Senior British academics share coronavirus conspiracy theories online – including speculation it was a biological weapon
- British academics have shared conspiracy theories about the coronavirus online
- Organisation for Propaganda Studies tweeted interview ‘Is Coronavirus New 9/11?’ in which Dr Piers Robinson called Covid-19 a ‘low fatality virus’
- Academics include Profs Tim Hayward and Mark Crispin Miller, both of the OPS
- Dr Robinson is accused of whitewashing the Syrian and Russian regimes, and has appeared on Russian state channels RT and Sputnik
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
British academics including a former disgraced lecturer accused of whitewashing the Syrian regime have shared conspiracy theories about the coronavirus online.
The Organisation for Propaganda Studies, co-founded by Piers Robinson, tweeted a YouTube interview last week entitled ‘Is Coronavirus The New 9/11?’
In that video, Dr Robinson called Covid-19 a ‘low fatality virus’ with ‘no indication that it’s significantly different from what we see with major flu outbreaks every year’.
He alleges that ‘propagandistic information’ has created ‘so much hype around it, there is so much fear’, according to The Times.
Dr Robinson said: ‘The question is who was involved in influencing, arranging, and which states, including from within the US political system.
‘And if that’s the case with 9/11 it’s perfectly possible that there are actors at play in relation to this. Some people have talked about bioweapons.’
It comes as communications masts around the UK have been destroyed after unfounded claims 5G technology was causing the coronavirus to spread went viral.
Piers Robinson (pictured) called the coronavirus a ‘low fatality virus’ with ‘no indication that it’s significantly different from what we see with major flu outbreaks every year’
On Friday, the UK recorded 980 coronavirus-linked deaths, taking the total toll to 8,958
The Times named that academics who are accused of sharing bogus coronavirus theories, including environmental political theory professor Tim Hayward of the University of Edinburgh, and New York University professor Mark Crispin Miller.
Prof Crispin Miller, another director of the OPS, has written that the coronavirus ‘may be an artificially created bioweapon’. He was approached for comment.
This week, Prof Hayward retweeted a Canadian environmentalist’s claim that the WEF, UN, and Imperial College London might be part of a plot to exploit the pandemic by promoting vaccines and creating gene-modified flu-resistant chickens.
He also tweeted Oliver Stone, who made a SHOWTIME series on Vladimir Putin, speculating on whether the virus could have been a biological attack on China.
It comes as communications masts around the UK have been destroyed after unfounded claims 5G technology was causing the coronavirus to spread went viral
Prof Hayward told The Times: ‘If I retweet interesting tweets by an influential public figure, I think it is up to other people what they make of it.
‘If controversial ideas are not discussed, mistakes cannot be revealed.’
The OPS defended its associated thinkers, claiming: ‘Its function is to scrutinise propaganda and intelligence campaigns, specifically examining the role of British media organisations in amplifying those state propaganda campaigns.’
Prof Hayward, along with Prof David Miller and Dr Robinson, are members of the OPS, a vehicle accused of whitewashing the Syrian regime.
Dr Robinson is also a founder of the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media, whose declared aim is to examine various accounts of the conflict in Syria.
Shocking footage shows a 5G tower burning to the ground in Sparkhill, Birmingham
He lectured at Liverpool University from from 1999 to 2005 and became a Senior Lecturer in International Politics at Manchester University until 2015.
Dr Robinson was the Chair in Politics, Society and Political Journalism at Sheffield University but left this post and the university in 2019.
At the time, he was accused by academics of promoting baseless conspiracy theories and of ‘having no interest in truth or justice’.
Dr Robinson has appeared on Russian state channels RT and Sputnik, where he has defended a Russian regime ‘demonised’ by Western countries.
Scientists slam celebrities such as Woody Harrelson, Calum Best and Lee Ryan for ‘fanning the flames’ of false conspiracy theory blaming 5G technology for coronavirus
Steve Powis said the 5G conspiracy theories were ‘absolute and utter rubbish’
Scientists have hit out at celebrities promoting conspiracy theories linking 5G technology with the novel coronavirus.
5G masts have been set on fire around Britain after theories about the link between the mobile technology and Covid-19 circulated online.
One scientist said celebrities who are ‘fanning the flames’ of 5G conspiracy theories on coronavirus ‘should be ashamed’.
Cheers actor Woody Harrelson and former Dancing on Ice judge Jason Gardiner are among stars who have shared theories.
Cheers actor Woody Harrelson (pictured left) shared a 5G conspiracy theory linking it to the virus. Ex on the Beach star Calum Best shared a picture with the words ‘I say no to 5G’ on Instagram, along with a YouTube link to a lecture about the virus
National medical director of NHS England Steve Powis said: ‘I’m absolutely outraged, absolutely disgusted, that people would be taking action against the very infrastructure that we need to respond to this health emergency.
‘It is absolute and utter rubbish.’
Michael Gove added: ‘That’s just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well.’