We look back at some of the very best commentaries of the week by your favourite rebels, including the latest on Tommy Robinson's campaign in the UK, the Canadian government's new social media strategy, and your letters.
00:03:31.540Jessica, you've been producing absolutely superb videos as you cover the Tommy Robinson election campaign.
00:03:38.040I mean, this particular video I was speaking about alone garnered more than half a million views.
00:03:44.300But, Jessica, when the camera doesn't lie, of course, and we saw a mob of thugs throwing rocks and bottles right in front of police officers,
00:03:53.620and I didn't see a single arrest, which is kind of odd given that UK police will actually arrest people these days for hurting somebody's feelings online.
00:04:33.560There's like, you know, two lines of police officers, but it was kind of strange because the police officers were pushing back Tommy's crowd and letting the big, the group of thugs actually get closer and closer over time.
00:04:45.780At one point, the group of thugs there, they realized they didn't have enough access to the crowd there.
00:04:55.280So, they actually went around the streets.
00:04:57.900They went and tried to find another entrance to get closer to the crowd as well.
00:05:05.560There was, there was a big brick that fell, that crashed on the floor just a few feet away from me.
00:05:12.500And it completely shattered, and I just, when I saw that, like, I just imagined if that was somebody's head, if that was my head, if that was a kid's head.
00:05:19.660There was children, there were families there, and there were no arrests.
00:05:23.500I don't, I don't understand it, why there are no arrests.
00:05:27.260I really, I wish I, I wish I knew, but the police really didn't do anything.
00:05:31.360Well, Jessica, thank goodness that brick didn't hurt you.
00:05:34.960I'm going to be a bit of a mind reader because I've run into these situations personally myself.
00:05:39.100And you say to the police officer, hey, that guy is breaking the law, are you going to arrest him?
00:05:43.460And the stand pat answer is, well, you know, tensions are very high right now.
00:05:50.920You know, this mob is very potentially violent.
00:05:55.300And if we arrest somebody breaking the law, that might incite them to actually do an all-out riot.
00:06:01.840But I'm sorry, I say, look, it's, it's the criminal act that you should be cracking down on.
00:06:09.360You shouldn't be turning a blind eye to it.
00:06:11.220And I just think it's, it's terrible policing.
00:06:14.060And that makes me segue into another question.
00:06:16.280One of your other videos, Jessica, and I thought this was egregious.
00:06:19.860You went over to interview a more peaceful anti-Tommy protest and a policewoman said, no, no, no, you've got to stand something like 30 meters away and I guess yell your questions.
00:06:34.540But treating you like you were part of an organization that was against them when indeed you're there as a member of the press trying to get both sides of the story.
00:06:46.100What was her problem in giving you access?
00:06:49.860I, yeah, I really, I didn't understand it.
00:06:53.040Actually, it's kind of funny because in the video, you can see my face.
00:06:56.080It looks a little confused because I didn't understand what she meant.
00:06:59.460She was telling me I can talk to the protesters, but just from several like meters away where I would have to, like you said, I would have to yell my questions.
00:07:15.280She said, yeah, you can talk to them, but you have to talk to them from that far away, which of course I'm not going to because I'm not going to yell my question to a group of people and then have them yell back.
00:07:26.540Like, of course, that's not a good idea.
00:07:28.420I think that would probably escalate the situation more if I was yelling at the crowd of people instead of just, you know, civilly just speaking one-on-one to them, just having a normal conversation.
00:07:39.680But yeah, you can even see I looked very confused in that video because I didn't understand what the issue was with me going over to talk to them.
00:08:00.040But speaking of press coverage, Jessica, have you noticed, I mean, when the media do show up, and it doesn't look like they are in great numbers at least, have you detected any kind of a spin?
00:08:14.980And I say that because, you know, two weeks ago when Ezra was over across the pond covering the latest Tommy trial, there was a member of the media that ratted out Ezra, so to speak, although there was nothing to rat out.
00:08:28.500He was complaining to the judge that Ezra was live tweeting, which Ezra was allowed to do.
00:08:34.120And I thought, my goodness, first of all, why would you be a tattletale on a non-crime?
00:08:40.240And secondly, why aren't you guys live tweeting?
