The gastropub has nine rooms to choose from and might be nice for a weekend escape

A gastro pub with rooms found in a seaside village in Norfolk has been named one of the best places to stay in the UK. The Ship in Brancaster made is onto The Times’ list of the 50 best places to stay for 2026 thanks to it being “great value” and offering “Med-inspired seaside dining”.

If you are looking for somewhere to escape Cambridgeshire for a long weekend, a trip to the Ship might be worth looking into. The gastropub has a range of rooms to choose from and is only a 20-mintue walk or three-minute drive away from Brancaster beach.

On the Ship, The Times said: “The swashbuckling sisters Siobhan and Caitriona Peyton, who shook up Norfolk’s hospitality scene when they opened Sculthorpe Mill in 2021, only dropped anchor here in May 2025, revamping the bar, boutiquing the rooms and offering Med-inspired seaside dining. Don’t think of it as a hotel, though. It’s a Pub with rooms and a restaurant that’s run with the same flair that lured the Michelin inspectors to Sculthorpe.”

The nine rooms spread across the first and second floors of the building are all described as having “their own character”. The rooms range from classic, deluxe, and super deluxe and all have an ensuite with Norfolk Living toiletries.

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During your stay, you could enjoy a drink in the pub area of the Ship, which stocks different local beers, fine wines, and has a few cocktails on offer as well as a few food options such as the roast chicken club sandwich and scampi with chips. For those wanting to indulge, you might prefer to have a meal in the restaurant that serves dishes that make “the most of Norfolk’s incredible local produce”.

Guests can choose from a few different options for each course including steak, pork chops, and pasta dishes. For those wanting something sweet, the pub’s restaurant also serves desserts from tiramisu and Basque cheesecake to simple scoops of gelato.

Siobhan Peyton, who owns The Ship with her sister Caitriona said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by The Times, and accept this wonderful accolade. Brancaster is a glorious corner of Norfolk, so to see it showcased nationally is terrific for the area.”

Caitriona added: “With summer fast approaching, there is no better time to escape to the Norfolk coast and explore our glorious beaches and surrounding countryside.”

Rooms at the Ship can be booked through the pub’s website. The price of the rooms start from £145.

If you are looking for a quiet coastal escape, Brancaster beach offers visitors a place to relax as well as having plenty of places that are ideal for birdwatching such as Titchwell Marsh. You can also visit the nearby Brancaster Staithe harbour, which is known for its mussels.

As more and more console gamers move to the PC, a reader argues that they’re not going out of choice but because of mistakes made by Sony and Microsoft.

We live at a time when everything seems to be spiralling out of control and no one in any position of power seems to know what they’re doing… except making the rich richer. This applies just as much to important world-shaking events and the trivial world of video games.

I assume anyone reading this loves gaming, as I do, so it’s been agonising watching it constantly shooting itself in the foot for the last five years. If you want an image of the current console generation of gaming just think of that Simpsons clip where Sideshow Bob is constantly stepping on rakes, even though he can see them all right there on the ground.

I don’t think anyone’s happy this generation, as even though the PlayStation 5 is running away with it in terms of sales they’re not making the games, or doing any of the other things fans actually want them to do. They’re just selling hardware and that’s it. They’re an absentee console manufacturer.

I think most people accept this description of current events but for those with their head still in the sand, pretending everything is perfectly normal, we’ve been getting reports over the last few years that console use is going down but PC is going up.

This is a clear indication that what I’ve just said is having an effect on sales and player habits but one thing I do disagree with is how it’s been reported as PC gaming increasing. It’s not, console gaming is going down and the overall level of people playing games is staying the same.

PCs aren’t attracting more people into gaming, but people who used to enjoy using consoles are migrating to the PC. I think the reasons for this are very obvious and Sony’s panicked response, of suddenly stopping exclusives going onto PC, shows that they never understood the dangers of doing so – even though fans like me pointed them out before they ever started.

Somehow Sony bosses couldn’t see how getting rid of the main reason anyone buys a particular console – to play its exclusives – could possibly have a negative effect. It always seemed blindly obvious to everyone else but short term profit is all these people ever care about.

So now we’re left with a gaming industry which seems horribly unhealthy compared to last generation and where the only sensible purchase choices are a Switch 2, which can’t run everything, or a PC that is more expensive than a console.

