White Rose (disinformation group)

The White Rose is a group that runs a stickering campaign to distribute disinformation and conspiracy theories about the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] Its name is an appropriation of that of the anti-Nazi White Rose group, to which it is unrelated.[2] Stickers distributed by the group include anti-vaccine and anti-mask messages, denials that the COVID-19 pandemic exists, and conspiracy theories about a New World Order.[3][4] Their tactics have been compared to those of the anti-immigration Hundred-Handers group.[5]

This article is about the disinformation group. For the anti-Nazi resistance group, see White Rose.
A White Rose sticker that disputes the existence of asymptomatic carriers, on a lamppost in Cornwall, UK, in February 2021

The group is organized around a Telegram group that is used to distribute templates for stickers, which followers print out using label printers and post in public places.[2] The stickers in turn contain URLs which lead back to websites controlled by the group, drawing in new members in a feedback process. Other downloadable templates mimic the appearance of official documents and carry QR codes linking to websites controlled by the group.[6]

The group primarily operates in the United Kingdom and the United States but also has local groups for Australia, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland and Israel.[3][5] In Australia some of their stickering activities have been directed at Jewish communities and include stickers bearing swastikas.[7] By January 2022, their Telegram group had nearly 60,000 members.[8]

A variety of other conspiracy theories are associated with the group's Telegram chat, including links to sovereign citizen ideology and white supremacist groups,[9] and antisemitic tropes about "powerful globalists".[2]

In April 2021, a woman in Wythenshawe, England, was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after posting White Rose stickers in the town's centre.[10]

References
  1. Roffe, Erica (6 May 2021). "Anger at anti-vax and conspiracy misinformation stickers spotted in Bedford". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. Fox, Mira (24 August 2021). "Anti-vaxxers have stolen an anti-Nazi group's identity". The Forward. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  3. Spring, Marianna (16 November 2021). "Covid denial to climate denial: How conspiracists are shifting focus". BBC News. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  4. Cuddeford, Callum. "Britain's sticky issue: The vaccine disinformation war". swlondoner.shorthandstories.com. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  5. "Wie schuilt er achter de fake news coronastickers?" [Who's behind the fake news Corona stickers?]. Knack (in Dutch). 27 April 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
  6. Delaney, James (2 July 2021). "Edinburgh anti-vax campaigners release NHS lookalike conspiracy propaganda". edinburghlive. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  7. Carlin, Naama (21 September 2021). "How COVID has shone a light on the ugly face of Australian antisemitism". The Conversation. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  8. Sharma, Ruchira (27 December 2021). "Ebay allowing conspiracy theorists to sell stickers spreading misinformation about Covid jab". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  9. Michael, Marshall (6 September 2021). "Inside the White Rose: the extremist groups looking to capitalise on Covid paranoia". The Skeptic. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  10. Slater, Chris (21 April 2021). "Police to review 'brutal' arrest of woman, 69, over anti-lockdown stickers". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 14 January 2022.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.