Piers Corbyn, the older brother of former far-left Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn, was arrested on Saturday during an anti-lockdown protest in London for allegedly “refusing to leave” or give identifying information to police officers.
Around the time he was arrested, Corbyn was addressing a crowd of protesters with a bullhorn and decrying the coronavirus pandemic as a “pack of lies to brainwash you and keep you in order,” according to the Independent.
Piers Corbyn, brother of ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, also led away in handcuffs after saying 5G and coronavirus pandemic linked, calling it a ‘pack of lies to brainwash you and keep you in order’ pic.twitter.com/8NKgnxYakQ
— Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) May 16, 2020
The Independent notes that Corbyn “is believed to have been arrested under the Health Protection Regulations, which make gathering in a group of more than two people illegal.”
At another point during the protest, Corbyn reportedly floated a baseless conspiracy theory connecting 5G networks and the coronavirus pandemic. The news agency reports that there were about 50 protesters in attendance, and some were holding signs such as “anti-vax deserves a voice.”
According to Yahoo News, a flyer advertising the event called for “no to mandatory vaccines, no to the new normal, and no to the unlawful lockdown.” At least one protestor, however, said she was there to highlight the economic impact of the coronavirus lockdown.
“Developing countries will have no trade, no tourism. I have had to close my shop on Columbia Road flower market,” said Catharine Harvey, the owner of a flower shop, reports the news agency. “The effects of the lockdown are far, far worse than the virus – mental health, domestic violence, shops are closed, theatres, cinemas, restaurants. It’s unnecessary.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who recently recovered from coronavirus and credits doctors with saving his life, called on the public earlier this week to return to work if they cannot work from home, reports CNN.
“We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work,” said Johnson.
Tatler Magazine reports that Piers Corbyn has become something of a staple at anti-lockdown protests in the United Kingdom, and that he has claimed no one has died from the coronavirus itself “because it’s curable.”
According to The Associated Press, the conspiracy theories connecting 5G towers and coronavirus in Europe, such as those reportedly promoted by Piers Corbyn, have influenced a growing number of cellphone tower burnings over the last two months, so much so that the director of the National Health Service in England has spoken out against them.
“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,” Stephen Powis, medical director of the NHS, said at the beginning of April.
The news agency reports that over the course of April, at least 50 cell phone towers were targeted by arsonists in England, with additional towers targeted in neighboring countries.
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