And now, to hammer things home, both Valve and Microsoft are currently making next gen ‘consoles’ which are actaully just gaming PCs with a different logo on the front. Worst of all, the first and almost only definitive thing Microsoft has said about its device is that it’ll be super expensive.

I really do think these execs are living in another world. What we need is for gaming to get cheaper, not more expensive. The PC wouldn’t seem nearly as attractive to people defecting from consoles if it wasn’t for the wider range of indie games, the free online, and the generally cheaper games.

Nintendo used to be the cheap option, as well as having the draw of their exclusives, but they haven’t got that anymore, with their games and hardware are now also very expensive, and possibly seeing an increase soon.

And that’s on top of gaming PCs becoming prohibitively expensive too, because all of these machines use basically the same components.

Everything about the industry is wrong at the moment and while a PC-only future wouldn’t be completely awful its effect on Sony and Nintendo is not going to be good. All of this could’ve been avoided if execs were a bit more sensible and forward planning was a thing that existed at these companies, but unfortunately the age of incompetence seems to have everyone in its grip.

By reader Ashton Marley

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot.

Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE: The solution to staleness in modern gaming is cross-pollination – Reader’s Feature

MORE: If all video games were free what would people really play? – Reader’s Feature

MORE: Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown reader review – Reader’s Feature

The issue was pushed to the front of the discussion on Reddit recently, as one user shared his experience of an aircraft altercation.

The man, who is 6 ft 5, was sat on an economy flight when the passenger in front attempted to recline her seat.

He explained: “The passenger directly in front of me tried to recline but realised that my knees were preventing her from doing so.

“She turned around, gave me a dirty look, and attempted to recline again with more force. I was a little annoyed, but apologised and told her I could not move my legs out of the way without encroaching on the spaces beside me.

“She accused me of doing this on purpose just because I wanted more room for myself, and said that if I could not fit into a normal economy plane seat that I should pay extra for an emergency exit seat so that people around me can have more free space.

“If I’m honest, I feel that people who recline their seats in economy are annoying and inconsiderate, so I didn’t exactly bend over backwards to accommodate for her.”

Thousands of users replied to the post, expressing their views on the situation, in support of both the man and the woman.

One said: “I’m a big guy and it’s a common problem. They squeezed every inch out of those aircraft and it’s uncomfortable. She should have been more understanding of reality.

“Maybe you could have gotten an aisle seat but you paid for your seat as well and are entitled to your space.”

Another agreed: “In economy you can’t recline your seat without creating a worse experience for the person behind you and possibly making their tray unusable.

“Overall, it’s just bad design.”

However, others disagreed, with one saying: “If I pay for a recline seat, if we can recline the seat, I don’t know why it should be inconsiderate to not recline it.”

While another added: “But reclining seats is a feature, and the passenger in front has every “right” to do that.

“It is a literal feature of seats in legacy carriers. They spend millions in R&D doing their seat designs, yes even economy seats, and everyone should be able to use the function of all of the seat without being judged.

“Be less judgemental.”

A binman has pinpointed six common items you should never chuck into your recycling bin as it could prevent the entire load of rubbish from being collected

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Recycling is massively important – it reduces waste in landfills, promotes sustainability and is better for the environment. So we should all take responsibility by doing our part to sort or rubbish properly.

Failing to do so can have negative impacts. Not only do you risk contaminating your entire pile of waste – making sorting impossible for recycling workers – you could also be causing yourself inconvenience too.

Throwing all of your recycling into one bin, including general waste items, can lead to refuse workers refusing to collect your waste. So it’s vital to get it right!

Thankfully, a bin man called Ashley is on hand to make this process much easier. He’s been sharing videos to TikTok about what you can and can’t recycle. So here are six common items you need to be aware of:

1. Lightbulbs

Speaking about this common household item, Ashley said: “They don’t belong in your bin – they don’t belong in your recycling, they don’t belong in your general waste. You’re meant to take them to a specialist place where you can dispose of them correctly.”

While you may think it’s a faff to bin lightbulbs separately, there’s actually some pretty convenient places you can drop them off.

Ashley added: “You can do it at most tips, B&Q, Tesco. When you go to replace them, take them with you!”

