racist and unacceptable. Jebreal later posted an apology on X, but many critics dismissed it as too little, too late and accused her of trying to soften the backlash without fully owning the insult.

‘ARROGANT FOOLS’:  Left-wing Pod Save America hosts Jon Favreau and Jon Lovett landed in hot water after mocking Vice President JD Vance’s use of the term “blood libel.” Attempting to explain the antisemitic trope, the podcasters —confusing it with Jesus’ crucifixion and the biblical story of Passover—before critics blasted them as ‘self-righteous, arrogant fools.’

: Twenty-five years after 9/11, American synagogues have turned into . Facing thousands of threat incidents, Jewish centers entering Rosh Hashanah operate under armed guards, surveillance cameras, and strict bag checks. What was once a rare precaution is now a permanent, mandatory reality for Jewish communal life nationwide as terror concerns remain at an all-time high.

: David Zimmermann, a former FBI agent present in Israel on October 7, writes that self-sabotages national security. He asserts the bilateral alliance is deeply mutually beneficial, emphasizing that critical intelligence sharing, joint defense innovation, and counterterrorism cooperation directly enhance American safety and protect core strategic interests globally.

“He is a bought and paid by AIPAC monkey. With all due respect — and I don’t mean it in a racist way. He is just basically an errand boy, and we’re done and tired.” – Rula Jebreal, anti-Israel journalist.

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Scottish Ex-Laird Jailed for Throttling Woman at Queen Tribute

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A former Scottish laird has been sentenced to two years in prison after attacking a fellow theatregoer who was singing loudly during a Queen musical.

Malcolm Potier, 75, seized 51-year-old Kirsty O’Donnell by the throat at the London Coliseum during a live performance of We Will Rock You.

Potier, a former multi-millionaire and qualified chartered surveyor, had previously been jailed in Australia after twice attempting to hire a hitman to murder the mother of his child.

The incident took place in June 2023 while Potier was seated beside his partner, theatre critic Lizzie Loveridge, editor of the website TheatreVibe.

As the show unfolded, featuring Queen guitarist Brian May, Miss O’Donnell began singing along to the band’s well-known songs.

But Miss Loveridge told Miss O’Donnell to ‘shut the f*** up’, which she replied with ‘bit rude’. Potier then ‘leapt into action’ and leaned over his chair to throttle Miss O’Donnell for a few seconds.

Jailing Potier at Southwark Crown Court yesterday, Judge Dafna Spiro said his ‘behaviour was extreme and horrific and so concerning’.

‘There is not a pattern of offending established, but there is a common thread of dominance, control and a lack of accountability.

Malcolm Potier, 75, was jailed for two years for throttling Kirsty O'Donnell, 51, on June 7, 2023

Malcolm Potier, 75, was jailed for two years for throttling Kirsty O’Donnell, 51, on June 7, 2023

The former multi-millionaire and qualified chartered surveyor was previously jailed in Australia for trying twice to hire a hitman to kill the mother of his child

The former multi-millionaire and qualified chartered surveyor was previously jailed in Australia for trying twice to hire a hitman to kill the mother of his child

Potier was sitting next to his partner, theatre critic Lizzie Loveridge, who is the editor of website TheatreVibe, at the London Coliseum during a live performance of We Will Rock You when the incident occurred

Potier was sitting next to his partner, theatre critic Lizzie Loveridge, who is the editor of website TheatreVibe, at the London Coliseum during a live performance of We Will Rock You when the incident occurred

‘His attitude to the offence is so bizarre. It was a wholly disproportionate response to a trivial disagreement and took place in a crowded public theatre during a live performance.’

Potier was identified because Miss Loveridge left her business card at the theatre which a friend of Miss O’Donnell picked up.

Judge Spiro added: ‘She [Miss O’Donnell] developed an ongoing fear for having reported the offence and giving evidence. This caused her to reduce her public profile and take precautions she had never previously considered.

‘She decided to give evidence to send a clear message. She said, “Violence against women and girls affects too many people and I wanted to set an example to the young girls in my life that violence is not acceptable”.’

Potier from Sarratt, Hertfordshire, was found guilty of non-fatal strangulation.

He previously owned the Hebridean island of Gigha, which he bought for £5.4million in 1989 and later lost – along with his estimated £30million net worth – with his company’s collapse. He was never declared bankrupt but his assets were seized by a Swiss bank.

Amid a custody battle, Potier snatched his daughter, who was two at the time, in 1999 and entered Australia on false passports.

Then aged 50, he was arrested in Sydney the following year. While in a detention centre in 2002, he paid a fellow inmate £4,600 to kill his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend.

