Ezra Levant highlights Rebel News’ viral 2023 videos, including David Menzies’ exposé on transgender rugby player Ash Davis (a biological male with injuries to female teammates), sparking 8,000-signature petitions against Ottawa’s school board policies. He critiques police interrogation of Adam Smith Connor—who prayed for his aborted son Jacob—under UK’s PSPO, suggesting bias against white Christian males, while Fatima Gunning (Gripped) notes ADF legal intervention led to dropped charges in similar cases. Gripped’s resistance to Ireland’s delayed censorship bill (73% opposition) mirrors global conservative media pushback against governance overreach, from Australia’s "15-minute neighborhoods" to Hungary’s defiance, underscoring a unified fight for free expression amid shrinking democratic spaces. [Automatically generated summary]
Today I want to show you some special videos, some of our most popular videos of 2023 that you might not have seen, including one of our rare million view videos.
I say rare because YouTube throttles us, so it's not often we get that kind of virality anymore.
If you haven't seen it, you're going to love it.
That's why I want you to get the video version of this podcast.
Just go to RebelNewsPlus.com.
It's $8 a month.
You get this show every weeknight.
And obviously the podcast is free, but the video version, it's $8 a month.
$8 a month might not sound like a lot to you, but for us, it really adds up and it's how we pay our bills here because you know we'll never take money from Trudeau.
That's RebelNewsPlus.com.
All right, here's today's podcast.
Tonight, the best videos of 2023, including a video that just crossed the million view mark.
It's August 7th, and this is the Ezra Levant show.
Shame on you, you censorious thug.
Hey, you know, back in the days before YouTube censored conservatives, we would get videos with a million views almost every week.
In fact, that happened when our subscription base, the number of people who signed up for our videos on YouTube, was only half of what it is now.
So you'd think we would be getting twice as many, but alas, we've been throttled and censored, demonetized.
So when a video punches through that million view mark on YouTube, you know it's special.
We get million view videos quite often on Twitter because it's not censored.
On Rumble, we can sometimes hit those numbers, but on YouTube, well, it's fighting against the odds.
I want to show you David Menzies' recent video about a transgender athlete on a women's sports team.
It's obviously captured the attention not just of Canadians, but people around the crazy Western world for the sheer absurdity of a fella who isn't even trying to change how he looks.
Like the guy's got male pattern baldness.
He's a man, man.
And to see him tackling these women, well, that's only the beginning of the crazy.
It gets much crazier because the other girls on his team shriek their defense of him.
It's most astonishing.
You'll see why it has a million views.
Now, it's a lengthy video, so we're going to show that to you in a minute.
First, I'd like to show you a few other interesting vids from the year that you might not have seen.
So we're going to call this the best of 2023, and we're going to leave the super best for last.
That's David's transgender rugby video.
That's our show for today on this holiday Monday.
Stay with us to watch our super vids, and we'll be back with our regular programming tomorrow.
So here's the best so far of 2023.
34-21!
Mr. Davis, Ash, why are you doing this?
I'm David Menzies of Rebel News.
No, you're not really a part of this.
Human rights!
What about the human rights of biological women being injured by this man?
As a mother, why would you expose your kids to a massage?
That isn't my partner.
That is not my wife there.
You are being.
So he's a lesbian.
It's not a sport.
It's not an issue.
I'm a registered social worker, sir, and I demand human rights for everybody.
School Board Controversy00:05:31
Oh, okay.
Yeah, what's the biological female?
How do you feel about a biological male playing in rugby man?
Thank you.
I don't really give a f ⁇ today.
Okay.
I don't know what is a crime anymore.
Well, sometimes we all ask ourselves that, right?
Credit, energy prices in Europe have never been higher.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Are you happy that natural gas is so expensive so people can't afford it?
Or do you think that's bad?
Greta, it's getting quite cold in Davos.
When can I expect some global warming?
Greta, would you say you're a child actor?
Are you a child actor or an expert?
How would you describe yourself?
Greta, are there any climate actions planned whilst you're here with all the other activists?
Sure.
Yeah.
I'm sure people are planning to.
Creta, are you used to gentler questions or do you ever talk to people who disagree with you?
Kreta, who was filming your arrest in Germany?