2. Pizza boxes

While some pizza boxes can be recycled, this should only be done if they’re clean and dry. To handle this correctly, you must remove and dispose of any greasy food remnants or stained sections, particularly the base.

Ashley said: “Pizza boxes should not be in the recycling bin. They should be in your general waste bin, whatever colour that will be. You are told to put all cardboard in the blue bin. I don’t know what your blue bin is, I don’t know.

“Let’s just make this clear, pizza boxes – general waste bin, not recycling bin. That’s all I needed to say. It doesn’t matter what colour your bin is, it goes in your general waste.”

3.Chewing gum

Chewed gum should never be thrown into the food waste bin because it doesn’t biodegrade. What’s more, you should be mindful about where you put the wrapping too.

Ashley added: “What about chewing gum? Good question. Right, this one, it goes in your general waste, if you’re chewing it, finished with it; it goes in the general waste bin.

“It is not biodegradable – that’s why you do not put it in your food waste or your compost bin. It goes in your general waste because it can’t break down and go into the soil or whatever they make the food waste into…

“The wrapper for chewing gum, another good one, which would be, because it’s a combination of paper and aluminium. Because of the combination, it doesn’t go in either the recycling bin. It would have to go in your general waste bin.”

4. Crisp packets

The No1 Binman shared: “Crisp packets do not belong in your recycling bin. You’re meant to take them to the supermarket and recycle them there, because it’s a different type of plastic.

“Just like carrier bags, just like film, bubble wrap – all that stuff does not go in your recycling. Take it to the tip, they can sometimes dispose of it there differently, or take it to a supermarket.

“There’s loads of stuff. Polystyrene is plastic, but it doesn’t go in your recycling bin because it takes up too much room, and it costs too much money to recycle because there’s barely any plastic in it. It’s mainly air.

“Please check before you put it in your bin. Normally, it’s like tins and bottles. Easy things to put in the recycling. Please check before you do it because you don’t want your bin to be contaminated. Don’t be the person who gets their bin rejected when you want it to be emptied.”

5. Wrapping paper

When it’s someone’s birthday or a special celebration and lot of gifts have been given, it’s really important to check whether the paper gift-givers have opted for is actually recyclable. It can be confusing to know which elements you can recycle.

He said: “It depends on the wrapping paper. So if you have actual wrapping paper paper, what you should be able to do with it is screw it into a ball – and if it stays in the ball, it’s just paper, and that can go in your paper recycling bin.

“If it’s got lots of Sellotape or labels all over it, then take them off and then just put it in the paper bin. Save some room in your general waste.

“But if you screw into a ball and it starts expanding back out again, that’s got mainly plastic in it, and that should not go in your paper bin. It’s not paper, it’s mainly plastic, and it’s got a film over it – that one would go in your general waste.”

Even though local councils can have differing regulations, he uses the scrunch test as a general rule of thumb. Ashley added: “If it expands, it’s plastic – if it stays as it is, it’s paper.”

It only takes two seconds to scrunch the wrapping to see if it’s suitable for recycling, so be sure to do it before chucking it away.

6. Condoms

You may think this item goes without saying – but there are sadly some who try to recycle condoms.

Ashley said these contraceptive products should always be placed in the general waste bin because they are made from materials like latex, polyurethane, or polyisoprene – which aren’t compatible with standard recycling processes.

Additionally, condoms are considered single-use personal hygiene products, which means they may contain bodily fluids and are classified as medical waste.

This makes them unsuitable for recycling due to health and safety concerns. For these reasons, condoms should be disposed of in the regular trash rather than being placed in recycling bins.

The clearway sign features a red circle with a blue background and a red cross through it – and drivers who stop in these areas could face fines

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Motorists are being urged to refresh their understanding of road signage after experts highlighted that many drivers remain baffled by one of the Highway Code’s most recognisable – yet frequently misinterpreted – symbols.

The sign features a red circle on a blue background with a red diagonal cross, and whilst it appears familiar to most people behind the wheel, not everyone grasps its precise meaning. Insurance experts at One Sure Insurance say confusion surrounding road signs is far more widespread than many assume.

Figures from the AA indicate that whilst the majority of drivers consider themselves safe on the roads, approximately half acknowledge they find certain aspects of the Highway Code challenging.

