Anti-vaxxers bombard councillors with 'threatening' calls over jab roll-out
Councillors have been bombarded with “threatening” calls from anti-vaxxers over the roll-out of the Covid jab.
Councillor Mike Hardacre revealed that he is one of a number of elected members on Wolverhampton Council to have received abusive phone calls in recent weeks.
He said one caller began ranting down the phone at him claiming the vaccine was dangerous, while another left him with the warning: “We are everywhere.”
Councillor Hardacre, the authority’s education chief, has been a prominent figure in encouraging take up of the jab across the city.
He said other councillors had also received calls and abusive emails in what appeared to be a “clear attempt to intimidate” elected members.
Mr Hardacre, Labour councillor for Park, said: “If I am being generous I would say the calls were a clear attempt to intimidate.
“Some of them are threatening in nature. I attempted to have a rational conversation with one of them but they began ranting down the phone at me.
“Another suggested – for reasons I am unclear about – that I was a supporter of gene therapy. I believe these people to be seriously misguided. The data is crystal clear regarding the effectiveness of the vaccine.
“It is the safest way for people to protect themselves and those around them, and I would urge everyone who has not been vaccinated to take the opportunity to do so.”
Anti-vaxxers have targeted parts of the Black Country in recent weeks, with protests taking place outside a number of schools.
In September a group gathered on Wolverhampton ring road claiming the vaccine was “harming teens”.
Leader of Walsall Council Mike Bird said he hadn’t received any threats or abuse yet from anti-vaxxers but said people should “know better”.
He said: “My argument to them would be you’ve got two choices; you either vaccinate or you die. Which one would you prefer? One of them is pretty permanent.
“All these stupid people doubting the science of the vaccine, they are the ones creating the problem.
"These are the people responsible for causing the spread.
“Because the vaccine isn’t a cure, but it makes sure the virus is lessened. My argument is show me the evidence that there is an issue with having the vaccine. “I understand some parents might be concerned about their children having it, but adults should know better.”
