Free Republic

The violence from protesters involved in the pro-migration, foreign-flag-waving riots in Los Angeles is “escalating,” Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell revealed during a press conference. During the press conference, McDonnell revealed that the violence is “getting increasingly worse and more violent” since the riots first started over the weekend. McDonnell also added that protesters were shooting “commercial grade fireworks” at LAPD officers. McDonnell also revealed that he respects U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, adding that they are a “fellow law enforcement agency.” “To the people who are not happy with the fact that ICE is in...

The Kennedy Center broke its all-time attendance record for a public event March 29, with over 11,000 attendees for the EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky fireworks show, the Daily Caller has exclusively learned. The history-making moment was celebrated amid a flurry of criticism from liberals about President Donald Trump’s takeover of the entertainment facility. Critics voiced concerns about Trump’s understanding and appreciation for the arts when he took control of the Kennedy Center. However, attendance numbers have told a different story. With a focus on shifting away from politically-charged programming, the facility experienced tremendous success with a widely-attended...

Police arrested a total of six people in connection with a deadly explosion of illegal fireworks in a Honolulu neighborhood on New Year’s Eve and confiscated 500 pounds (227 kilograms) of unused fireworks from the scene of the blast, authorities said Thursday. Police arrested two couples on Wednesday and one couple last Friday, said Honolulu police homicide Lt. Deena Thoemmes said. Police expect to arrest more people, she said.The explosion killed three women, one man and a 3-year-old boy and injured about 20 others. The tragedy occurred when a lit bundle of mortar-style aerials tipped over and shot into crates...

Donald Trump and wife Melania were all smiles as they watched a fireworks display at one of the many celebrations being held in the Washington, D.C., area ahead of the inauguration. Trump marked his return to power with a celebration at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, about 30 miles outside Washington. In addition to the First Couple, many of the major players in the Trump orbit were in attendance, including daughter and former senior advisor Ivanka, who was alongside her husband, Jared Kushner. All of Trump's adult children and their partners were in attendance, with Don Jr....

A shocking analysis has found that the devastating Palisades Fire in Los Angeles may have been started by the rekindling of a New Year's Eve blaze. Evidence reviewed by The Washington Post suggests that the Palisades inferno was ignited in the same spot where fire crews put out flames a week before - and residents claim their response the second time was much slower. The Palisades Fire - the largest of the three blazes ripping through Los Angeles -ignited on January 7 and has scorched 23,713 acres and is only 13 per cent contained as of Sunday. A week before...

A Russian national has been charged with manufacturing weapons of mass destruction after explosives that could have “leveled a whole block” were discovered in his Philadelphia rowhome, according to officials. Philadelphia police discovered a bomb-making lab with more than 50 pounds of homemade explosive devices at the home of 27-year-old Evgenii Sadrislamov ---SNIP--- Sadrislamov — who will turn 28 behind bars Saturday — was already on probation for a similar incident in 2020 after commercial-grade fireworks were found inside the home.

Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that his military had recently carried out the first successful test of a domestically produced ballistic missile. His announcement in Kyiv came in the wake of two consecutive nights of large-scale Russian bombardments across Ukraine that killed several people and battered energy infrastructure. "There has been a positive test of the first Ukrainian ballistic missile. I congratulate our defence industry on this. I can't share any more details about this missile," he said at a press conference in the Ukrainian capital. Ukraine has been attempting to develop its own arms industry and encourage...

A man died after a firework exploded on his head during a Fourth of July block party, South Carolina officials said. Charleston-area deputies were called to a neighborhood at about 10:30 p.m. and found a man lying in a road. He died at the scene, the Dorchester County sheriff’s and coroner’s offices wrote in news releases. The coroner’s office identified the man as 41-year-old Allen Ray McGrew. He is from Summerville, a roughly 25-mile drive northwest from Charleston. McGrew was attending a block party on his street when he “ignited a large firework device” and put the lit firework on...

I've watched (and far too many times, endured) the Macy's Fireworks broadcasts... ...but this year rocked like a New Madrid earthquake. Musically it was at 30 minute Trump rally. Nothing woke. "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" buried in the middle...well after an outstanding rendition of our National Anthem at the beginning with melodic quotations in several musical bridges.