This gap in understanding can result in motorists inadvertently contravening regulations or misreading signs whilst driving.

The red-and-blue cross symbol denotes a clearway, meaning drivers must not stop at any time, reports the Express.

Unlike certain other restrictions which only operate during specific hours, the clearway regulation means you cannot halt your vehicle on that section of road for any purpose, except in an emergency.

This includes stopping to:

• Pick up or drop off passengers
• Check directions
• Make a phone call
• Wait briefly in the car

As stopping is entirely forbidden, drivers who pull up in a clearway zone risk receiving a fine or penalty notice.

One factor behind the sign’s confusion is its visual similarity to other blue-and-red road signs found throughout the UK. For instance, a sign displaying a single red line across a blue circle signifies no waiting, which still permits motorists to pause momentarily to collect or drop off passengers.

Conversely, the clearway symbol featuring the red cross prohibits stopping entirely, representing a more stringent restriction.

Confusion between these two could lead motorists to think they’re stopping lawfully when they’re in fact breaking the regulations.

Clearways are generally implemented on congested routes where stopping might create traffic jams or safety hazards, such as principal routes into urban areas or high-volume thoroughfares.

By prohibiting vehicles from stopping, authorities seek to maintain smooth traffic flow and minimise the risk of abrupt braking or blockages.

For motorists uncertain about traffic signs, specialists recommend consulting the Highway Code again to ensure complete understanding of the regulations – particularly as confusion can result in penalties or hazardous situations on the roads.

Specialists suggest that updating your knowledge of road signage could help drivers prevent fines, collisions, and insurance claims.

A spokesperson for One Sure Insurance said: “We see a lot of accidents or traffic violations happen because drivers simply don’t understand or recognise certain road signs.

“These mistakes may seem minor at first, but they can lead to fines, insurance claims, and in worst-case scenarios, serious accidents. It’s vital to take the time to understand every road sign you encounter.”

President Donald Trump wants TSA agents to “GO TO WORK” amid the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.

The DHS shutdown began last month after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on funding the agency. Many TSA employees missed their first full paycheck this week, and in recent days, travelers have reported hours-long lines at airports across the country.

Now, Trump has praised the TSA agents who are going to work. He specifically thanked Johnny Jones, the secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100, which represents thousands of TSA employees across the country.

“Thank you to Johnny Jones and all of our GREAT TSA Agents who are going to work but not being paid because the Radical Left Democrats refuse to honor the deal that was approved and voted on in Congress,” Trump wrote in a Saturday morning Truth Social post.

“They want your money to go to ‘Border Criminals, Murderers, foreign Drug Dealers, and some of the worst people on earth,’” he continued. “They don’t want it to go to you. Keep fighting for the USA. GO TO WORK! I promise that I will never forget you!!! President DJT.”

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Jones, who also reportedly works as a TSA officer at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, has been outspoken about the impacts of the ongoing DHS shutdown.

“I appreciate the President’s support and attention, and hope he can help get this shutdown resolved quickly so our members can get the paychecks they’ve earned,” Jones said in a statement shared with The Independent.

He told NPR this week that many TSA employees live paycheck to paycheck, which means they’re now “not paying their bills because they don’t have any money.” Jones also told CNN that he’s “seeing desperation in the eyes of my coworkers.”

“A lot of people don’t have that [stability]. They never recover,” he said. “They don’t have the levers to pull to help them weather the storm, I’m afraid.”

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DHS funding lapsed in mid-February, just months after federal employees endured the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

This week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Republicans of blocking his party’s attempts to fund certain parts of DHS, including TSA, as the standoff continues.

“Democrats have tried—six separate times—to pass simple bills to keep these critical parts of DHS running while negotiations continue. Six times Republicans came to the floor and blocked them,” Schumer said Thursday.

“TSA officers shouldn’t miss paychecks, disaster relief shouldn’t be left hanging, and Americans’ safety shouldn’t be collateral damage in a political standoff Republicans created,” he added.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has claimed Democratic lawmakers are “opposing even sitting down and talking and negotiating on the things they say they want.”

“It’s hard to get to a solution when you have one party that refuses to even sit down and talk. This is kind of a new low, really,” the Republican lawmaker said Tuesday.

