Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., lamented during a hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday that allegations about foreign funding and coordination among anti-ICE agitators are «delegitimizing» people’s justified «anger» and «fear» caused by federal immigration officers.

Kim also called the questioning «dangerous» during the Tuesday hearing, which was about fraud and touched on concerns that foreign adversaries were financing anti-ICE efforts in the U.S. to create a strategic smokescreen meant to deter accountability away from their massive criminal fraud enterprises.      

«People all over this country are frustrated and concerned and upset. They’re scared and they’re worried about things because they just saw two American citizens get killed in the street by federal agents,» Kim said Tuesday. 

FOREIGN BILLIONAIRES FUNNEL $2.6B TO US ADVOCACY GROUPS TO INFLUENCE POLICY, WATCHDOG REPORT CLAIMS

«The idea that people would be saying that this type of anger and this type of of outrage – whether in New Jersey or in Minnesota – is being predominantly coordinated in this type of way,» he continued. «I just have to say it is delegitimizing the anger and the fear that people are facing right now … The way in which it’s been described … I just think is very dangerous right now. And I hope that we can still say and recognize that there are a lot of people, a lot of people that are furious right now and worried.»

The Senator’s arguments, such as that the violence from anti-ICE agitators stems from justified anger and that the questioning of how this violence is being organized «delegitimizes» protesting, have been frequently touted by Democrats in the past, and not just as it pertains to the ongoing anti-ICE sentiment.  

During a separate congressional hearing in December, Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, described attacks against ICE agents – which are up 12,000%, according to the Trump administration – as the result of people «channeling [their] frustration.»

«You’re seeing an overwhelming frustration of the American people in this country that the lack of respect and regard for the rule of law from this administration, and in particular by this Secretary, is at a level we have never seen and violates all of the constitutional norms and all of the principles of legal fairness in this country,» Johnson said. «And you’re seeing that manifest itself in threats to law enforcement, in bubbling over, because people are frustrated, and they are channeling that frustration because the administration is not listening.»

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Representative Julie Johnson, a Democrat from Texas, speaks during a New Democrat Coalition news conference on health care at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Meanwhile, in 2024, amid ongoing protests regarding the situation in Gaza and other civil unrest, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) described former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s calls for the FBI to investigate Gaza ceasefire protests for connections to Russia as «incredibly dangerous.»

«From Martin Luther King Jr. to Black Lives Matter protesters, the FBI has long used ‘foreign influence’ as an excuse to conduct illegal surveillance on Americans exercising free speech rights,» the ACLU said in a post on X in 2024.     

Despite claims that foreign funding accusations act as a smokescreen to «legitimize» lawful First Amendment activity, Republican-aligned witnesses during the Tuesday hearing argued billionaires, including some with ties to foreign adversaries, such as Neville Roy Singham and Hansjorg Wyss, pumped $60 million into the agitation efforts aimed at disrupting federal immigration efforts.

As unrest escalates in Minneapolis, investigators are uncovering a network of far-left activist groups allegedly bankrolled by a wealthy U.S. expat in China with reported ties to Chinese Communist Party–aligned propaganda efforts. (Roberto Schmidt/ AFP via Getty Images; Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for V-Day)

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«It comes in the form of a check, a six-figure check,» said Government Accountability Institute VP Seamus Bruner. «We’ve built a database that contains hundreds of thousands of rows from grants from networks like the Soros Network, the Arabella funding network – as mentioned – the Neville Roy Singham funding network, many others, Tides, the Ford Foundation network, the Rockefeller Funding network, these massive NGOs that have billions of dollars to spend on all kinds of coordinated protest, or in this case, riot activity.»

Rescuers in Italy reported Monday that at least a dozen skiers, climbers and hikers died over the past week in a record-setting tragedy in the country’s mountainous terrain.

While authorities said 11 of the 12 victims were killed in avalanches triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.

The incidents occurred just as the Winter Olympics began in the region last Friday. Authorities stressed that the game sites — located in Lombardy on the Swiss border, Cortina d’Ampezzo in Veneto and Val di Fiemme in Trentino — remain safe, well-maintained and closely monitored. 

Italy’s specialist mountain rescue organization revealed the fatal disasters were caused by weak layers of fresh snow, unstable enough that the passage of a single person could trigger an avalanche.

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The main issue is caused by «persistent weak layers in the snowy cloak, often covered by fresh snow or wind, conditions that make detachments unpredictable and easily triggered even by the passing of a single skier or alpinist,» the National Alpine and Speleological Rescue Corps said. «The dangerous points are many and difficult to identify, even for an expert.»

The country’s Alpine Rescue Corps spokesperson, Federico Catania, added that recent snowstorms have prompted visitors to take advantage of the fresh slopes, «and as a result, the number of accidents, and therefore fatalities, has increased proportionally,» the AP reported.

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Two Vigili del Fuoco crew members stand inside a helicopter next to an open door during a snowy mountain operation. (Vigili del Fuoco)

Italy’s national fire and rescue service, Vigili del Fuoco, reported that, over the weekend, two people died and one was seriously injured in Alpe Meriggio in Valtellina after being caught in an avalanche that fatally buried at least one of the victims.

The Associated Press also reported that three people died in avalanches in Trentino and one in neighboring South Tyrol.

