Influencer who refuses Covid vaccine compares herself to Nelson Mandela

An influencer has likened her relentless campaign against the Covid-19 vaccine to Mother Teresa’s world-changing battle for the plight of the poor and Nelson Mandela’s war against legislated racism.

Anna-Rose Richards’ anti-vax views are so controversial and incorrect that Instagram shut her account down in October last year, but the fitness fanatic nevertheless continues to wrongly insist Covid vaccines are dangerous.

Last week she boasted about her 14-hour interstate journey from Perth to the Gold Coast, with a detour via Hobart, without a vaccine certificate or a face mask – both of which are required to travel on commercial flights.

She repeatedly claimed ‘I know my rights’ and boasted about her ‘flawless strike rate’ navigating her way around different Covid rules – and somehow managed to talk her way around border security to enter Queensland.

Despite sharing her interstate jaunt and a range of other anti-vax opinions with her 15,000 followers, Richards appears eternally frustrated with the way critics question the validity of her views about vaccines and the pandemic.

The influencer has a strong opinion of herself, loosely comparing herself to the likes of religious figure Mother Teresa, musical genius Beethoven and former South African President Nelson Mandela on social media (pictured)

Ms Richards’ views are so controversial that Instagram shut her account down in October last year, but the fitness fanatic continues to insist Covid vaccines are dangerous

The triathlete wrongly says the Covid-19 jab is a ‘research experiment’ designed to ensure the next generation are reliant on pharmaceutical companies, rather than helping to prevent people from ending up fighting for life on ventilators.

On Monday, she penned a lengthy Instagram post during which she smacked mainstream media down for trying to ‘stop or silence me’.

‘And yet, I’ll rise. Over and over again. Stronger and better than before,’ she wrote.

Richards went on to rhetorically ask her fans to name five people who criticised the world of Ludwig van Beethoven in the late 1700s – one of the most admired composers in history.

She then suggested Instagram users name anyone who has ever lashed out against Mother Teresa – who was posthumously given saint status by the Catholic church for her benevolent humanitarian efforts – and Nelson Mandela, a revolutionary who changed racist laws in South Africa.

‘Of course you can’t. Why? Because nobody remembers the critics,’ she claimed.

‘They’re never remembered in history. Ever. But the ones who never stop and continue to dream big, live big, and make an impact are.’

Richards then implied that living like such world-changing leaders is ‘a lot of fun’, and implored her followers to stop listening to their ‘critics and doubters’.

Triathlete Anna-Rose Richards (pictured) wrongly says the Covid-19 jab is a ‘research experiment’ designed to ensure the next generation are reliant on pharmaceutical companies

An acquaintance of Richards, who wanted to remain anonymous, sent Daily Mail Australia a screenshot where the influencer says in a private group ‘I hope I have caught it’.

She then referenced a friend when she said: ‘Hope you do have it to build those beautiful antibodies.’

When Daily Mail Australia approached Richards about the message privately, the triathlete refused to give a genuine response.

‘Cool story. Needs more dragons,’ she replied.

She then provided commentary on the issue in her Instagram stories.

Ms Richards regularly updates her Instagram followers of her travels – and has pointed out to those who oppose her that ‘no one remembers the critics’

An acquaintance of Richards, who wanted to remain anonymous, sent Daily Mail Australia a screenshot where the influencer says in a private group ‘I hope I have caught it’ (virus) She then referenced a friend when she said: ‘Hope you do have it to build those beautiful antibodies’

‘If living your normal life when you’re healthy and well and don’t have Covid – going out and about to do food shopping and go to cafes is trying to catch Covid, then yeah I am because I’m living my normal life,’ she said.

Richards made headlines last week for bragging about her long journey from Western Australia to Queensland.

Western Australia’s borders are closed to all states until February 5, but it is possible to book a seat from there on limited flights to other capital cities, so when Richards saw one to Tasmania, she jumped at the opportunity.  

Richards claimed she read every government website and rule to ensure she squeezes through every loophole but never actually breaks any laws, before realising she may be caught out upon arrival at Hobart Airport.

‘So I get off the plane and everyone is showing their phone. “F**k”, I thought. I knew immediately I missed a very important piece of information,’ she wrote.

‘Turns out I missed several.’ 

What Richards missed was that Tasmania requires all arrivals to be vaccinated, and to have registered their details with the state government before travel.

‘I had neither. And I had no mask,’ she said. ‘But I know my rights.’

After a bizarre rant about the government’s Covid policies and bragging about her ‘very wealthy, very influential girlfriends’, she posted a selfie at home on the Gold Coast (pictured)

Richards claims she maintained a happy disposition while refusing to show her non-existent vaccine passport to state border forces. 

When four police officers threatened to take her to hotel quarantine, the influencer claims she said: ‘Sir, I’m not leaving this airport, I’m going to the Gold Coast and I’m not going into hotel quarantine’.

Richards said they eventually agreed to let her through the gates because she was catching a connecting flight.

‘So here I sit in Hobart departures, with a glass of bubbles, having narrowly avoided hotel quarantine,’ she said. 

After a bizarre rant about the government’s Covid policies and bragging about her ‘very wealthy, very influential girlfriends’, she posted a selfie at home on the Gold Coast.