The Trump administration has also repeatedly blamed Democrats for the funding lapse. In a statement shared Wednesday, the White House said Democrats are “at peace with the hardships their political shutdown has created” for TSA agents.

Steve Borthwick admitted England are “hurting” after completing their worst ever Six Nations following a last-gasp 48-46 defeat by France in Paris.

England finally ignited by running in six tries and it was only a Thomas Ramos penalty three minutes into a chaotic period of overtime which denied them victory after Tommy Freeman had crossed late on.

It was their best performance of the tournament in which they took France apart up front and let loose in attack, yet it registered a fourth successive loss and a fifth-placed finish.

For the first time in Six Nations history they banked with only one win, against Wales in round one.

“I’m really proud of the way the players played, but ultimately we’re gutted that we went into the tournament with such high expectations and aspirations and we’ve not been able to meet those targets,” head coach Borthwick said.

“It’s been a painful tournament and we’re all hurting. I know the supporters are hurting as well. We wanted to make sure they had wins to celebrate and we weren’t able to give that.

“Everyone involved in the team cares so deeply, so the immediate reflection is one of huge disappointment.

“There’s a sense of determination to make sure that this hurt makes the team stronger in the future.”

England saw a 10-point lead reduced in first-half injury time when Ellis Genge was sin-binned for bringing down a maul with referee Nika Amashukeli also awarding a penalty try.

Borthwick will seek clarification with World Rugby believing the decision to be harsh and also questioned the officiating which meant England pressed an attack in the belief they had penalty advantage.

When that decision was overturned by the TMO and they turned the ball over, France pounced through Louis Bielle-Biarrey’s fourth try in the 66th minute.

“I think some of the decisions are debatable. The decision against Henry Arundell at the start of the Scotland game in round two was confusing at best,” Borthwick said.

“I thought that one against Ellis to give a penalty try – I don’t follow it. I’ll ask for it to be explained to me.

“For the scrum knock on, the players on the pitch were told it was a penalty advantage so they played in a certain manner knowing they had a penalty to go back to.

“Unfortunately, what happened in the background is the TMO changed it to a knock-on advantage. The players were unaware of it and France go down the other end and score a try.

“World Rugby needs to look at that kind of situation because you can’t have the players playing with certain knowledge and then it being taken away from them.”

Borthwick now faces a Rugby Football Union review of the tournament in which he will fight for his future, although England’s stirring performance against France is sure to have bought him some time.

He said: “I believe I’m the right man to lead the team going forward.”

The “Bridesmaids” gathered for a rehearsal the day before the big show, but this time they’re playing the role of awards presenter. Melissa McCartney, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig and Ellie Kemper took the stage at the Dolby Theatre Saturday to run through their lines one last time.

The Associated Press got a behind the scenes look at some of what’s to come during the 98th Oscars Sunday, with a few big caveats: What they’re presenting and what they’ll be saying are to be left surprises.

But 15 years after “Bridesmaids” hit theaters, the actors looked happy to be together again, laughing and chatting and blowing kisses to the theoretical audience. Wiig especially had Byrne in stitches as they got ready for their cue. But when it came for the rehearsal Wiig turned de factor director, asking about lighting timings and camera cuts to make sure that their bit landed just right.

Byrne is in the unusual position of also being a nominee Sunday for her leading performance in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.” All were dressed informally, except for their sky-high show heels.

The male actors tend to be more casual with their footwear. Both Javier Bardem and Adrien Brody wore sneakers. Most of the presenters are also in and out of the room fairly quickly with their power publicists and agents ushering them along, but Bardem ventured into the auditorium to greet and chat with Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor and CEO Bill Kramer.

“Am I fired?” he asked with a laugh. “I promise I’ll learn the lines.”

Brody, who won best actor last year, ran through his script several times. Sporting a black T-shirt with “Hollywood” printed on the front in big, white, block letters, a black baseball hat and red-rimmed sunglasses, he looked serious as he knelt and discussed something with a producer.

There was an air of calm inside the theater with just 24 hours until showtime as producers, technicians and camera operators milled about going through their tasks. Rehearsals have been going on for a few days now, and more will continue into the evening. Friday, the theater hosted the rehearsal for “I Lied to You,” from “Sinners,” which Kramer promised will be “epic.”

