Oliver Dowden blasts graffiti linking 5G to coronavirus

Oliver Dowden, who is also Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, has made no secret of his displeasure at anti-5g protesters.

Unsurprisingly, Mr Dowden is far from impressed by the graffiti which has been scribbled on a bridge off Red Road, Borehamwood.

The person responsible for the graffiti is unknown, but they have written '5G = (equals) Covi19' 'Say no to vaccines' 'Mainstream Media Liers', (liars spelt incorrectly), and 'Lies and Tyranny'.

'Say No To Vaccines'

Both Hertfordshire Constabulary and Hertsmere Borough Council have been made aware by Mr Dowden of the graffiti.

The graffiti, which appeared sometime last week, was still there on Saturday afternoon.

The MP said: "I have been made aware of some disappointing graffiti that has appeared in Borehamwood over recent days.

"I am clear that the spread of these crackpot conspiracy theories cannot be allowed to hold back our response to Covid-19.

"I have been in touch with Hertfordshire Constabulary and Hertsmere Borough Council as a matter of urgency."

The bridge was covered in graffiti

Mr Dowden has previously ordered social media companies to be "more aggressive" in their response to conspiracy theories linking 5G networks to the coronavirus pandemic.

It followed incidents where a number of 5G masts had apparently being set on fire in England.

Scientists have said the idea of a connection between Covid-19 and 5G is "complete rubbish" and biologically impossible.

Dr Simon Clarke, associate professor in cellular microbiology at the University of Reading, was reported by the BBC in mid-April saying: "The idea that 5G lowers your immune system doesn't stand up to scrutiny.

"Your immune system can be dipped by all sorts of thing - by being tired one day, or not having a good diet. Those fluctuations aren't huge but can make you more susceptible to catching viruses."

The doctor added 5G is "nowhere near strong enough" to heat people up enough to have any meaningful effect.

He said: "Radio waves can disrupt your physiology as they heat you up, meaning your immune system can't function. But [the energy levels from] 5G radio waves are tiny and they are nowhere near strong enough to affect the immune system. There have been lots of studies on this."

This is not the first known coronavirus conspiracy theory graffiti which has appeared in Hertfordshire.

Redbourn Parish Council chairman David Mitchell says he was left "puzzled" after graffiti claiming the pandemic and virus was "fake" was scrawled on benches and tombstones in Redbourn.

Police are treating the graffiti, which appeared at the end of April, as criminal damage.

'Real crisis. Fake pandemic. They're destroying our lives' was scrawled on this bench in Redbourn. Credit: St Albans District Council

More graffiti claimed people 'cannot catch a virus'