© PA-Press AssociationPiers Corbyn
The Met Police confirmed today:
"Officers investigating reports of malicious material in the form of a leaflet being circulated in south London in late January have made two arrests. A 73-year-old man was arrested in Southwark on Wednesday, 3 February on suspicion of malicious communications and public nuisance. Another man, 37, was arrested earlier the same day in Bow, east London, on suspicion of a public order offence."Both men were taken to a south London police station - and have since been bailed to return on a date in early March.
Cops also confirmed that the leaflet in question contained material that appeared to compare the Covid-19 vaccination programme with the Holocaust. The pamphlet features the gates leading into Auschwitz along with a sign which reads: "Vaccines are safe path to freedom". It appeared on Mr Corbyn's website "Stop New Normal" which credits the 73-year-old for coming up with the "concept idea" for the picture [seen below].
CORBYN HELD
Alexander Heaton, who was charged with breaking lockdown restrictions with Piers during protests in May, drew the image. The drawing of Auschwitz - where more than one million Jewish people were murdered during the Holocaust - was also posted through doors in the London Boroughs of Barnet and Southwark.
It has sparked fury online with the Mayor of Lambeth Philip Normal uploading a picture of the leaflet. He wrote: "Antisemitism, racism, hate is not tolerated in my house, or this country, or the planet Earth."
A Twitter user added: "To be dangerously stupid about vaccines is one thing. But to use concentration camp imagery while you're doing it is disgraceful."
Another person wrote: "My great grandmother died of sepsis in a concentration camp. To equate life-saving medicine with them is absolutely one of the most enraging things I've ever seen. Antisemitism truly knows no bounds."
A Jewish charity slammed the leaflets as "despicable" and said it is not about concerns over vaccines but about "trolling Jews."
'DESPICABLE' LEAFLETS
Director of enforcement and investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism Stephen Silverman said:
"Piers Corbyn is an arch conspiracy theorist who was among the first to claim antisemitism allegations against his brother were part of an Israeli plot. Comparing the lockdown to the Auschwitz death camp, as former BNP leader Nick Griffin and others have done, is despicable. To deliberately distribute leaflets making that comparison is vintage Piers Corbyn harassment and baiting of Jews, and demonstrates that this is not about protesting lockdowns, it is about trolling Jews."Piers was fined in August last year for organising an anti-lockdown protest in central London. He was among those to attend the "Unite for Freedom" protest which was held in Trafalgar Square.
He has been arrested at least twice this year for repeatedly breaching lockdown rules to protest about measures brought in to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Piers was among 17 people arrested during a demonstration in Hyde Park on January 2. On New Year's Day he was arrested and fined after leading an anti-lockdown march in central London.
On New Year's Day he was arrested and fined after leading an anti-lockdown march in central London.
© Unknown
© UnknownPiers was arrested during a number of anti-lockdown protests.
© UnknownCartoon was in response to the Evening Standard's front page
© UnknownOver a million Jewish people were murdered at Auschwitz during the Holocaust.
Comment: The disrespect for this 'guest' is appalling. What a s**t show and, frankly, painful to watch!