Another two were reportedly killed in separate avalanches near the Marmolada glacier, two hikers along the Apennine range and an ice climber in Valle d’Aosta.

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Vigili del Fuoco crew members conduct a helicopter rescue over a mountain area. (Vigili del Fuoco)

Outside such regions, Catania said people skiing in managed areas should not face any significant risks, the AP reported.

«There is no danger for people skiing within managed ski resorts, and, in particular, no risks to the Olympic sites,» Catania said. «All of these areas are constantly monitored and are generally safe regardless of Olympic events.»

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Prior to the start of the Winter Olympics, Vigili del Fuoco said that crews would maintain safety measures for all visitors to the sites.

«For the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Italian National Fire Brigade has implemented an enhanced rescue structure to ensure the safety of athletes, delegations, spectators, and citizens, while also ensuring the continuity of the regular service,» the organization said.

Robert Plant se encontraba en una sala de entrevistas en agosto de 2002. Frente a él, el periodista Dean Goodman le preguntaba sobre la evolución del rock. La radio sonaba en el fondo, mientras el exvocalista de Led Zeppelin escuchaba atentamente el panorama musical del momento. Plant tenía una opinión definida sobre la nueva ola de bandas.

El músico británico, conocido por su camino junto a Led Zeppelin, no dudó en expresar su descontento. Observó que la mayor parte de la música que dominaba las radios carecía de la autenticidad y energía que caracterizaron al género en décadas pasadas. Plant sentía que algo fundamental en el rock se había perdido en la transición hacia el nuevo milenio.

De acuerdo con Far Out Magazine, Robert Plant afirmó que el 75% de la música que se emitía en la radio resultaba “impecable e insustancial”, grabada de manera digital y alejada del espíritu rebelde y espontáneo que, según él, definía al rock. En su análisis, Plant destacó que solo algunas bandas como Flaming Lips y White Stripes lograban ofrecer algo destacado y diferente en ese contexto.

Durante la entrevista, Dean Goodman consultó a Plant si alguna de las bandas emergentes tenía su aprobación. El cantante respondió que valoraba los intentos de innovación, siempre que evitaran caer en una propuesta débil y carente de sustancia. Plant señaló directamente a Linkin Park como ejemplo de la dirección que, a su juicio, no beneficiaba al género.

“Linkin Park, ¿en eso se convirtió realmente el rock?”, preguntó Plant. La frase resonó en la prensa musical, ya que señalaba un desencanto con la tendencia predominante en ese momento. Según el cantante, la búsqueda de un sonido pulido y digital restaba fuerza y autenticidad a la música que, históricamente, se caracterizó por su crudeza y emotividad.

Sin embargo, Plant no desconoció completamente el aporte de la banda estadounidense. Reconoció que, aunque el estilo de Linkin Park difería de sus expectativas, detectaba una honestidad emocional en la propuesta de la banda que merecía respeto.

Chester Bennington, exvocalista de Linkin Park, fallecido en 2017, se destacó por su capacidad para transmitir dolor y tristeza a través de su voz.

Plant advirtió esta cualidad y la consideró una rareza en la generación de músicos. El líder de Led Zeppelin señaló que, pese a sus reparos sobre el sonido de la banda, resultaba innegable la sinceridad emocional que Bennington llevaba al escenario.

Según Far Out Magazine, este matiz marcó la diferencia en la opinión de Plant. Aunque rechazó el estilo digital y pulido, reconoció la autenticidad de los sentimientos que Linkin Park transmitía. Para Plant, esa honestidad constituía un valor esencial, a pesar de los cambios en la producción musical y las tendencias de la industria.

El debate sobre la autenticidad y la evolución del rock no es nuevo. Plant representa a una generación que vivió el auge de la música en vivo, con errores y aciertos espontáneos que, en su opinión, enriquecían la experiencia. Las nuevas bandas, en cambio, enfrentan una industria que prioriza la perfección técnica y la producción digital.

La opinión de Robert Plant generó discusiones en el ambiente musical. Muchos seguidores del género compartieron su preocupación sobre la pérdida de la esencia original del rock. Otros, en cambio, defendieron la evolución y adaptación a los nuevos tiempos, considerando que la música debe reflejar los cambios tecnológicos y culturales de cada época.

De acuerdo con Far Out Magazine, la crítica de Plant sirvió para abrir un debate más amplio sobre la autenticidad en el arte. Para algunos, la perfección técnica nunca podrá reemplazar la emoción genuina. Para otros, la innovación es parte fundamental del desarrollo musical.

La música continúa evolucionando, y las nuevas generaciones seguirán interpretando el rock a su manera. Sin embargo, la discusión sobre la autenticidad, la innovación y la emoción sigue vigente. Plant, al señalar sus diferencias con el sonido contemporáneo, reafirmó la importancia de la honestidad artística.

El músic propuso una reflexión sobre la dirección que toma el rock, el papel de la producción digital y la necesidad de preservar la esencia emocional en la música. La historia de su crítica a Linkin Park permanece como un ejemplo de cómo los géneros musicales se transforman, pero también de cómo ciertos valores atraviesan el tiempo.

El debate sobre la autenticidad y la evolución del rock continúa abierto, tanto para músicos como para oyentes, en un mundo donde la tecnología y la emoción compiten por definir el sonido de cada generación.