How Covid-19 conspiracies are merging with QAnon
Marianna Spring - Disinformation and social media reporter
"Save Our Children", a slogan used by the QAnon child trafficking conspiracy theory, appeared at a London coronavirus protest
False claims that coronavirus is a hoax being used to cover up child trafficking are being shared on social media.
There is zero evidence to support this suggestion - and it appears to be part of the merging of coronavirus and QAnon conspiracy theories.
Throughout the pandemic, false claims suggesting coronavirus is a hoax and that a vaccine will be used to microchip the population have spread online. Yesterday they appeared on placards at the demonstration in Central London.
But now those unfounded theories appear to be merging with QAnon, whose supporters were also in attendance at yesterday’s protest. QAnon is a wide-ranging, unfounded conspiracy theory that says US President Donald Trump is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping paedophiles in government, business and the media.
QAnon supporters have also promoted coronavirus conspiracy theories, including about vaccines. In recent weeks, the movement has gained traction in the UK using the #saveourchildren hashtag.
Various charities, which work to fight child exploitation and sexual abuse, have come out to condemn the QAnon conspiracy theory, which exploits this cause to plug unfounded and dangerous claims.
More than 1,300 test positive at US university
Many US university students have been doing remote-learning for some time, but a number of institutions opened their doors for teaching on campus. A number have seen outbreaks of coronavirus - now more than 1,200 students and 166 staff have tested positive for coronavirus at the University of Alabama."The rise we've seen in recent days is unacceptable, and if unchecked, threatens our ability to complete the rest of the semester on campus," University of Alabama president Stuart Bell said at a press conference this week. "Now is the time for action."
Students in recent days have shared photographs of crowded bars and queues to enter venues in Tuscaloosa, where the university is based. According to ABC, the mayor closed bars from 24 August to 8 September in response.
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