However, upon release, the would-be assassin fled to his native Italy with the money.

Potier was originally given a six-year sentence. He was given a second, 12-year sentence when he hatched a new plot to kill his former partner while in prison in Long Bay, New South Wales, in 2006.

Trump Squeeze on ICC Spurs More Countries to Head for Exit

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THE HAGUE – Pressure on the International Criminal Court is intensifying as the United States expands sanctions against senior court personnel, with two more high-ranking staff members targeted in recent weeks. At the same time, a small but rising number of ICC member states have said they intend to leave the global tribunal.

Venezuela and Chad are the latest countries to announce their departure, bringing to five the number of states that have moved to withdraw from the court over the past year. They join Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in exiting, a trend unfolding as the ICC confronts open hostility from Washington and internal turmoil following the removal of its chief prosecutor.

“Five countries so far have announced plans to withdraw from the Rome Statute, and we welcome more announcements in the future,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told The Associated Press.

Adopted as the foundation for the ICC, the Rome Statute created the court in 2002 to serve as a last-resort venue for prosecuting individuals accused of the gravest international crimes: war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression. The Hague-based tribunal steps in when national authorities are unable or unwilling to pursue such cases themselves.

“The ICC regrets any decision to depart from the collective effort to end impunity for the most serious international crimes,” court spokesperson Oriane Maillet told the AP.

America is piling on the pressure

In July, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. was launching a “sweeping campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court to U.S. sovereignty.”

Rubio said he will pressure the court’s 125 member states to withdraw from the institution, sanction organizations that work with the court and ban staff from traveling to the United States. Trump’s administration already has sanctioned a dozen ICC staff in retaliation for warrants the court has issued for top Israeli officials over the war in Gaza and investigations into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan.

The Central African country of Chad specifically cited the United States in its decision to withdraw. Its Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul said in a statement that in a phone call with a U.S. official on July 23, “the American side expressed its concerns regarding the functioning of this institution and requested that Chad reconsider” its membership.

Four days later, Chad said it would leave the ICC.

Iva Vukušić, a researcher at Utrecht University, told the AP that the U.S. campaign will lay bare just how committed countries are to the court. “Are they willing to defend it if it costs them something real?” she said.

The State Department told AP the U.S. would call upon nations that “enjoy the benefits of the U.S. security umbrella” to reject the ICC.

Some countries claim the court engages in selective justice

It’s not just pressure from Trump that is sending ICC members toward the exit door.

The ruling military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger blamed selective justice. The ICC has become an “instrument of neocolonial repression in the hands of imperialism,” the trio said when they announced their departures last year.

A coup ousted Niger’s democratically elected government in 2023. Since then, a military junta has abandoned longtime partners and has formed new alliances instead, including with Russia, where President Vladimir Putin faces an ICC arrest warrant linked to the war in Ukraine. Mali and Burkina Faso have undergone similar transformations.

“These countries are ruled by authoritarian leaders who want to avoid accountability for the harms they are inflicting on their own people,” Mel O’Brien, an associate professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told the AP.

Burundi similarly accused the court of focusing too much on conflicts in Africa when, in 2017, it became the first country to leave the ICC. The court had opened an investigation into the East African nation earlier that year.

Most of the court’s initial investigations were into African countries, though most requested the involvement of the ICC.

South Africa and Gambia also announced in 2017 that they would leave but later changed course.

A change of government can also bring a country back into the fold. Hungary announced it would quit the court in 2025 but following the election of a new government, the country’s parliament voted to stay.

Past crimes still fall under the court’s jurisdiction

The court also had an active investigation in the Philippines when then-President Rodrigo Duterte said his country would leave the ICC. In 2019 the Southeast Asian country became the second country to leave but as withdrawal from the court is not retroactive, the investigation continued.

Duterte is now in ICC detention in the Netherlands awaiting trial on charges of crimes against humanity for deadly anti-drug crackdowns he allegedly oversaw while in office. Opening statements are set for November.

An investigation into possible crimes committed by Venezuelan security forces under former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro will continue despite the country’s announcement last month that it will also leave the ICC.

In a statement, the country’s Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said the court had been “instrumentalized to deepen inequalities among peoples and disregard their right to self-determination and sovereignty.”

Venezuela is currently in the middle of U.S.-backed talks between the ruling party and the opposition following Maduro’s capture in January by U.S. forces.

The court has also welcomed new members

Ukraine is the court’s most recent addition. The country joined in 2025 and previously had signed an agreement to give the court jurisdiction over crimes on its territory, following the outbreak of hostilities with Russia in 2014.

