Mark Steele (conspiracy theorist)
Mark Steele | |
---|---|
Born | 1960[1] Gateshead, England |
Occupation | Conspiracy theorist |
Political party | Save Us Now |
Criminal charges | Unlawful wounding, possession of a firearm with an intent to endanger life, illegal possession of ammunition |
Criminal penalty | 8 years |
Criminal status | Released |
Mark Steele (born 1960)
Promotion of conspiracy theories
5G conspiracy theory
Steele claims that the 5G mobile phone network is a deadly technology, responsible for 400 deaths.[1] According to Steele, the 5G telephone network is part of a distributed "Kill Grid"[5] which includes other street-furniture such as lamp-posts.[6] He has repeated claims first disseminated by David Icke, that 5G networks are the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2016, a neighbour informed Steele that she believed newly installed street lights to be the cause of her nose-bleeds. Steele became convinced that these lamp-posts housed components of a 5G network, despite the council's claims to the contrary, and that this was the cause of his neighbour's illness.[7] Subsequently, Steele expanded on this theory, claiming that children were being “microwaved in their beds“ by 5G.[8]
In 2018, Steele addressed the
Gateshead council trial
Steele's activism has focused on Gateshead council,[12] who he has claimed are "secretly trialling the technology, causing cancer and microwaving babies in their beds".[13] Steele has described Gateshead councillors as “baby killers”,[14] and has claimed that the installation of 5G equipment in Gateshead has destroyed the local sparrow population.[4]
Gateshead council issued a statement that, contrary to Steele's claims, their street-lighting was not part of a "secret government trial", does not use any 5G mobile technology, and would not cause nosebleeds, miscarriages or cancer.[15][11] Steele's claims were publicised by the Daily Mail, causing the story to go viral online.[10]
In October 2018, Steele won a court case overturning a July 2018 "gagging order", which had previously prevented him from blogging his claims on his personal website,[16][17] but was placed under an injunction to stop him harassing council staff and councillors.[18][11][16] Later in October, Steele was convicted of having made threats against members of Gateshead council in April.[13][19]
COVID-19 denialism and conspiracy theories
Steele has promoted
In September 2020, he spoke at an
On 19 September, Steele claimed that he has "raised tens of thousands" for the anti-mask and anti-lockdown causes, without any evidence to support his claim.[25]
Steele and fellow anti-vaccine campaigner and conspiracy theorist
Shooting conviction
In 1993, Steele was convicted of the shooting of a teenage girl, who had been hit by a shot from a handgun fired by Steele during an argument outside the Redskins Pub,
Political involvement
In 2019, he was photographed with a member of the
See also
- Protests over responses to the COVID-19 pandemic#United Kingdom
References
- ^ a b c d e Large, Megan Lily (8 April 2020). "My Dad Got Hoaxed By the Anti-5G Conspiracy Movement". VICE. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Cellan-Jones, Rory (15 May 2020). "Glastonbury 5G report 'hijacked by conspiracy theorists'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 5 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ a b Brady, Jon (8 June 2020). "Investigation: A burning phone mast in Dundee and the 5G conspiracy theory groups on Facebook". The Courier. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
- ^ a b Mance, Henry (14 April 2018). "Why conspiracy theories are everywhere". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2 November 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ Broderick, Ryan. "5G Conspiracy Theorists Are Using Fears About The Coronavirus To Make Money". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ Isobel Cockrell (20 March 2020). "Coronavirus has conspiracy theorists and anti-5G campaigners working overtime". Coda. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ Pope, Maria (29 April 2020). "How Britain Fell for the 5G Conspiracy Theory". Vice. Archived from the original on 9 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
- ^ "Children are being 'microwaved in their beds' by 5G transmitters, campaigner tells court". Evening Chronicle. 1 September 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ Ryan Broderick (3 April 2020). "A Conspiracy Theory That 5G Is Causing The Coronavirus Is Spreading Alongside The Pandemic". Buzzfeed News. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ a b Pope, Maria (29 April 2020). "Why Do People Think 5G Causes Coronavirus?". VICE. Archived from the original on 24 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ a b c d Broderick, Ryan (7 April 2020). "5G Conspiracy Theorists Use Coronavirus Fears To Make Money". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Burgess, Kaya (10 April 2018). "'The street lights will not give you cancer': Gateshead council tells conspiracy theorist to lighten up". The Times. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.(subscription required)
- ^ a b Kathryn Riddell (24 September 2018). "5G campaigner on trial RECAP: All updates as Mark Steele convicted of threatening Gateshead councillors". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 13 November 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ "Man who thinks street lights cause cancer called Gateshead councillors 'baby killers'". Evening Chronicle. 23 October 2018. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
- ^ Knight, Chris (9 April 2018). "Council responds to 'Government' conspiracy fears". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ a b Johnson, Ian (12 October 2018). "WW1 soldiers and 'baby killers': 5G row makes it to court". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Johnson, Ian (8 October 2018). "Man who thinks street lights cause cancer called Gateshead councillors 'baby killers'". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
- ^ "Injunction obtained against Gateshead resident". Gateshead Council. 12 October 2018. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Doughty, Sophie (1 January 2019). "Five courtroom dramas that had readers gripped in 2018". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Lytvynenko, Jane; Broderick, Ryan; Silverman, Craig (21 May 2020). "These Are The Fake Experts Pushing Pseudoscience And Conspiracy Theories About The Coronavirus Pandemic". Buzzfeed News. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ^ Satariano, Adam; Alba, Davey (11 April 2020). "Burning Cell Towers, Out of Baseless Fear They Spread the Virus". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 5 March 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "Coronavirus: MPs demand answers on misinformation". BBC News. 21 May 2020. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ Hebditch, Jon (6 September 2020). "Anti-lockdown protesters gather in Glasgow Green over Covid-19 restrictions". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
- ^ "Glasgow coronavirus: Anti-lockdown protesters take to Glasgow Green". Evening Glasgow Times. 6 September 2020. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
- ^ a b Raw, Louise (23 September 2020). "Anti-lockdown leaders want you to think they're leading a spontaneous people's movement – it's anything but that". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ Kennedy, Dominic; Ellis, Rosa (11 September 2020). "Piers Corbyn blamed for split among coronavirus deniers". The Times. Archived from the original on 11 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.(subscription required)
- ^ Hillary Clixby (22 February 1994). "Doorman jailed for shooting girl in head". Newcastle Journal – via British Newspaper Archive.