Because it looked like you did that in several takes, didn't you?
You were posing with the police.
He's answering for you.
Just introduce us.
Hey, there's a lot of people.
Hey, great to see you.
Why did you leave West Point Great Academy?
I'm wondering why did you leave West Point Grey Academy?
I guess first off, just my question for you is: what is the sort of hope?
What's the outcome that folks are hoping for here?
I'm obviously standing up against this sort of mandatory indoctrination, but what is your ultimate desire and outcome from this?
My main thing is actually leaving the kids at all, not to be forced into somebody else's ideology.
I have, I'm not against these people personally.
It has nothing to do with me, but to be forced to teach our children in our own school, in our own private school, that's my main problem.
I'm a school teacher and I don't agree with this be forced upon my children in my own private school.
And I know that for the private schools, if they do not accept the idea of being taught in the school, we're gonna be, some funding is gonna be removed from the schools.
We're not gonna be treated like any other school.
That's my main thing.
Just leave the kids alone.
I can't hear you.
Do you have permission to film me?
Do I need permission to call you?
Yeah, you do.
Why is that ridiculous?
Because you don't have my permission.
Well, you're in public.
Doesn't mean you can.
It's okay, you know what?
You can spread your hate.
I'm not spreading any hate.
Well, you are because you're saying we do things that we don't.
I didn't call me over.
Yeah, I didn't want you to tell me.
Well, you're in public.
So now you're bullying.
It's okay, film me.
Yeah, I will.
Okay.
So that's why I started my own uncancelable petition that I promised you that if you signed, I would deliver it in person.
So I jumped on a plane with my videographer Kian Simoni.
We flew all the way to Ottawa from Alberta, him from Calgary, me from Edmonton, to keep that promise to you.
So we're headed to the school board meeting tonight.
Let's see how it goes.
Hi there.
Hi.
How are you?
I work great.
Thank you.
All right.
Ms. Kappelmer?
Hi.
She wouldn't read what's wrong with you.
I just want to.
No, don't run.
No, you will back off.
You will back off.
I'm drinking.
You will back off right now.
I'm drinking a back petition with HP.
You will back off.
No, you may not come in.
You may not come in.
You do not have permission to come in.
That door is closed.
You may not.
Wow.
Yeah.
We are the security guard here.
Thank you.
Perfect.
Thank you very much.
Hello, Heather.
Heather.
This gentleman's with CTV.
Good guy.
Hello.
Good guy.
Excuse me.
So CTV can go in.
Why can't CTV go in, but we can?
You said he was a good guy.
What makes him good and us bad?
You are, excuse me, you just did an interview with CTV, so you're not averse to speaking to the media.
What is your job here at the Ottawa Carleton District School Board?
I bet by your silence, your communications officer.
Is there a reason why you won't speak to us?
What do you want to talk about?
Well, first of all, I want to know what you do here.
If you work for the public, then surely you should be able to tell us what you do on behalf of the taxpayer or the parents of the Ottawa Carleton District School Board.
Great, and so what did you want to talk about?
Well, I wanted to deliver this petition.
It's got 8,000 signatures on it.
People who disagree with the actions of Nealey Kaplan Murph, silencing parents in person, and then having two change.org petitions taken down.
And that's why I started my own petition to give a voice to the parents that you will not provide.
Looking For Answers00:04:31
Right.
So, I mean, you can talk to her about that.
I tried, but somebody slammed the door and called security as though I'm some sort of security risk.
You don't think so.
You're standing awfully close to me.
I never felt threatened.
No.
Okay, then why is security there blocking my entry?
You don't know?
I'm trying.
So that was crazy.
She reacted poorly.
Almost like a wild-eyed, mask-obsessed TV doctor turned school board trustee who silences parents would act.
I'm glad security came because I feel like maybe we needed security to deal with her because she was pretty crazy slamming doors, screaming at me.
I think I'm pretty calm.
I have the giggles, because that was really weird.
They broke my glasses, they pulled my phone, they reversed me, and they burned the four wheels of my car.
And now, of course, they have made all the intimidation.
Almost no longer had to come and manifest.
Who they are protecting?
Why they are not doing it?
This is...
This group is violent.
They're only looking for trouble.
They are organized.
They have inside information.
