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David Meade death threats in end-of-world trolling | David Meade death threats in end-of-world trolling |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Having the same name as a man who predicted the world would end on Saturday - last Saturday - has caused County Down mentalist David Meade no end of grief - even five death threats. | |
American conspiracy theorist David Meade claimed that Planet Nibiru would collide with Earth on 23 September. | American conspiracy theorist David Meade claimed that Planet Nibiru would collide with Earth on 23 September. |
David Meade, from Rathfriland, County Down, has been forced to dissociate himself from the claims. | David Meade, from Rathfriland, County Down, has been forced to dissociate himself from the claims. |
Newspapers have incorrectly linked the claim to him on social media. | Newspapers have incorrectly linked the claim to him on social media. |
His picture has also been used in relation to the story. | His picture has also been used in relation to the story. |
Mr Meade, who now lives in Banbridge with his wife Elaine and their family, said: "About six or seven months ago we started getting the odd tweet here and there and I thought it was hilarious. | Mr Meade, who now lives in Banbridge with his wife Elaine and their family, said: "About six or seven months ago we started getting the odd tweet here and there and I thought it was hilarious. |
"I think part of the source of the confusion, first of all, is that it is a pretty unusual way to spell Meade, with an 'e' at the end. | "I think part of the source of the confusion, first of all, is that it is a pretty unusual way to spell Meade, with an 'e' at the end. |
"But then also, when people were arriving on my site they were seeing things like 'mentalist', 'mind reader'. | "But then also, when people were arriving on my site they were seeing things like 'mentalist', 'mind reader'. |
"That probably sounds like the sort of person that would predict the end of the world," he confessed. | "That probably sounds like the sort of person that would predict the end of the world," he confessed. |
"The last two weeks have been extraordinary and actually it's verging on worrying this morning." | "The last two weeks have been extraordinary and actually it's verging on worrying this morning." |
The father-of-two is both a lecturer in international business and an entertainer who "caught the bug" for mind-reading as a teenager. | The father-of-two is both a lecturer in international business and an entertainer who "caught the bug" for mind-reading as a teenager. |
His website has been so inundated with traffic that it has crashed three times, something he said was a concern, as he has five employees. | His website has been so inundated with traffic that it has crashed three times, something he said was a concern, as he has five employees. |
"Sixty percent of my work is in the United States, it is deeply worrying to think that this nonsense could be there online and could affect my business," he said. | "Sixty percent of my work is in the United States, it is deeply worrying to think that this nonsense could be there online and could affect my business," he said. |
He has now received five death threats but said that he is not taking the threats seriously. | He has now received five death threats but said that he is not taking the threats seriously. |
His lawyer is in contact with a number of media outlets asking them to retract stories linking the County Down man to the story. | His lawyer is in contact with a number of media outlets asking them to retract stories linking the County Down man to the story. |
"A Fox news anchor linked directly to my Twitter feed, directly to my website, and, to date, has refused to apologise for it," he said. | "A Fox news anchor linked directly to my Twitter feed, directly to my website, and, to date, has refused to apologise for it," he said. |
"My main concern is that no one seems bothered to correct this." | "My main concern is that no one seems bothered to correct this." |
The entertainer seems confident the Earth is not facing impending doom - from an unknown planet at least - and has offered a "1000%" refund on tickets sold for his upcoming tour "in the event of an apocalypse". | The entertainer seems confident the Earth is not facing impending doom - from an unknown planet at least - and has offered a "1000%" refund on tickets sold for his upcoming tour "in the event of an apocalypse". |
Following the fact that the world did not end on Saturday, the American David Meade told the Washington Post: "The world is not ending, but the world as we know it is ending." | Following the fact that the world did not end on Saturday, the American David Meade told the Washington Post: "The world is not ending, but the world as we know it is ending." |
"A major part of the world will not be the same the beginning of October," he said. | "A major part of the world will not be the same the beginning of October," he said. |
He describes himself as a "Christian numerologist", whose apocalyptic theory is based on a "numeric code" he said he found in the Bible. | He describes himself as a "Christian numerologist", whose apocalyptic theory is based on a "numeric code" he said he found in the Bible. |
Mainstream Christian groups have dismissed his theories and have denied that Christians believed them. | Mainstream Christian groups have dismissed his theories and have denied that Christians believed them. |
He describes himself as a having studied astronomy and being a "specialist in research and investigations" and talks about a "Planet X". | He describes himself as a having studied astronomy and being a "specialist in research and investigations" and talks about a "Planet X". |
However, the US space agency said Planet Nibiru, also known as Planet X, does not exist. | However, the US space agency said Planet Nibiru, also known as Planet X, does not exist. |
David Meade, the conspiracy theorist, said, however: "The existence of Planet X is beyond any reasonable doubt." | David Meade, the conspiracy theorist, said, however: "The existence of Planet X is beyond any reasonable doubt." |
He said Nasa discovered Planet X in the 1980s and that preparations for it striking - or closely passing - Earth were well under way in both the US and in Russia. | He said Nasa discovered Planet X in the 1980s and that preparations for it striking - or closely passing - Earth were well under way in both the US and in Russia. |