Joining the court was “Ukraine’s way of saying that accountability for the gravest crimes cannot be optional, and that we intend to help build that system of justice,” the country’s ambassador to the Netherlands, Andriy Kostin, told AP.

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Celeste Rivas Hernandez Family Sues D4vd for Wrongful Death

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The family of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez has officially moved forward with its civil case against singer D4vd, with the lawsuit now filed, accepted and stamped by the court.

The civil complaint also names members of D4vd’s family, along with several business associates connected to the artist.

D4vd, whose real name is David Anthony Burke, is facing a murder charge in criminal court and is accused of having an unlawful sexual relationship with Rivas-Hernandez while she was a minor. Authorities allege he killed the teenager, allowed her to bleed out and later dismembered her body in an effort to keep their alleged relationship from becoming public and damaging his fast-rising music career last year.

On Sunday, one day before what would have been Celeste’s 16th birthday, her family shared a new photo of her and issued an emotional statement, saying in part that the death penalty for D4vd “would be perfect for this kind of human being, devoid of feelings and emptiness inside, and without conscience.”

“But that’s not in our hands, but rather in God’s, and the California justice system,” the family’s statement continued.

The last execution in the state of California happened two decades ago.

Singer D4vd is now being represented by a public defender after his previous lawyers withdrew from his murder case last week.

Celeste was just 14 when prosecutors say her then-boyfriend, David Anthony Burke, murdered her and left her dismembered body in his car in 2025.

The family of Celeste Rivas Hernandez is now publicly calling for her accused killer, the singer known as D4vd, to face the death penalty.

Burke is behind bars and has been ordered to stand trial on a murder charge in her death. The 21-year-old has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court next month.

In July, a judge ordered him to stand trial after hearing evidence and days of testimony during a preliminary hearing. In the hearing, photos of Celeste’s decomposing remains were shown to the court.

After D4vd was dropped by his attorneys and assigned a public defender, Celeste’s family issued a statement, claiming he is not indigent (cannot afford to pay for a private lawyer), but is instead hiding his money in various corporations.

The family expressed doubt about his financial situation, citing his billions of streams and monthly listeners on music streaming platforms.

“The residents of Los Angeles County should be outraged because it will be the taxpayers that are picking the tab to defend this millionaire…,” the family’s statement read, in part. “Perhaps he would have money if he just asked one of his corporations, or if he had not fraudulently transferred assets to his mother/manager Colleen Burke.”

Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.

Albanese Honoured With Major Award Alongside Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to receive a high-profile international award in New York, joining a list of honourees that includes Wicked star Cynthia Erivo and Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali.

Albanese will head to the United States later this month for the United Nations General Assembly, where he is expected to once again highlight Australia’s social media ban on the global stage.

While in New York, he will be recognised as one of four recipients of the Atlantic Council’s 2026 Global Citizen Awards, with the ceremony scheduled for September 23.

The Prime Minister’s visit, centred on his UN commitments but also taking in the awards event, is understood to be funded by taxpayers.

Communications Minister Anika Wells will not attend, after previously facing criticism for billing taxpayers $94,828.75 in flights for herself and two staff members to travel to the summit in 2025.

The Daily Mail has contacted Albanese’s office for comment.

The Atlantic Council is a Washington-based think tank founded in 1961, and its awards recognise individuals who have demonstrated leadership in business, culture, innovation and global affairs. 

Announcing this year’s recipients, the council praised Albanese’s role in strengthening Australia’s position in the Indo-Pacific.

Anthony Albanese is set to travel to New York City to attend the UN General Assembly

Anthony Albanese is set to travel to New York City to attend the UN General Assembly 

Albanese will receive a Global Citizen Award alongside Wicked star Cynthia Erivo

Albanese will receive a Global Citizen Award alongside Wicked star Cynthia Erivo

‘Anthony Albanese has played a leading role in strengthening Australia’s alliances and partnerships and advancing security and stability across the Indo-Pacific,’ the council said.

‘His leadership has reinforced Australia’s global engagement and deepened its role in shaping a more secure, stable and connected region.’

Albanese will receive the honour alongside Erivo, who starred in the blockbuster Hollywood adaptation of the musical Wicked with star Ariana Grande. 

The council said Erivo had used her platform to champion representation and connect with audiences around the world. 

‘An acclaimed actress, singer and producer, Cynthia Erivo has brought unforgettable stories and characters to audiences around the world, using her extraordinary voice and artistry to connect, inspire and challenge us to see the world differently,’ it said.

‘Through her work across stage and screen, she has expanded the reach of powerful stories and championed greater representation in global culture.’