“There’s not a bad beat,” Kramer said. “It’s a stacked show.”

In addition to a planned Marvel reunion, likely with Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, producers said there will also be a “Moulin Rouge!” reunion with Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor taking the stage together.

The Academy Awards, hosted again by Conan O’Brien, will be held on Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The show, to be broadcast live by ABC, is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m.

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For more coverage of the 2026 Oscars, visit https://apnews.com/hub/academy-awards.

HOUSTON (AP) — The United States is heading to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic after a “different level of focus” helped this All-Star-studded team rebound from a shocking loss.

The U.S. beat Canada 5-3 on Friday night for a spot in the semifinals Sunday against the Dominican Republic. The big win came after an 8-6 loss to Italy in pool play left them needing help to advance to Friday’s game.

“Guys really locked in,” Yankees star Aaron Judge said. “We saw a different level of focus at our workout the other day and then even pregame today. It felt like the boys were locked and ready to go.”

The loss to Italy elicited criticism of the team and particularly manager Mark DeRosa after he prematurely said on a television interview the morning of the loss to Italy that: “Our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.”

Judge said he knows a lot of people had negative things to say about them after the Italy game, but they didn’t pay it any mind.

“There’s a lot of noise that’s been going on with that,” he said. “And I think it just speaks volumes to the players in this room, the manager we’ve got, everybody, that no matter what’s being said about us, what’s going on, we still got a job to do on the field.”

First baseman Bryce Harper echoed Judge’s sentiments that they didn’t worry about what outsiders were saying about the team.

“People are going to have their opinion about us,” he said. “I don’t think any of them are going to be sitting at our dinner table or our Thanksgiving dinner, so it doesn’t really matter what anybody says, that’s always been my call on that kind of stuff.”

The Americans did eventually punch their ticket to the quarterfinals when Italy beat Mexico to win Pool B and give the U.S. second place.

Starter Logan Webb, who threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings Friday night, said the team’s path to the semifinals was not ideal but he was proud that the guys got the job done.

“It kind of feels like a second chance and… I felt like it was a newfound energy today,” he said.

Third baseman Alex Bregman appreciated the professionalism in the clubhouse as the team dealt with the adversity from the loss to Italy.

“One of the biggest things that you see around all these great players is everyone’s present and they’re not worried about the future or the past,” he said. “They’re worried about that game, that moment, that pitch, the next pitch. And it was just a good, good response today.”

Now the challenge gets even bigger as the U.S. faces a Dominican t eam that beat South Korea 10-0 Friday in seven innings to advance to the semifinals.

The Americans will send reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes to the mound Sunday to contend with a roster that is also chock full of All-Stars.

“I expect it to be like one of the best games of all time,” DeRosa said.

Judge is thrilled that the team is heading to Miami and can’t wait for what’s waiting for the U.S. there.

“The boys are excited, that’s for sure,” he said. “Definitely getting a taste for playoff atmosphere in March, definitely gets the juices flowing a little bit.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

WASHINGTON (AP) — Anti-Muslim rhetoric from some Republicans in Congress intensified this week against the backdrop of the Iran war, with multiple lawmakers — including one who said “Muslims don’t belong in American society” — drawing condemnation from Democrats for their remarks but little pushback from GOP leaders.

The derogatory language has been percolating among Republican officials for months, often prominent when criticizing New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim. But against the backdrop of the Iran war, a country with an overwhelmingly Muslim population, and attacks at a synagogue in Michigan and a college in Virginia, the tone sharpened this week.

“The enemy is inside our gates,” Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville wrote Thursday in response to a photo of Mamdani sitting on the ground during an iftar dinner at New York City Hall. The photo was juxtaposed with a picture of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Hours later, Tuberville doubled down: “To be clear, I didn’t ‘suggest’ Islamists are the enemy. I said it plainly.”

The rhetoric intensified Friday as GOP lawmakers responded to the attacks in Michigan and Virginia by urging a halt to all immigration into the United States. Some singled out Muslims specifically.

For many Muslims, it’s a political moment that carries echoes from the early 2000s, when the 9/11 attacks and the Afghanistan and Iraq wars generated hostility toward Muslim communities in the United States, often accompanied by discrimination and racist violence.

