More violent rhetoric and threats from the anti-vaccination movement

Yesterday I posted a video in which anti-vaccination activist Shawn Dhu threatened me with physical violence. I’ll include that video at the end of this post, as well as a new video in which Dhu threatens journalist Cathy O’Leary of The West Australian newspaper. Also included at the end of this post is a video of highlights of the atrocious behaviour of anti-vaccination activists at the Perth immunisation seminar, which was held on May 30 2016, and comments from those who champion them.

Today, June 11 2016, there are more examples of violent rhetoric from Australian anti-vaccination groups. There is a reason we keep highlighting this violent behaviour: it has real-world consequences.

This morning, in Anti-Vaccination Australia, Frank Vazquez of South Australia suggested that an anti-vaccination member “shoot” her mother who was demanding that she have travel vaccines before accepting an overseas holiday as a present:

This is Frank Vazquez, taken from a June 7 2016 public Facebook post:

In another Australian anti-vaccination group – Bring Vaxxed to Australia/New Zealand – also this morning, an image was posted by Chris Bell, in which it is advocated that a selected health advocate should be punched in the face.

Among those listed in the image include infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Offit, California Senator Dr Richard Pan, and law professor Dr Dorit Reiss. The sustained vitriol – including death threats – that these individuals have received from anti-vaccination activists is hideous and frightening:

Given the escalation of this violent rhetoric over the past couple of years it no longer a fantasy that threats of violence will be carried out. We have already seen a NSW Northern Rivers mayor assaulted by an anti-fluoride activist.

This behaviour has escalated due to incitement from anti-vaccination leaders like Judy Wilyman, Andrew Wakefield, Meryl Dorey, Del Bigtree, Barbara Loe Fisher, Sherri Tenpenny, and Neil Z Miller.  It is time they started calling their crackpot acolytes into line, instead of profiting from the hive of rage they have fraudulently created.

A perfect example of this incitement to violent rhetoric, from Wakefield, comes from a support page for the anti-vaccination documentary, Vaxxed.

On June 10 2016, replying to a Wakefield quote which invokes imagery of mobs with pitchforks at the windows of politicians, Wakefield achieves his desired effect; veteran antivax activist Erwin Alber –  the creator of the VINE Facebook page – advocates the lynching of politicians:

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From June 11 2016. This video is an excerpt of a late-night, 43-minute public video which was uploaded to Facebook by antivaxer Shawn Dhu. Dhu continues his unhinged threats against Reasonable Hank:

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From June 11 2016. This video is an excerpt of an early-morning public video which was uploaded to Facebook, by anti-vaccination activist and Del Bigtree acolyte, Shawn Dhu; Dhu threatens journalist Cathy O’Leary:

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From June 9 2016. Dhu’s  previous threat against Reasonable Hank:

From June 11 2016. This is the response from anti-vaccination activist, naturopath Brett Smith – also the proprietor of an organic food supermarket, in Sydney – to the threats from Shawn Dhu in the video directly above. Smith condones Dhu’s behaviour, joking about the threats:

Smith has, of course, previously joked about death threats I have received from Frank Vazquez. From March 6 2016, Smith also claimed it is “karma” that I receive death threats:

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On June 1 2016, Meryl Dorey, the public officer of the Australian Vaccination-skeptics Network, publicly applauded the behaviour of anti-vaccination activists who disrupted the May 30 2016 immunisation seminar:

From May 30 2016. President of the AVN, Tasha David, champions the disruptive and abusive crowd from the Telethon Kids seminar:

From May 30 2016. This video highlights the appalling behaviour of the anti-vaccination activists, including Judy Wilyman and Shawn Dhu:

Thanks to The West Australian newspaper for editing this highlights reel.

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