And this is why America, or people like us, we fear for our safety.
Yes, it's Blackburn.
So rocks, rocks, rocks alone?
Yes.
Well, I've learned it on the internet.
You came to Mexico, and did you ask for asylum?
Yeah.
A friend of us was here in New York.
He went there, and they gave him the permission to work.
Stay in your own country.
I'm here with a purpose.
There is a process to determine whether someone is a refugee.
There are steps to go through.
Those who are seeking to go somewhere else, not we're pushing or forcing, if they're seeking to go somewhere else, we are helping in the reticketing process.
There's so many homeless here, and they're bringing people from other countries where there's people here struggling with mental illness.
The issue starts at our southern border, where the U.S. has declined to enforce proper immigration.
And you allow them to live in a hotel, but yet the major crisis of homelessness is very, very big.
So I'm in Wroxham Road and I'm waiting actually for Lincoln G to arrive.
He just arrived in Plattsburgh and he took a cab.
Just like that, I'm in the back of a taxicab waiting to go to Wroxham Road.
Why wouldn't you ask that?
You're running across the border.
I don't have to go to police or I'm looking.
Where's the maritime tape?
Excuse me, we're in the parking lot so far away.
No Majority Base00:04:28
We don't have a majority base.
We're down here.
What are the exact meters from that library to where we are right now?
Shame on you!
We're going to measure this, don't you worry?
No, that's not true.
We are fighting by all the violence.
It's okay.
I have a pretty good feeling.
What it boils down to is pretty much enslaving.
And I'm consciously saying the word enslaving, enslaving all the people all around the world.
There will be a few privileged that do not have to eat bucks, that will still be able to fly, still own a car, and will still be allowed to leave the immediate area where they live in and not be subjected to a climate lockdown, which is what we are actually talking about right now.
15 Minutes Neighborhoods as a word here.
But they're a part of some privileged, but all of us here, every one of us, me included, we will be subjected to their rules, all in the name of saving the planet.
All right, so we've officially been backed into a corner of the library at the so-called peaceful love is love rally.
The supporters of the event have told us not to antagonize.
Back off.
Back off.
You are intimidating me.
I don't feel safe.
Some people have never experienced what we actually do.
and making judgements without having any information.
But people are set to protest her event.
People who Connie says have made threats saying her presentation will sexualize or psychologically harm children.
Sexualizing children is not what we're about.
We're about creating an all-inclusive space where everyone can be themselves.
They arrive here as refugees.
And I want to honor their courage.
Olivia Cha can house them if she wants to, not me.
And I don't think it's safe.
That's how we all got here, right?
You know?
So I don't know what everybody's problem is.
Our population is growing faster than the supply of housing.
The costs and the crime that Torudo's policies have unleashed make this country unlivable for newcomers and for those who have been here a long time.
If you had the space, would you be willing to welcome a refugee into your home?
Absolutely.
Absolutely, if I had the space.
I have the space.
My family and I own some real estate units.
We would never do this.
Public Space Protection Order00:15:03
Last weekend, three, yes, three women's rugby players had to be removed from a game and treated for injuries from hits sustained by a trans woman.
That just bowled them over.
It could have been.
It literally couldn't be easier for this guy.
Notice the reaction that he gets from the other teammates of Ash, desperately trying to protect Ash from having to face the public.
This is the trans woman this string is about.
That guy looks like he could be the ref.
What the f is he doing?
And the second one is: why are these women defending attention?
There is something in the water there that is making people go insane.
I really wish that the female players who are upset about this would start standing up to this insanity.
What gets me, and I've just realized this: okay, the fathers that are okay with their daughters competing against men.
And that video very clearly shows that the men in attendance are all okay with this.
Yeah, they're going to equity and tolerance our mothers, daughters, and sisters right into a bunch of wheelchairs or an early grave.
I understand Mr. Davis was the hardest-hitting player on the men's team last year, sir.
How is he being allowed to play against biological females?
You're disgusting.
Get out of my post.
Stay the f away from me, man.
I heard what you were saying before.
I think the idea is that you're not being tolerant of other people's beliefs.
You think everyone has to believe what you believe.
I think we should just be tolerant.
Ladies, what do you think about Mr. Davis injuring biological females?
Any thoughts on that?
