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saturday october 3 2020 CORONAVIRUS Sons of David Icke take centre stage in Covid conspiracy movement Gareth Icke gives a speech in London at a rally also attended by Piers Corbyn, far left. Right, Icke with his father and brother, Jaymie Ben Ellery Saturday October 03 2020, 12.01am, The Times The sons of David Icke have become key figures in the anti-vaccination movement and built up a “conspiracy theory” video streaming service with hundreds of thousands of pounds in revenues. Gareth, 38, is becoming a leading light in the movement after a recording of a speech he gave at an anti-lockdown rally last weekend was viewed three million times on Facebook. Jaymie, 27, is behind a video streaming service, Ickonic, with thousands of hours of content, including videos on the 9/11 attacks, that has recorded a rise in annual revenue to £400,000. Gareth, a personal trainer who is married to a primary school teacher with whom he has a young daughter, formerly sang in a band Gareth, a lead singer in a band and a former England beach football player, is behind a range of T-shirts and jumpers priced £40 which carry slogans such as “Covid1984”, “scamdemic” and a shot of a sheep wearing a mask. Their father David, 68, is a former footballer and BBC sports presenter. When he appeared on the Terry Wogan chat show on BBC One in 1991 he announced that he was the son of God and that the world was run by reptiles. Since then he has toured the world giving lectures to sold-out venues about his beliefs. In recent weeks Gareth has won plaudits from people on social media who say he is his father’s heir. His speech in Trafalgar Square last weekend criticised the government’s lockdown claiming “it was never about health, it was about control”. He went on to refer to a 9/11 conspiracy theory and questioned whether the hunt for a vaccine was a “Trojan horse” that had been prepared before the pandemic. The Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said it was “deeply concerning” that Facebook allowed the video on to its platform. Gareth, a personal trainer, is married to a primary school teacher with whom he has a young daughter. They live in Amber Valley, Derbyshire, near his younger brother. He told The Times: “I got asked to do a speech in Birmingham about six weeks ago. I said ‘OK’, then I arrived and because of my surname I was headlining. Then it just felt natural. I did some more then got asked to London and it all came from nowhere. I’ve been asked to do Vancouver and Toronto next month. I’m just happy to do it.” Responding to the suggestion that the video made false and dangerous claims, he said: “ I’m just saying what I believe to be true. People can take it or leave it.” Growing up as the son of one of the most ridiculed men in the country was not easy. “It was horrible growing up and as a kid I was quite bitter about it,” he said. “Wherever you went with dad, people would stop him for an autograph, they loved him. Then that changed overnight, people would shout at him. I was eight. “At the same time, would I have stood up in front of all those people in Trafalgar Square if I hadn’t had that childhood? Probably not. Having so much stick as a kid gave me a thicker skin. Dad’s views must’ve influenced mine. If people say the views they’ve experienced don’t influence them then they would be lying. He never put anything on us though, ever. He always said ‘just go away and research it’. All he taught me was to question everything.” Jaymie’s streaming service started last November. For £12.99 a month users can watch thousands of hours of material including lectures by their father. Jaymie said: “I’m really proud of what we’ve built so far. People are becoming more questioning of information so they are interested in alternatives. Dad isn’t involved but he’s pleased his videos are getting a bigger platform. He’s been supportive. “You only ever hear one side of the debate on masks and that’s dangerous. I don’t see how anyone can view anything on the channel and not come away from it with positive ideas. “How much are certain people going to make out of this [the pandemic]? Follow the money. It’s about control. If you can force a population to inject something into their body . . . that’s fascism. “I would never tell anyone not to vaccinate their child. I’ve just had a five-month-old boy who hasn’t been vaccinated and won’t be.” Facebook took down the video featuring Gareth’s speech in London last night after an inquiry from The Times. The centre published a report in July which highlighted a network of pages and groups across social media promoting anti-vaccine content with a combined audience of 58 million, 31 million of them on Facebook. Imran Ahmed, chief executive of CCDH, said: “It is deeply concerning that this video, which makes false and dangerous claims about masks and vaccines, has been viewed by millions of people. “The fact that Facebook only acted when approached by [this newspaper] shows that they are only concerned with bad publicity, not protecting their users from harmful misinformation. Until they act on this, misinformation and conspiracy theories will continue to spread rapidly across Facebook and another video will simply take this one’s place.” A Facebook spokesman said: “We have removed this video for violating our policy on harmful misinformation. We’ve taken aggressive steps to limit the spread of misinformation and connect people with reliable information.” Gospel according to Icke Son of God In 1991 he announced he was the “son of the Godhead”, interpreting Godhead as the “infinite mind”, and that the world was going to end in 1997. He appeared on Terry Wogan’s show where he was asked if he was the son of God. He replied that Jesus would have been laughed at too and repeated that Britain would soon be devastated by tidal waves and earthquakes. Shape-shifting lizards He believes that the Earth has been