00:08:44.560So can you give us an idea of what the mainstream media actions have been in terms of the Tommy campaign, Jessica?
00:08:54.520Well, I mean, it's the most obvious situation was after that riot.
00:09:00.240And for the papers the next day, all the headlines were, you know, clashes at Tommy Robinson campaign.
00:09:08.960And it was all very neutral and obviously trying to spin it as there was both sides to blame, which that wasn't the case because I didn't see any mainstream media cameras there.
00:09:25.440It was there was a few other cameramen that I know are working with Tommy that were there getting in right to the front of the middle of the riot there.
00:10:14.220You know, I find that incredible, that line, both sides to blame.
00:10:18.020Yeah, because, you know, that Tommy supporter, he was a bit of a dummy standing there that impeded the flight path of a brick that just happened to randomly be flying by.
00:10:29.880And speaking of the Tommy supporters, you've been there for several days now.
00:10:34.280I'm sure you've gone to know many of them and you've interacted with many of them, certainly.
00:10:39.880Can you give our audience an idea of who these people are and what is the primary thing that is eliciting their support for Tommy in the first place?
00:10:50.920Well, first of all, these are these are really good people.
00:10:55.880They're just honest, hardworking people that they it's, you know, like the media portrays them as like a like a fringe racist group or something.
00:11:24.700And I know the number one reason that they support Tommy is because they legitimately fear where their country is going for the next generation.
00:11:33.960They are they're worried about their children and this is a this is an honest fear that they're having.
00:11:40.500It's not something it's not Islamophobia.
00:11:42.360It's not something that they're building up in their head.
00:11:44.880These are actual issues that are happening in small towns with the grooming gangs.
00:11:49.140And Tommy has even met parents of of these these child victims.
00:11:57.440These aren't they're not crazy people that are making up a problem in their head.
00:12:01.800They just aren't they're they're afraid of where it's going.
00:12:05.940And so they're actually trying to make a stand and speaking up for these uncomfortable truth that we most people don't want to talk about, especially in the Muslim community.
00:12:16.480You don't want to mention that nobody wants to mention that it's become so stigmatized.
00:12:20.520But they have but these are these are amazing people that actually have the courage to show up to support him to talk there.
00:12:27.320I've talked to a lot of them and they're telling me how they're trying to encourage everybody to vote for Tommy and to listen to what he says.
00:12:35.460Don't don't Google him go and find a video of his and listen to what he says, because when you Google him, you get the mainstream media spin.
00:12:43.460And but yeah, like these are these are positive people.
00:12:47.600And it's just funny, the comparison, the contrast between Tommy's side.
00:12:52.460And then when I go over and just take a look at the opposing the protesters, these protesters look just so miserable, so miserable and and angry and just sad.
00:13:03.320And I remember even one of the protesters the other day had a dog and I was even looking at this dog and even the dog looks sad.
00:13:09.500It's just like such a negative energy on that side.
00:13:12.560And it's like, I don't know, they're just so full of guilt.
00:13:15.500And I it's it's definitely like a deep rooted thing that they have going on.
00:13:21.500But I personally don't understand it because Tommy's side is there.
00:13:26.180They are living through problems and they're like what's happening to these small towns is depressing.
00:13:32.780It's depressing and scary, but they're still staying positive because they feel like they have hope, especially with Tommy.
00:13:44.840One very quick exit question, if you can answer very quickly in the days ahead, the ballots are going to be counted from what you're feeling, from what you're seeing over there.
00:13:55.760Does Tommy actually have a chance of pulling off an incredible victory here?
00:30:00.400Luckily, David Pugliese of Post Media was tipped off about the almost secret unveiling and was
00:30:08.520able to pen a story in the National Post.
00:30:11.420Otherwise, the Afghanistan War Memorial might merely exist as some sort of Canadian urban legend.
00:30:18.260Still, this story remains wrapped in mystery nevertheless.
00:30:22.760As the Post notes, the Canadian forces confirmed last Thursday evening on Facebook that it had held a dedication service at the new Afghanistan Memorial Hall at the National Defense Headquarters in Ottawa.
00:30:37.540Yet the event had actually occurred three days earlier on May the 13th.
00:30:43.820The Facebook posting notes that it had been attended by senior Canadian military leadership and D&D management.