Ash, is it true that you were voted the hardest hitter on the male team that you played for last year?
You're the ref you should be calling this.
I will be calling it a very safe game, sir.
Thank you.
Keep walking if you don't have good vibes.
Okay, then good vibes.
Oh, really?
Including a male player injuring female players.
That's okay with you.
What's wrong with that?
You don't have to talk to the public.
Please don't touch me.
Are you with the local media?
This guy, Ash Davis, three women on the Stony Creek Camel seam had to be carted off the field.
How is that safe?
He's a biological male.
You know what?
That's not true.
Mr. Davis, why are you doing this?
You were voted the hardest hitter on the male team last year.
Doesn't that make things even more lethal for the biological females that you're injuring?
Oh, okay.
Okay, okay.
I can't answer that question right now.
Oh, is that right?
I see these ladies telling you not to talk.
You're taking orders from these rugby players, sir.
Well, I'm just here to watch a rugby game.
So why is this being tolerated, man?
Because they're not a male.
Oh, it's a they.
How about yourself, sir?
Do you agree with a biological male playing against biological females?
Looks like you're giggling.
Weird world, isn't it, sir?
It's a sticky situation.
That's all for David.
Have a good weekend.
It's technically harassing up to the United States.
Oh, you don't.
Billy!
Hey, welcome back.
I want to show you an astonishing video of an encounter between one man and two police, especially one police interrogator.
I'm going to let this run for a couple minutes.
It's just absolutely astonishing.
Take a look at this.
We just wanted to sort of come over and just say hello, the first instinct, but also just inquiring into your activities for today.
Well, I'm praying.
Just for your awareness, you are in an area which is governed by a public space protection order.
I don't know if you're aware of that public space protection order.
They also call it a safe zone.
There are signs located in the area just to make you aware of that and the area where certain activities are short.
In terms of that, can I ask what is the nature of your prayer today?
What is the nature of that?
I'm praying for my son.
I don't want to probe.
I don't want to sort of ask you to upgrade on that.
But at the same time, it would be amused for me to sort of not mention the, like I said, the area of being activity.
Sure.
In terms of that, there is clause within the public space protection order around prayer.
Yes.
And around disapproval around the activities that they're killing.
Right.
As I say, whilst I don't want to probe as to the reasons you're proving this on, it obviously is perhaps pertinent to the area that you are in, and like I said, the PSBO and legislation around that.
Well, I'm praying for my son, he's deceased.
I'm very sorry to hear that.
Okay.
Okay.
So, again, I'm sorry for your loss, but ultimately, I have to go along the competitive protection order.
Right.
They say that we are in the belief, therefore, that you are in breach of course of the way which says about prayer and also acts of disapproval of the activities of the case.
I'm just standing praying.
I understand that, but the PSBO is in place for a reason.
We do have to follow through on those regulations.
Imagine asking a man about his silent prayer.
What did you pray?
What were you thinking and feeling?
What was in your secret prayer?
I need to know because the answer to that question will determine whether I arrest you and prosecute you or not.
Absolutely incredible.
Well, we learned about this story, even though it was from Bournemouth, UK, we learned about it through an interesting website based in Dublin, Ireland called Gripped.
And I read the story written by Fatima Gunning, who joins us now from Ireland near Dublin.
Fatima, what a pleasure to meet you.
Tell me a little bit about this story.
Who is this man?
He had the foresight to film the encounter with police, which I think is something everyone should do these days.
Tell me and tell our viewers a little bit more about the facts of this case.
Well, hi, Ezra.
Hi, everyone, as well.
This man is called Adam Smith Connor.
He was just praying outside an abortion facility.
And yeah, as you said, he did actually go to the trouble of recording the interaction.
And I think we'll probably get into why he may have felt like he should be doing that as we continue to speak.
But this man was praying by his own admission, as if you need to admit to praying.
He was praying outside the abortion facility.
And the thoughts in his mind, which he wasn't allowed to have, were for his son Jacob, who he regrets paying to have aborted some years ago.
So, as we saw in the video, like the police lady, like she asks him, What were you praying for?
And then he said, Well, I'm praying for my deceased son.
And she immediately says, Oh, I don't want to pry.
But then she cries.
Oh, not to pray.
