Defence takes extraordinary step at stopping Covid conspiracies on social media

Defence has gone to war against anti-vax conspiracy theorists claiming the ADF forcibly jab the elderly and Indigenous in a bizarre genocide plot claim.

Defence has taken the extraordinary step of issuing a public statement about false social media claims the military is pulling people off the streets to forcibly vaccinate them.

Wild conspiracy theories have circulated for the past almost two years since the outbreak of Covid-19, leading to mass protests across the country.

But the latest conspiracies have called for a public uprising to “rescue” people, largely elderly and the Indigenous, that conspiracy theorists claim are being taken by soldiers.

The theories are being allowed to run unchecked on social media with posts even appealing to other nations, notably the United States, to intervene and rescue Australian citizens.

They are the sorts of claims that have led to equally bizarre protests in New York over Australia’s lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions.

Defence’s Ministerial and Executive Coordination and Communication unit said today the claims “are emphatically false”.

It launched a campaign in the Top End particularly, to dismiss the rumour being spread by social media that vaccinations were a “bioweapon” and that martial law had been launched in the Northern Territory.

The ADF during the Katherine-Binjari Covid-19 response. Picture: Greg Stonham/Australian Defence Force

Ironically the conspiracies are spurred on by ex-ADF conspiracy theorist personnel in other states including NSW and Queensland that claim Australia’s Indigenous are the guinea pigs for a new world order being created.

The conspiracy theorists’ claim the plot is to erase the bloodline of Indigenous Australians through “genocide” to take the land and natural resources and the same will eventually happen to the rest of the population.

Defence said the ADF was assisting a whole of government approach to Covid-19 and providing support as states and territories require.

“Claims currently gaining prominence within various social media communities are deliberate disinformation based on a theme that has spread globally, been localised for effect, and results in significant and unwarranted concern among residents,” Defence said in its post.

Inside the Katherine-Binjari Covid-19 response in the Northern Territory. Picture: Greg Stonham/Australian Defence Force

“ADF personnel serve in a supporting role to State and Territory authorities and are not empowered or authorised to conduct any law enforcement activities. The ADF is not administering Covid-19 vaccines to the Australian public. However, ADF personnel previously supported administration of COVID-19 vaccines in aged and disability care facilities.”

The social media conspiracies claims include vaccinations laced with metals that can then lead to mind control via 5G and a cabal of evil world leaders, watching Australia as a test case for a global depopulation plot.

Commander of the Defence’s NT Covid-19 response Colonel Tim Rutherford said the social media posts had been made by “issue-motivated” groups using the ADF as a prop.

“The claims are wild and various, they’re thoroughly untrue,” he said.

The Indigenous community has also come out to publicly dismiss the claims by other Indigenous elements, and appeal for calm.

ADF personnel are assisting health authorities about Katherine, south of Darwin with food deliveries and road checkpoints to contain outbreaks.