taken over by a race of reptilians called Archons. The royal family are shape-shifting lizards, he claims, and are part of a group known as the Illuminati which is controlling the world. He believes they are keeping humans in constant fear to feed off the “negative energy” it creates. The Moon Matrix He believes that the collective human mind is manipulated from the Moon, which is controlled by the reptilians, who broadcast a virtual reality to our brains. Illuminati Mr Icke attributes various historical incidents, such as 9/11 and the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, to being the hand of the Illuminati, or the “Global Elite”. Related articles CORONAVIRUS Trump ‘worst offender’ for spreading fake health news President Trump is the “single largest driver” of misinformation about the coronavirus, according to a study. Researchers at... October 02 2020, 12.01am Henry Zeffman Washington ANTIVAX | BEHIND THE STORY Could antivaxers hinder a potential vaccine? To halt the spread of coronavirus, it is estimated that 70 per cent of the population would need to develop immunity, either... September 12 2020, 12.01am CORONAVIRUS Conspiracy theorists thrive in Bolton As Thursday drew to a close in Bolton the streets were mostly empty. The odd handful of masked commuters spilled from the... September 26 2020, 12.01am Charlotte Wace, Northern Correspondent Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed here. Comments(373) F M Mark Crorigan 18 SECONDS AGO It’s a real stroke of good fortune that the shape-shifting reptilian Illuminati have yet to twig on to the fact that David and co know the truth. You’d have thought they would capture and presumably eat anybody with knowledge of their wicked scheme. Reply RecommendReport G Gavin 9 MINUTES AGO So the tag line under the photo says Piers Corbyn, far left. Surely not. Reply 1 RecommendReport A A Right Karen 41 SECONDS AGOEdited People here are calling for Gareth Ickes wife to be sacked. Calling her a flat earth proponent etc etc You've got no evidence she believes or teaches any such thing. I haven't heard the ickes ever spout flat earth theory either. People here are now clamouring for an innocent lady to be removed from a teaching post with no other evidence than association with someone who as far as I can see has broken no laws. That Is what is shocking about this article. The comments from very very indoctrinated fascists. Talk about deplatforming and cancel culture. You don't have to agree with them but what if your beliefs are next for the shredder? Surely freedom of speech needs to be protected here. Who made people like CCDH on charge? You? Me? Do we even know what they are? Do some of these commentators work for them? Reply 3 Delete N NR 3 HOURS AGO Time I think for a law prohibiting unvaccinated children from going to state schools until properly protected. Then we can send them to the local Icke Academy wheret as they can all have mumps and measles together. No access to NHS hospitals needed of course. Reply 24 RecommendReport A A sense of perspective 2 HOURS AGO NR And teachers - Gemma Icke is an Assistant Deputy Flat Earth Headteacher in a primary school! How on flat earth she is allowed to remain in post teaching our children this harmful filth is beyond belief! Reply 2 RecommendReport A A Right Karen 1 HOUR AGO A sense of perspective You've got no evidence she believes or teaches any such thing. I haven't heard them ever spout flat earth theory either. People here are now clamouring for an innocent lady to be removed from a teaching post with no other evidence than association with someone who as far as I can see has broken no laws. That Is what is shocking about this article. The comments from very very indoctrinated fascists. Talk about deplatforming and cancel culture. You don't have to agree with them but what if your beliefs are next for the shredder? Surely freedom of speech needs to be protected here. Who made people like CCDH on charge? You? Me? Do we even know what they are Reply 2 Delete A This post violated our policy. A A Right Karen 41 MINUTES AGO You have no evidence whatsoever she does any of that. Absolutely awful comment. Reply Delete A A Right Karen 42 MINUTES AGO You should be ashamed. Reply Delete L L2b4 3 HOURS AGO NR Edited So basically punish the children for their parents decision. They will then be homeschooled and radicalised by their parents' community. Unvaccinated children are not a risk to vaccinated ones and are more at risk by disease if concentrated within homeschooling communities. Let the poor kids integrate! Reply 1 RecommendedReport D Dies Irae 39 MINUTES AGO L2b4 So you make an exception for one child. Then another wants the same. then another. How many unvaccinated children in a school is enough? 10? Then the parents of child number 11 kick off about their rights to be treated the same as the other 10 numbskulls. Look, either you have rules or you don't. When we moved to the US, our children were not allowed to start school until we could produce their full vaccinations records from the UK. No ifs no buts. If the parents are too stupid to vaccinate their kids, the answer is not to say "Oh OK, the rules don't apply to you then." Reply RecommendReport H Hilary Manser 1 HOUR AGO L2b4 They are a risk to babies and people who for whatever reason CAN'T be vaccinated. Such as those with auto immune diseases Reply 2 RecommendReport P Pommard 3 HOURS AGO NR Surely Safeguarding should apply here - kids need vaccinating against diseases that can have long-term effects and for parents to fail to provide such care is potentially harmful to those children. Reply 2 RecommendReport G Graeme Barriball 3 HOURS AGO NR Must they all also have, blue eyes and blond hair? Reply 1 RecommendReport A A sense of perspective 48 MINUTES AGO Graeme Barriball Childish comment by a typical flat earther Reply 1 RecommendReport R RCB 2 HOURS AGO Graeme Barriball No, just vaccinated. Jesus