He's already been crying.
It's a bizarre one.
It's very, very strange.
But yeah, she then lets him know in kind of a firm way that what he's doing is not allowed under this thing.
It's called PSPO.
It's the public spaces protection order where you're not allowed to think disapproving thoughts about abortion in the vicinity of an abortion clinic.
It's just incredible.
You know, I think he was very savvy to record his interaction with police.
First of all, I think it will be evidence that is useful at his trial to show his defense and to show the police conduct.
Second of all, to be quite plain about it, I think that the police probably would have denied what they did, or maybe not.
Maybe they're so brazen they wouldn't.
But, you know, it's proof of what happened.
And we're talking about in the court of public opinion, not just the court of law.
But I think, and I'd like your view on this, Fatima.
I think that if it weren't a man named Adam Smith Connor, who is probably Christian, I think if it were a Sikh person or a Muslim person or maybe even a Jew, I think the police would not have been so brazen.
What are you praying about?
What are you thinking?
Tell me your feelings and your beliefs.
I think that the brazenness of the cop involved here was because it was a white Christian male, just in terms of the pecking order of political correctness.
Am I wrong on that?
Or if there were a Muslim outside an abortion clinic having a silent prayer, do you think the police would have accosted him as well?
I do think that in certain instances in the UK and Ireland, there is a perception that certain holders of certain ideologies may be treated slightly differently to Christians.
I think especially, you know, I'm chronically online because of my job and I see things, I see criticisms being hurled at Christians, Catholics constantly that, you know, the same person would not say that, I don't think, about somebody from a different faith.
Think it's almost in a way, and I can only really speak about Ireland because, like, this is where I live, this is where I'm from.
But it seems that a lot of people are okay with bashing Christians.
Um, I have to say, like, you mentioned that this man is a white male.
A lady called Elizabeth von Spruce was also arrested in similar circumstances in February of this year.
I'm not sure if you'd heard of her, but this lady was also just praying silently outside an abortion facility.
Same story, really, like police came up to her.
What are you thinking?
You're not allowed to think that you're under arrest.
And then I think it was just after that, there was another person, and this man is called Father Sean Gough.
I think I'm pronouncing his name right.
I may not be G-O-G-H, but he was arrested for, you know, praying outside a closed abortion facility.
He had a sign that said praying for freedom of speech.
And he was arrested, I think, if I'm not mistaken, for intimidating service users.
So I don't know how can you intimidate service users when the facility is not in operation?
Like, that's a, you know, it's a weird question.
And he was also further charged for having an Unborn Lives Matter bumper sticker on his car.
A bumper sticker.
You know, it truly is the definition of a thought crime.
If these people are standing silently and you have to go up to them and ask them, what are you thinking?
And their freedom turns on that, you know, it's quite something that they just don't lie.
But of course, if you're the person who's standing on principle, one of your principles is probably to not lie.
And in fact, telling the truth here, if it causes an arrest and a prosecution, maybe forcing the crisis to happen will result in more eyes being put on the crisis and perhaps this abusive policing being amended.
So hopefully something will come of that.
Now, I know that the man in question has received legal counsel from a freedom-oriented NGO.
I'm reading in your article that Alliance Defending Freedom has provided a lawyer, UK legal counsel Jeremiah Igunobole, if I'm pronouncing the name right.
So he has a lawyer, which is good.
Sometimes folks like this go in unrepresented and they're just chewed up by the legal system.
So hopefully having a publicity-oriented NGO and a lawyer behind him will make the difference because I'm sure this guy would be ground up if he went in without help.
So the ADF and the Alliance Defending Freedom, they have also represented the previous two people I mentioned.
And the Crown Prosecution Services dropped the cases against Isabel von Spruce and Father Sean Gough.
I would go ahead and assume that the ADF's help was instrumental there.
But it's just, it's a scary thing, isn't it?
Like you were saying how these people are telling the truth.
The police are coming up to them like, you know, yourself, like it's not nice to have police officers kind of march up to you and be like, what are you doing?
Like nobody likes that.
But I think people in these kind of circumstances have mentioned that the process is the punishment.
You know, like even at the end of the day, with Isabel and Father Sean, you have the charges dropped.
You've still gone through that.
Like you've still been intimidated.