“When members of Congress speak, it’s not just words,” said Iman Awad, the national director for policy and advocacy for the Muslim American advocacy group Emgage Action. “It shapes public perception. It legitimizes prejudice.”

GOP rhetoric targeting Muslims spreads online

Tennessee Rep. Andy Ogles in his social media post stated flatly that Muslims don’t belong in the United States. He stood behind it after criticism mounted, later writing that “paperwork doesn’t magically make you American” and that “Muslims are unable to assimilate; they all have to go back.”

Asked about Ogles’ post on Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson said he had spoken to members “about our tone and our message and what we say.” He said Ogles used “different language than I would use,” but added that he believes the issue raised by the comments is “serious.”

“There’s a lot of energy in the country, and a lot of popular sentiment that the demand to impose Sharia law in America is a serious problem,” Johnson said. “That’s what animates this.”

Sharia is a religious framework that guides many Muslims’ moral and spiritual conduct. References to “Sharia law” have often been invoked by officials to suggest Muslims are attempting to impose religious practices on communities in the United States.

Many Republicans point to a Muslim-centered planned community near Dallas as proof of “Sharia law” — though the developers have denied the allegations and said they are being targeted because they are Muslim.

With Johnson not condemning Ogles’ remarks — or to recent comments from Florida Rep. Randy Fine that “the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one” — the anti-Muslim rhetoric grew louder. After the photo circulated of Mamdani at the iftar dinner, several Republicans responded with critical posts.

Democrats broadly condemned the GOP messages. Chuck Schumer, the leader of Senate Democrats, called Tuberville’s post “mindless hate.”

“Islamophobic hate like this is fundamentally un-American and we must confront and overcome it whenever it rears its ugly head,” Schumer said.

Mamdani — in response to Tuberville’s post that “the enemy is inside our gates” — said: “Let there be as much outrage from politicians in Washington when kids go hungry as there is when I break bread with New Yorkers.”

Attacks in Michigan and Virginia spark another wave of rhetoric

Federal officials identified a man who rammed his vehicle into a hallway at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan, this week as a naturalized citizen born in Lebanon. Officials have said that the man had lost four family members in an Israeli airstrike in his native Lebanon last week, just after sunset as they were having their fast-breaking meal during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

In Virginia, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh opened fire in a classroom at Old Dominion University before ROTC students subdued and killed him. Court documents showed that he had previously served time for attempting to aid the Islamic State and was released less than two years ago.

Some Republican lawmakers claimed vindication for their views. Others pushed for legislation. Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, the House GOP’s whip, said “the security of our nation hinges on our ability to denaturalize and deport terrorists.”

West Virginia Rep. Riley Moore said he would introduce a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who “commits an act of terrorism, plots to commit an act of terrorism, joins a terrorist organization or otherwise aids and abets terrorism against the American people.”

Similar rhetoric and policy pushes have surfaced before and drawn controversy. Last year, protesters connected to demonstrations over the Israel-Hamas war were arrested and targeted by authorities, including former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist the government has sought to detain and deport.

GOP leadership offers little pushback

Middle East conflicts bringing domestic tensions is nothing new. With the war in Gaza, both Muslim and Jewish communities have faced faith-based discrimination and attacks.

Mamdani said the posts invoking the 9/11 attacks are problematic not just because of the words, but because of “the actions that often accompany them.”

“I think too of the smaller indignities, the indignities that many New Yorkers face, but that Muslims are expected to face in silence,” Mamdani said. “Of the exhaustion of having to explain yourself to those who are not interested in understanding. Of the men who introduce themselves by their given name only to be called Muhammad for years on end.”

The stark silence from Republican leaders, including President Donald Trump, reflects a broader change in the party. After the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, Republican President George W. Bush visited the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., to explicitly warn against Muslim discrimination.

“America counts millions of Muslims amongst our citizens, and Muslims make an incredibly valuable contribution to our country,” Bush said during the visit, adding: “They need to be treated with respect. In our anger and emotion, our fellow Americans must treat each other with respect.”

“Those who feel like they can intimidate our fellow citizens to take out their anger don’t represent the best of America, they represent the worst of humankind, and they should be ashamed of that kind of behavior,” Bush said.