Latest news with #DanielPenny
The Guardian
17-06-2025
- The Guardian
Go viral for racist behavior, receive $750,000: inside the new extremist crowdfunding campaigns
Shiloh Hendrix, a white woman based in Rochester, Minnesota, went viral after admitting in a video that she called a 5-year-old Black child the N-word while at a local park on 28 April. Though Hendrix was met with widespread condemnation and denouncement after the incident, she also raised over $750,000 on the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo, commonly used by extremists to fundraise for far-right causes. Many contributors to Hendrix's campaign, which was created to 'protect [Hendrix's] family' after backlash, used racial slurs and Nazi symbols in their donation names. As of 1 June, over 30,000 people had donated to Hendrix's fundraiser. The support and funding Hendrix received for her racist actions raised alarm bells for many, including the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), which flagged the fundraiser as being used to 'spread hateful talking points and legitimize their ideas'. Experts say the response to her campaign signals the rise of more overt, public support for racist actions, versus their condemnation. Hendrix isn't the first white person to become infamous for racist behavior and receive financial support from members of the public. A legal defense fund for Daniel Penny, a white veteran who killed Jordan Neely, a Black unhoused man, on a New York City subway in 2023, raised over $3.3m on GiveSendGo. The fund was created by Penny's defense lawyers. A similar campaign was started for Kyle Rittenhouse, who shot and killed two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a 2020 demonstration against the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man. That crowdfunding drive was started by Friends of Kyle Rittenhouse, a group based in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised more than $585,000. Several fundraisers for participants of the 2021 capital insurrection are currently hosted on the website. But experts say that the grassroots nature of Hendrix's fundraiser is concerning. Compared to the success of fundraisers like Rittenhouse or Penny that were largely driven by media attention and conservative politicians, Hendrix's campaign is in support of her usage of a racial slur and was spread by white supremacist circles. 'This particular case stands out because of the horrifying, vile slur that is being defended,' said Brian Levin, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. He added: 'It's illustrative of something that we've seen with regard to online organizing with respect to 'dyed-in-the-wool' racists, as opposed to just more controversial political expression.' Organizations and individuals explicitly supporting white supremacy, anti-LGBTQ+, and QAnon conspiracies raised over $6m on fundraising sites, including GiveSendGo, between 2016 and 2022, according to a report from the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. GiveSendGo hosted the majority of fundraisers, about 86.5% of the money tracked by the ADL. Other experts say that the Hendrix campaign demonstrates a shift in public opinion following Donald Trump's latest electoral victory, one where bigoted acts receive more open, tangible support than ever before. 'There's evidence that in the last few years, we've really seen a normalization of explicitly racialized politics,' said Jennifer Chudy, an assistant professor of political science at Wesleyan University. 'I think the person in the White House has emboldened people who may have felt silently sympathetic in the past towards this white woman, to now be more open about it, to not have any kind of sense of embarrassment or shame [since] this is a position that many in our upper echelons of power endorse and profess.' In many ways, the success of Hendrix's crowdfunding campaign represents an 'anomaly', said Mark Dwyer, an extremism funding investigator with the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism. For one, a small group of users on X, known for spreading racist rhetoric online, claimed that they created the fundraiser on GiveSendGo and then reached out to Hendrix, offering her support, said Dwyer. What's more, Hendrix's crowdfunding came after a viral fundraising campaign for Karmelo Anthony on the same platform. Anthony, a Black teenager from Frisco, Texas, allegedly stabbed and killed Austin Metcalf, a white teenager from a rival school, during a track meet. White supremacists encouraged people to donate to Hendrix's fund as a rebuttal to money raised for Anthony's legal defense fund, which Dwyer said likely boosted the campaign's success. Hendrix's video also served as a form of recruitment and camaraderie for folks who may have bigoted views but are not white supremacists. '[Hendrix's video] got in front of millions and millions and millions of eyes. It drove donors that might not necessarily be the hardcore white supremacist, but in their eyes, they don't see what she did as a problem,' said Dwyer. He added: 'People are voting on their views with their dollar. [For] a lot of people, this might be their first action outside of posting on social media to push their views and making a donation.' This latest incident represents a sharp contrast in how the public reacted to racist incidents just a few years ago. With the launch of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2013, many white people began facing public outrage over problematic behavior, including their harassment of Black people in public spaces. Jennifer Schulte, nicknamed 'Barbecue Becky', was widely criticized in 2018 after calling 911 on a Black family who was barbecuing in an Oakland, California, park. Amy Cooper was fired from her job after a trending video proved that she falsely claimed that a Black birdwatcher threatened her and her dog. 