You've still been dragged through the legal system.
And that's not fun for anybody.
Not just that, but it's a warning to others.
Don't you dare try this or you'll be put through this humiliation, this interrogation, this spurious legal process, even if at the end of the day they're acquitted.
Imagine going through that stress, but that shows courage.
Hey, listen, Fedima, it's great to meet you.
And I want to say, I've just started following the news organization you work with.
It's called Gripped, G-R-I-P-T.
It's an Irish-based news source.
Why don't you give our viewers, you're the second reporter we've spoken to from GRIPT, and I uh, or that we've met through Grippt, I'm a big fan, even though I'm over here in North America.
Uh, why don't you tell our viewers just in a minute a little bit about your news organization because it looks small and scrappy and conservative and uh independent.
Um, why don't you tell us a bit about it?
Maybe you'll get a few followers from over on this side of the Atlantic.
Thank you.
Yeah, so we are very young, we are very independent.
I think we've only been around for about three years.
I joined within the last year.
Um, I'm a qualified journalist myself, but I was off doing other things.
Um, so Ireland is a very small country, as you might know.
Our media is a very, very small pond with very big fish who, in general terms, all agree with each other.
So, um, I don't need to tell you how unhealthy that is for a democratic society.
So, in the midst of all that, um, a bunch of, like, if I can say little brave people who uh who care about the country decided to form GRIPT essentially from nothing.
Um, and you know, we're doing quite well because I think at this point in time, after all the kind of initial hard work, I think now that people are recognizing, like, hey, there's this media organization here, and they're not saying what the other guys are saying, but they're tiny.
You know, um, I think that we are gaining traction.
Brave Journalism Under Threat00:03:20
And, like, if anyone does want to follow us, we'd be super grateful.
Thank you.
Well, we'll put your website up on the screen and on the website.
Last question: I was following the attempts to bring in an extreme censorship law in Ireland.
That I mean, I know some Irish poets and some Irish writers, and I just would have to think that if they were alive today, they would rage against the thought that the government would censor offensive material and really in an astonishing, far-reaching way.
How is that bill coming along?
I know there have been some brave politicians speaking out against it and members of the public.
And I know that, according to public response, the public doesn't want this, but that's sort of the whole point about censorship: it doesn't allow people to choose.
How is the censorship battle in Ireland going?
Well, I mean, I don't want to speak too soon, but I think there are some signs for optimism, some causes for optimism rather.
So, the Minister for Justice, Helen McIntyre, who is at the moment kind of behind this and spearheading this, she wanted it to be pushed forward and essentially signed off on before the Dahl recess and before our like government goes on summer holiday.
She didn't manage to do that.
It actually got kicked back to September, I believe, when they come back.
So, I mean, she was gung-ho for this to be signed off, like signed, sealed, and delivered like law.
That didn't happen.
I think opposition to it is growing.
I've spoken to a couple of senators about it myself, and they've told me that they are receiving like a deluge of emails with like names, addresses, like detailed complaints.
My own colleague Ben Scallin went through 3,000, over 3,000 submissions to the government about this during the public consultation process.
He went through every single one of them by himself, and he was able to see that 73% of them were negative.
Yeah, I saw that, and he put a question to the minister, and she refused to acknowledge that.
That was excellent journalism.
Well, listen, I'm a fan of GRIPT.
In fact, I'm a subscriber, and I'll keep watching what you do.
And hopefully, Fatima, you and I can chat from time to time.
And maybe some of your other colleagues.
We were interested in Ireland.
Don't have the resources at Rebel News to cover it ourselves, but some of the same thematic issues are at play in many of the Western democracies, whether it is 15-minute cities, censorship, thought crimes, you know, global governance as opposed to national sovereignty.
There's so many issues that are the same, whether it's Ireland, the UK, Australia, or frankly, even Hungary, where I was recently.
Great to meet you and keep up the fight and keep up the independent journalism.
Thank you very much.
Right on.
There you have it.
Fatima Gunning from Gripped in Ireland.
Stay with us.
moran those are the best vids of 2023 What do you think of David?
A he manages to keep his cool.
And even when people are shoving him or shouting at him, I think he's very lovable.
Of course, the other side thinks he's very hateable because he's so effective.