From New Year's Eve some years ago, but still good for celebrating the birth of a great nation.

Police are investigating a "massive illegal fireworks show" that lit up the night sky over downtown Los Angeles late Sunday. Reports of the nonstop fireworks first started coming in at around 10:45 p.m., with dozens of social media users posting videos questioning the incident. The display woke up hundreds of people living around the area, many of whom said that their doors and windows were shaking as the powerful explosives continued. DTLA Little Tokyo, 20 minutes ago, I don’t think these fireworks were planned. Also saw a drone. Then a helicopter flying over with a spotlight minutes later. pic.twitter.com/4x9tmILZjW —...

PALM COAST, Fla. – A Palm Coast man arrested Tuesday is accused of pointing a handgun at people in his neighborhood over Fourth of July fireworks they were lighting in the street, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded around 9:45 p.m. to an address along Rymen Lane, making contact with Christopher Lemke, 70, the subject of a 911 caller’s report to Flagler dispatchers. The caller accused Lemke of pulling a gun on them because he was upset about fireworks going off along the street in front of his house, but Lemke denied the threat and told deputies...

Video posted of Hunter Biden while watching the Fourth of July fireworks show from the Truman Balcony at the White House Tuesday night has people wondering if the First Son had a case of the sniffles–or something else– in the wake of the Secret Service discovering cocaine in the White House West Wing on Sunday while the Biden family was away at Camp David. Hunter is due to face a sweetheart deal on federal tax charges at the end of July, as well as a diversion for a gun charge based on his being a self-admitted cocaine addict. In the...

If you don't know what you are celebrating, why make any noise about it?

Two drag performers and roommates are removing their damaged items from their North Seattle townhome after it went up in flames Saturday due to somebody else’s illegal fireworks. "This isn’t just our home, it’s also our place of work. We get ready here," said Sreya, who preferred to go by their drag name. "And I design for other performers.” No injuries were reported, but residents of three townhomes were displaced. Investigators ruled the fire was accidental and likely caused by fireworks. They estimated the loss to be $100,000. At 12:38 a.m., more than an hour after the fire was first...

Several Fourth of July fireworks displays in Los Angeles County have been canceled due to new environmental regulations aimed at reducing pollution in local waters. Though some fireworks shows were able to comply with the new permit requirements, at least one company, Pyro Spectaculars, said that they were unsafe. The Los Angeles Times reported:[T]he L.A. Regional Water Quality Control Board adopted a protective fireworks display permit in late May, which requires new best practices aimed at reducing plastics and other pollution that could fall into oceans or marinas from fireworks displays.

A suburban family is hoping to clear the air after their Fourth of July firework video accidentally sparked a viral reaction. Markie Martin reports.

Republican South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem received a letter Thursday from the National Park Service rejecting her request for Independence Day fireworks at Mount Rushmore. The Daily Caller first obtained the letter, which was sent by Michell Wheatley to Wanda Goodman, who works for the Governor at the South Dakota Department of Tourism. In the letter, Wheatley mentions that local tribes view the fireworks as an “adverse effect” on their traditional cultural views. “Fireworks continue to be viewed by multiple Tribes as an adverse effect on the traditional cultural landscape,” Wheatley wrote in the letter. “This view was expressed by...

A New York City billionaire staged a private New Year’s Eve display that set a hillside ablaze near his New Zealand estate — and nearby residents are reportedly smoking mad. Empire State Building magnate Tony Malkin set off the extravagant display on his complex in Central Otago, near Queensland, as the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1 — torching more than an acre of grass and sparking a frenzy... Malkin, CEO of Empire State Realty Trust, owner of the iconic Manhattan building, set off the fireworks despite a petition from neighbors opposing it... The blaze tore through 1.2 acres of...

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was killed by fireworks on Monday night, according to the San Antonio Police Department. It happened around 12:20 a.m. in the 800 block of Harriman Place on the city’s Southwest Side. The medical examiner’s office identified the man killed as Pablo Ruiz, 43. His cause of death was determined to be a head injury due to a fireworks mishap/incident. According to police, a witness and Ruiz were shooting fireworks and had been drinking when he decided to light a mortar-style firework from on top of his head. Police said the firework exploded from...