CNN
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Fox Information host Sean Hannity on Tuesday night time was interviewing the founding father of a New York Metropolis-based vigilante group identified for its concentrating on of migrants when a disturbance immediately broke out behind the stay shot.
Because the digicam panned round at Occasions Sq., a gaggle of males in purple jackets have been seen bodily partaking with an individual, finally tackling the person to the bottom as he struggled and the group tried to restrain him.
“Effectively, in reality our guys have simply taken down one of many migrant guys proper right here on the nook of forty second and seventh whereas all this has taken place,” Curtis Sliwa, founding father of the Guardian Angels group and a former GOP mayoral nominee, advised Hannity. “They’ve taken over!”
Because the disturbing altercation performed out on nationwide tv, Hannity blasted Democrats “for the surge of Joe Biden’s unvetted illegals in New York. And that could possibly be as a result of the so-called border czar is somewhat distracted proper now,” alluding to Vice President Kamala Harris.
Moments later, after the state of affairs had calmed down, Hannity returned to the scene the place the surprising altercation had taken place, asking Sliwa for extra info on what had simply occurred.
“What was occurring in entrance of you whilst you have been on the air with us?” Hannity requested.
“He had been shoplifting first,” Sliwa replied. “The Guardian Angels noticed him, stopped him and he resisted. Let’s simply say we gave him a little ache compliance. His mom again in Venezuela felt the vibrations. He’s sucking concrete.”
Sliwa, who has prior to now fabricated tales of legal habits — by his personal admission — to sensationalize the problem, continued on, blaming the altercation on the teams of migrants being bussed to town from border states.
“We’ve received to take forty second Avenue again,” he stated. “These illegals assume they personal this state and rule the night time. That is our nation. If they’ll’t abide by the foundations than we’ll kick them again from the place they got here.”
As he spoke, a Fox Information banner blared, “MAN ARRESTED IN TIMES SQUARE AFTER GUARDIAN ANGELS APPREHEND HIM”
However the individual tackled by the group was neither a migrant nor arrested for shoplifting as Sliwa had claimed, New York Police Division officers confirmed to CNN.
“On Tuesday February 6 at 21:33 police responded to a 911 name for a ‘disorderly male,’” police stated in a press release. “Upon arrival officers have been knowledgeable that the male had repeatedly tried to intrude with and disrupt a stay interview. The male was issued a summons for disorderly conduct.”
A legislation enforcement official advised CNN’s Mark Morales the person was not a current migrant. As a substitute, he was a 23-year-old from the Bronx who moved to the US when he was 10 years outdated. The person had tried to get Sliwa’s consideration whereas he was on the air Tuesday night time, when the group confronted him, the official stated.
The Guardian Angels is a New York Metropolis primarily based volunteer group whose acknowledged objective is to forestall crime. The group was based by Sliwa- a conservative speak present host and former Republican mayoral candidate- within the late 1970’s, however in current months has taken intention at migrants being bussed to town. Final summer time, Sliwa was arrested whereas protesting migrant housing within the metropolis and referred to as for them to be despatched to the infamous Rikers Island jail.
The Guardian Angels and Sliwa didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. Fox Information additionally didn’t touch upon the report, however the scene was illustrative of the anti-immigrant rhetoric that has continuously been promoted on the right-wing community’s air.
Final month, Fox Information host Pete Hegseth, from a Manhattan studio, in contrast the ambiance in New York to after the nation’s worst terror assault.
“Generally I stroll by way of public areas, I stroll by way of in another way now. It’s type of like after 9/11,” he stated.