'Karen' quickly became a moniker to describe an entitled, nosy white woman as racial justice protests spread across the globe in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. But Chudy said that high levels of support for the Black Lives Matter movement among white people was also due to a confluence of unusual forces, including the Covid-19 pandemic and viral video of Floyd's murder. She added: 'You had white people who were stuck at home, [with the] typical distractions of their daily life suspended and so they would watch their screens and they saw an unambiguous, violent, lethal interaction between a white police officer and a Black man. We were always going to kind of revert to the norm.' Backlash to support of racial justice also came quickly, best illustrated by the political rise and election of Trump in 2016. 'Trump emerges on the national stage with an explicitly racial agenda of talking about Obama's birth certificate and where he's from,' said Chudy. 'Because Trump is so visible, because he's served in the highest political office in the land twice, that's just a lot of visibility to entrench new norms.' Meanwhile, individuals who were previously sympathetic to racial justice causes largely reduced their support. 'White people might feel like, 'Oh, we already discussed those issues. We already read the books, did the marches. So why is there still something to be upset about?'', said Chudy. In the midst of shifting support, platforms like GiveSendGo have been used as a fundraising tool by 'alt-right' extremists to fund causes. The website advertises itself as a free, philanthropic platform which emphasizes 'providing hope for people's spiritual needs', according to the group's website. 'The most valuable currency is God's love', the website reads, noting that GiveSendGo also partners with 'individuals and organizations dedicated to praying over our campaigns'. In a statement to the Guardian, a GiveSendGo representative defended the platform's choice to house Hendrix's fundraiser. 'Even in situations where we do not personally agree with an individual's past actions or beliefs, we still believe in the importance of personal choice,' said Alex Shipley, the site's communications director. 'Those who agree with the campaign's purpose are free to give, and those who disagree are free not to participate. GiveSendGo is not a place of judgment but a place of generosity, where people can choose how they wish to respond.' Shipley added that the website has a 'terms of service' where content would be subject to moderation or removal. But GiveSendGo has continually maintained a 'laissez-faire' attitude towards racist and bigoted campaigns on their platform, said Dwyer. 'They aren't going to de-platform people, no matter how reprehensible it is, until it reaches a bar of their choosing,' he said. As other regressions in racial progress happen – rollbacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and racist language in politics – open support for folks like Hendrix might become commonplace. 'Based on social media chatter, this was an empowering moment [for white supremacists],' Dwyer said of the Hendrix fundraiser. 'It increases the likelihood of something like this happening again.'
Daily Mail
29-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Subway vigilante flaunts new sporty boho look after criminal trial that divided America
Daniel Penny was first introduced to the world as the hoodie-wearing subway passenger whose chokehold led to the death of Jordan Neely. More than a year later, he was led from court fresh from his acquittal over the homeless man's death sporting a sharp suit and tie.
Daily Mail
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ramona Singer hit with fierce backlash after posing with controversial figure Daniel Penny
Ramona Singer was slammed on social media for posting a picture with controversial figure involved in a New York City tragedy two years ago. The reality star, 68, posted - and later removed - an Instagram post in which she was posed with Penny. Penny is the 26-year-old military veteran who was acquitted of homicide charges last year after fatally choking Jordan Neely, 30, in a New York City subway on May 1, 2023. Neely was homeless, schizophrenic and had past assaulted people on the subway, officials said. Passengers who witnessed the incident said Neely had threatened to kill people and wasn't afraid of death or incarceration. The outburst spurred Penny to apply a six-minute chokehold on Neely that proved to be fatal. has reached out to Singer's reps for further comment on the situation. The reality star, 68, posted - and later removed - an Instagram post in which she was posed with Penny, the 26-year-old military veteran who was acquitted of homicide charges last year after fatally choking Jordan Neely , 30, in a New York City subway on May 1, 2023 Singer, who appeared on the first 13 seasons of the Real Housewives of New York City since its 2008 debut, posted the shot Friday. She captioned it, 'So proud Daniel Penny !! #apennysaved #hero.' The Upper East Side socialite, who has more than 905,000 Instagram followers was pictured with Penny at an event in the Big Apple. Other notable names such as ex New York Governor David Paterson and ex-NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly were present, Page Six reported. The comment section was full of scorn, as many criticized the reality star for using her large social media platform to boost Penny. 'Literally murdered another human being in cold blood,' said one user. 'But go off.' Another told Singer, 'Proud of what exactly? He murdered a homeless man! You are shameless.' One person told Singer, ' Even for you this is LOW,' while another said, 'This is foul.' A Reddit thread titled 'For anyone who needs a reminder that Ramona is the POS who ruined RHONY and shouldn't be given a platform again' had more than 3,000 likes and almost 600 replies as of Sunday afternoon. Ramona spent Mother's Day celebrating with her daughter Avery, 30, with a celebration for her birthday. Actor Jon Voight, who was appointed to a leadership position in government earlier this yea r by President Donald Trump, said last year he felt that Penny was 'a hero' in how he handled the situation on the subway. Voight said of Penny - whose acquittal spurred protests from people who said Penny took things too far in the confrontation - 'If you're in that situation, I can easily put myself in that situation.' The Oscar-winner added, 'I don't know if I would have had the guts that he had to confront, when somebody says, "I'm gonna kill somebody here."