Formula 1 president and chief executive Stefano Domenicali will also be honoured at the event.

The council credited Domenicali with expanding the sport’s global footprint and using it as a vehicle to connect cultures and audiences.

‘Stefano Domenicali has helped champion a global platform that transcends borders, bringing together sport, luxury, entertainment, film and culture while driving innovation and advancing a more sustainable future,’ the council said.

Erivo is pictured with Ariana Grande at the Wicked: For Good premiere in November 2025

Erivo is pictured with Ariana Grande at the Wicked: For Good premiere in November 2025 

‘Under his leadership, Formula 1 has expanded its global reach, connected new audiences and cultures, and demonstrated the power of sport to inspire and bring people together.’

Finnish President Alexander Stubb rounds out this year’s list of recipients. 

The Global Citizen Awards are regarded as one of the council’s flagship events and are held annually during UN General Assembly week in New York.

The ceremony attracts heads of government, diplomats, business executives, philanthropists and celebrities from around the world.

The Atlantic Council describes the awards as recognising people who exhibit ‘distinguished leadership’ in addressing global challenges and advancing international cooperation.

‘This special evening underscores the Atlantic Council’s critical mission to shape the global future together, while recognising the accomplishments of key global citizens seeking to improve the state of the world,’ the organisation says.

Past recipients underscore the event’s high-profile status. 

Last year’s honourees included French President Emmanuel Macron, Argentine President Javier Milei and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Other previous recipients include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and former South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

Charlie Kirk Statue Unveiling in Times Square Erupts in Chaos

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A Times Square ceremony to unveil a statue honoring Charlie Kirk on the anniversary of his assassination spiraled into disorder as rival groups confronted one another over the tribute.

Video captured by Daily Mail cameras showed tense and combative scenes breaking out at the New York City landmark on Thursday.

The 6-foot-5 statue, which cost $100,000 to create, was made by sculptor Sergio Furnari. He said his aim was to encourage constructive debate while commemorating the conservative activist.

That intention quickly unraveled during the statue’s public unveiling, as the crowd grew increasingly agitated and footage showed men wrapped in American flags shouting at protesters.

Although several police officers were stationed at the scene, the footage showed people shoving one another, some falling to the ground, while others yelled “F*** you” and hurled objects across the area.

Protesters against the statue were seen yelling ‘rest in p***’ at the Kirk statue and putting their middle fingers up at Furnari as he unveiled the sculpture.  

A group of young men were seen standing in front of the statue with their hands raised to the air as the event became aggressive, as another man in an American flag vest ordered others to ‘calm down.’

One man was seen holding a large USA flag and yelling about ‘Islamists’, while other protesters squared off against him.

The unveiling of a statue commemorating Charlie Kirk in Times Square on the anniversary of his assassination descended into chaos as groups clashed over the tribute

The unveiling of a statue commemorating Charlie Kirk in Times Square on the anniversary of his assassination descended into chaos as groups clashed over the tribute

A group of young men were seen standing in front of the statue with their hands raised to the air as the event became aggressive,

A group of young men were seen standing in front of the statue with their hands raised to the air as the event became aggressive, 

Footage taken by Daily Mail cameras on the scene showed hostile scenes unfolded at the New York City landmark on Thursday

Footage taken by Daily Mail cameras on the scene showed hostile scenes unfolded at the New York City landmark on Thursday

The statue, standing at 6-foot-5 and costing $100,000, was built by sculptor Sergio Furnari (left)

The statue, standing at 6-foot-5 and costing $100,000, was built by sculptor Sergio Furnari (left)

Traffic through Midtown Manhattan was halted by police during the unveiling, as the heavily-populated area was filled with throngs of onlookers.

Furnari told Fox News that he began work on the Kirk sculpture soon after the conservative activist’s assassination, because he was ‘saddened’ by the responses some had to the tragedy.

‘I [saw] how Erika [Kirk] got treated, including the parents of Charlie, and that’s what I think became my catalyzer,’ he said.

‘If you’re a parent, no matter if you were Democrat or Republican, you should have a little bit of empathy.’ 

Furnari added that he was not even an especially big fan of Kirk’s when he was alive, but he wanted to ‘stand together’ with people grieving the murder.

‘It’s not like I agree with him. There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t agree with,’ Furnari said.

‘But still, freedom of expression and, in my case, freedom of creation — there are no boundaries, no borders. That’s where we kind of stand together.’ 

