'Freedom fighter' anti-vaccination group planning 'Merry Hill demonstration'

Information about the group's planned protest was shared on Dudley Schools Safeguarding Leads Forum this month along with warnings about far right activity in the borough.

A message to the forum said: "There is group which seems peaceful at the moment called "Freedom Fighters of Dudley" who can be found in Blackheath and Kingswinford, and it is thought there will be a demonstration in Merry Hill soon. This group is anti-vac.

"This information was shared with DSL in schools at their forum."

The Freedom Fighters of Dudley were formed last year from members of the Facebook page Official Voice Black Country which was regularly taken down due to publishing untrue information about the pandemic.

Returning after a three-month ban in December 2021, the admin of Official Voice Black Country said: "Finally back on this page!

"Facebook has had this page and my personal banned for three months on and off. I am still advertising for official voice but our new group is Freedom fighters of Dudley, will have a Facebook page for our new group soon.

"With more restrictions being brought in after Christmas, we all need to stand together and fight back against this tyrannical government."

The group also revealed plans to confront the Government and Police this year.

The post finished with a sinister tone: "We the people have the power and next year we are going to show the government and police what we are really made off."

The last word of the statement was probably meant to mean "made of" instead of "made off".

No public Facebook group was created, however, there are a variety of private social media platforms are available for groups who want to keep their intentions from authorities.

In January after several conspiratorial posts, the page began publishing threatening missives, one post declared: "I am not saying I am better than others, but if you blindly trust the government and never ask any critical questions, your stupidity becomes a threat to my existence and freedom. When all this unravels one day you will be held as responsible as those masterminding it."

The Official Voice Black Country page publicised protests in Birmingham in October 2021 when the pandemic was still claiming lives and the Government vaccination programme was well underway.

Calling for people to meet in Victoria Square a poster declared: "People power example. The last time we met for action our power was felt across the world. Now We Go Again. No Vaccine Passports. No Lockdowns. No Jabbing Children. No More Lies. No Masks. No Shots. No Social Distancing."

The Express & Star has approached Official Voice Black Country and Merry Hill shopping centre for a comment.