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Daniel Penny attends Manhattan Institute fundraiser — where swarm of protesters staged a ‘die-in'
Daniel Penny attended a swanky Manhattan Institute fundraising gala in the Big Apple Wednesday night, where left-wing protestors staged a 'die-in' to denounce the event's extravagance and its wealthy elite attendees. Penny – the former Marine who was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in the May 2023 killing of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway – received a warm welcome from other guests as he arrived at Cipriani 42nd Street in Manhattan for the Alexander Hamilton Award Dinner Wednesday night. As the Marine vet and other attendees donned tuxedos for the black tie affair – named after the man who founded The Post – they were greeted by throngs of demonstrators who sprawled out on the ground outside the soiree with cardboard headstones blasting President Trump, Elon Musk and 'Top MAGA-donor billionaires.' 'Billionaire tax cuts killed me,' one of the makeshift tombstones read. Another read, 'Trump helped the rich, not me,' with a skull and crossbones etched at the top. Third Act NYC organized the 'MAGA Billionaire Blockade' to rally against 'oligarchs' associated with the Trump administration and the richest man alive, who, they say, have opposed minimum wage increases and universal healthcare while privatizing public services for personal gain. 'On May 7, we're crashing their party,' the group said in a call to action for the 'die-in.' 'Because New York City is not just a playground for a handful of billionaires. It is the home of over eight million hard-working New Yorkers who have had enough of the elites squeezing our communities so they can add another zero to their bank statement.' Tickets to the awards dinner – held to recognize individuals contributing to urban revitalization nationwide – were priced as high as $250,000 for a table of 12, according to the Manhattan Institute's website. The lowest-priced ticket for a table went for $15,000.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
Former Marine Daniel Penny honored for actions on New York subway: 'Service and sacrifice'
Daniel Penny, the subject of a high profile manslaughter trial, was presented on Wednesday with the Semper Fidelis achievement award by the Marine Corps League at an Iwo Jima Day event in Boston, Massachusetts. Penny was acquitted last year in the 2023 killing of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway. Prosecutors asked the court to dismiss the main manslaughter charge to avoid a hung jury, and they ultimately found Penny not guilty of the lesser charge, Fox News Digital previously reported. Daniel Penny Found Not Guilty In Subway Chokehold Trial Penny's defense attorneys, Thomas Kenniff and Steve Raiser, traveled with him to the award ceremony and were also presented with appreciation plaques, according to a statement provided to Fox News Digital by Raiser, first reported by the New York Post. The league honored Penny for "representing the Esprit De Corps of the Marines, defined by selfless service and sacrifice, when he risked his life by defending the people on that NYC train," Raiser wrote in the statement. Read On The Fox News App His lawyers, in turn, "defended Danny from a prosecution that never should have been sought," according to the statement. Jordan Neely's Dad Files Lawsuit Against Daniel Penny Outside of the State House, Brig. General Enoch "Woody" Woodhouse, one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, took Penny's hand, looked him in the eye and said, "I'm proud of you, son," according to Kenniff. "That is a moment I don't think any of us will forget," Kenniff said. The Marine Corps League's John M. MacGillivray said the award goes to "worthy and inspirational recipients." "We believe that Daniel Penny and attorneys Raiser and Kenniff deserve such recognition and hope that they will consent to accept these awards," according to MacGillivray. "We were honored and humbled to be in the same room being honored alongside many veterans of prior wars, including an Iwo Jima veteran and a retired general who served as one of the Tuskegee Airmen," Raiser wrote. The three accepted the awards, and were photographed together following the Massachusetts State House ceremony. Organizers said this year's event, which recently commemorated the 80th anniversary of the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima, may be the last due to the dwindling number of Marine survivors still living. The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest in American history, claiming 7,000 lives and leaving 20,000 Marines wounded. Daniel Penny Returns To Court For Closing Arguments In Subway Chokehold Trial More Medals of Honor were awarded for heroism in Iwo Jima, at a total of 27, than in any other battle, according to MacGillivray. The win pushed the Allies ahead in their mission to end World War II. "This may well be the last time that we conduct this ceremony," he wrote. "Therefore, we believe that the participation of Daniel Penny and lawyers Raiser and Kenniff will help to make this ceremony a success." Fox News Digital's Michael Ruiz contributed to this article source: Former Marine Daniel Penny honored for actions on New York subway: 'Service and sacrifice'
