Mark Steele (conspiracy theorist)
Mark Steele | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Steele addressing a crowd at Trafalgar Square in London on 19 September 2020 | |
| 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)[1] is a British conspiracy theorist who is best known for his videos alleging that 5G, WiFi and other communication networks are part of a distributed weapon system.[2] He lives in Gateshead, England, which is the focus of much of his activism. Steele describes himself as a "weapons expert", claiming to have worked on undisclosed projects for the Ministry of Defence,[3] and studied psychology and social sciences at the Open University.[4]
Promotion of conspiracy theories
[edit]5G conspiracy theory
[edit]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 Democrats and Veterans Party, on the subject of 5G Networks. The video of his speech was widely shared on YouTube.[9][10] In 2019, he spoke at the "5G Apocalypse event", organised by "Bali-based New Age influencer" Sacha Stone.[11] BuzzFeed News and Vice News have reported that Steele and Stone used such events as well as legal defence funds to make money from their followers.[11][1]
Gateshead council trial
[edit]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
[edit]Steele has promoted conspiracy theories and misinformation linking the launch of 5G Networks in Wuhan, China to the COVID-19 pandemic. Steele describes 5G as "genocide" carried by "the deep state".[20] When asked about links between 5G and coronavirus in April 2020, Steele told The New York Times: "It's looking a bit suspicious, don't you think?"[21] The next month, Twitter began labelling Steele's posts about 5G and the pandemic as "misinformation".[22]
In September 2020, he spoke at an anti-lockdown rally in Glasgow.[23][24]
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 Kate Shemirani have been described as "controlled opposition" by supporters of David Icke and Piers Corbyn, both of whom distanced themselves from a 19 September 2020 "Resist and Act for Freedom" protest hosted by Shemirani and backed by Steele.[26]
Shooting conviction
[edit]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, Washington, Tyne and Wear. Steele, who was working as a bouncer at the pub, claimed that he was concerned about his safety and brandished the weapon out of "bravado". In court, Steele admitted to unlawful wounding, possession of a firearm with an intent to endanger life and illegal possession of ammunition. Steele was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment. The bullet entered the victim's skull and she was left with serious disabilities.[1][3][27] In January 2006, the Sunday Mail interviewed the victim, and stated she was able to walk again with the use of sticks.[28]
Political involvement
[edit]In 2019, he was photographed with a member of the English Defence League, a far-right, Islamophobic organization in the United Kingdom.[25]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 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.
- ^ "REAL LIVES: I was shot in the head, paralysed, in a wheelchair and 6st overweight ..but now I'm a walking miracle; EXCLUSIVE. - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