Sculptor Sergio Furnari said  he began work on the Kirk sculpture soon after the conservative activist's assassination, because he was 'saddened' by the responses some had to the tragedy

Sculptor Sergio Furnari said  he began work on the Kirk sculpture soon after the conservative activist’s assassination, because he was ‘saddened’ by the responses some had to the tragedy

Furnari said the sculpture cost him ‘probably more than $100,000’ when added to the hours he spent making it, and he launched an online fundraiser to recoup the cost of the project. 

He vowed that anyone who donates to his fundraiser will have their name engraved on the statue’s platform. 

Furnari said he after he funded the sculpture with his own savings, he became more determined to unveil it to the public due to the discourse surrounding Kirk’s death.

‘I became more passionate about it — just because of the way everybody was making fun of him,’ he said.

‘I feel like they killed him once, and they kill him each time, over and over again.’ 

Gainesville Man Charged in Repeated Child Rape Case, Police Say

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[Editor’s note: The arrest report includes additional details provided by the victim about the alleged incidents. Those details are being withheld here to protect the victim’s privacy.]

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Keshawn Quantrell Taylor, 25, was taken into custody yesterday on multiple serious felony charges, including five counts of sexual battery involving a victim under 12 and one count of sexual battery involving a juvenile victim over 12.

According to the arrest report, the case began after the victim told her legal guardian that Taylor had “raped” her. Investigators then conducted a forensic interview, during which the victim described alleged abuse spanning roughly five years, beginning when she was 7 years old.

The victim told investigators that some of the alleged incidents happened inside an RV parked on the property where Taylor resides.

After being advised of his Miranda rights, Taylor reportedly admitted to sexually battering the victim beginning when she was 7. According to the report, he told investigators he took steps to avoid pregnancy because he feared being caught and labeled a “chomo.”

Taylor has been charged with five counts of sexual battery of a victim under the age of 12 and one count of sexual battery of a juvenile victim over the age of 12. He has no local criminal convictions, but he was arrested for dealing in stolen property in 2021 and for lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim between the ages of 12 and 16 in 2025; both cases were later dismissed. Judge Joy Danne ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

NJ Hairdresser Jaclyn Diiorio Charged in Murder-for-Hire Plot Targeting Philly Cop Ex and Teen Daughter

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A New Jersey hairdresser accused of trying to arrange the murders of her ex-boyfriend and his teenage daughter through a man she met on Tinder has been indicted in the alleged murder-for-hire scheme.

Jaclyn Diiorio, 28, was charged with two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in an attempt to commit murder-for-hire, the Department of Justice said.

Federal prosecutors allege Diiorio used her cellphone and attempted to pay a confidential informant to kill her former boyfriend, Philadelphia Police Officer Matthew O’Hanlon, as well as his 19-year-old daughter, according to an indictment filed Sept. 3 in US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Diiorio was taken into custody in Gloucester Township in April after authorities said she began communicating with the informant about carrying out the alleged double killing.

Investigators said she connected with the purported hitman on Tinder and exchanged phone calls and text messages between March 31 and April 3, during which she allegedly stated that she wanted O’Hanlon dead and disclosed that he was a police officer, according to Camden County prosecutors.

Authorities said Diiorio and the phony hitman first met at a Wawa in Runnemede on March 31 after exchanging messages.

Diiorio then met the informant again at a Dollar General on April 4 and handed over $500 as a down payment — promising to pay approximately $12,000 in installments to the phony hitman.

However, the informant tipped off the Camden County detectives, who then contacted the Philadelphia Police Department to alert them and the intended target.

Officers from the Gloucester Township Police Department Special Response Team arrested her and found an unlabeled bottle of pills suspected to be alprazolam.

She was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and one count of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance by Camden County.

Federal prosecutors will handle Diiorio’s case after the county dismissed its charges following the federal indictment.

Prosecutors said the April plot was not the hairdresser’s first attempt to arrange the killings of her ex-boyfriend and his daughter.

Diiorio allegedly told the informant she had previously been deceived by others who provided her with “fake pictures” purporting to show a completed contract killing, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

The relationship between Diiorio and O’Hanlon had already been over for about a month when she allegedly set the murder-for-hire plot in motion.

Diiorio is currently in federal custody and a detention hearing has been scheduled for Monday before US Magistrate Judge Scott W. Reid, prosecutors said.

Diiorio’s attorney, Robert Gamburg, said she will enter a not guilty plea, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Before the federal indictment, Gamburg filed a motion to have the Camden County charges thrown out, arguing prosecutors had relied on evidence obtained through entrapment.

Gamburg called the informant a rogue operator desperate for cash who regularly fed unsolicited tips to the sheriff’s department for money — and whose communications with Diiorio went unmonitored by detectives for days leading up to her arrest.

Diiorio faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.