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| Coronavirus: Van Morrison lockdown protest songs 'dangerous' | Coronavirus: Van Morrison lockdown protest songs 'dangerous' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Northern Ireland's health minister has described three new songs by Sir Van Morrison that protest against coronavirus lockdowns as "dangerous". | Northern Ireland's health minister has described three new songs by Sir Van Morrison that protest against coronavirus lockdowns as "dangerous". |
| In the lyrics, Sir Van claims scientists are "making up crooked facts" to justify measures that "enslave" the population. | In the lyrics, Sir Van claims scientists are "making up crooked facts" to justify measures that "enslave" the population. |
| "The new normal, is not normal," he sings. "We were born to be free". | "The new normal, is not normal," he sings. "We were born to be free". |
| Health Minister Robin Swann said if Sir Van had scientific facts he should present them. | Health Minister Robin Swann said if Sir Van had scientific facts he should present them. |
| Van Morrison song alludes to debunked conspiracy theory | Van Morrison song alludes to debunked conspiracy theory |
| By Olga Robinson, BBC Monitoring disinformation team | By Olga Robinson, BBC Monitoring disinformation team |
| Sir Van Morrison refers to a debunked Covid-19 conspiracy theory in one of his new anti-lockdown songs. | Sir Van Morrison refers to a debunked Covid-19 conspiracy theory in one of his new anti-lockdown songs. |
| The track As I Walked Out includes the lyrics: "Well on the government website from the 21 March 2020 / It said COVID-19 was no longer high risk". | The track As I Walked Out includes the lyrics: "Well on the government website from the 21 March 2020 / It said COVID-19 was no longer high risk". |
| It's a reference to a UK government page that stated "Covid-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK". | It's a reference to a UK government page that stated "Covid-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK". |
| That much is true - but that doesn't mean that coronavirus is harmless. | That much is true - but that doesn't mean that coronavirus is harmless. |
| The HCID designation is given for very fatal diseases: for example Ebola, which kills more than 50% of infected people. | The HCID designation is given for very fatal diseases: for example Ebola, which kills more than 50% of infected people. |
| Covid-19 was initially classified as HCID in January - when little was known about it. | Covid-19 was initially classified as HCID in January - when little was known about it. |
| By March, more information and testing prompted authorities to revise the classification. | By March, more information and testing prompted authorities to revise the classification. |
| It's now thought the Covid-19 fatality rate is closer to 1%. The danger, scientists say, is that it is also highly infectious, and there is no proven vaccine or treatment. | It's now thought the Covid-19 fatality rate is closer to 1%. The danger, scientists say, is that it is also highly infectious, and there is no proven vaccine or treatment. |
| The government message was widely shared on social media, largely by coronavirus denialists and opponents of restrictions, who have cited it as "evidence" that the lockdown was based on a "hoax". | The government message was widely shared on social media, largely by coronavirus denialists and opponents of restrictions, who have cited it as "evidence" that the lockdown was based on a "hoax". |
| Mr Swann said: "I don't know where he gets his facts. I know where the emotions are on this, but I will say that sort of messaging is dangerous. | Mr Swann said: "I don't know where he gets his facts. I know where the emotions are on this, but I will say that sort of messaging is dangerous. |
| "Our messaging is about saving lives. | "Our messaging is about saving lives. |
| "If Van wanted to sing a song about saving lives, then that would be more in keeping with where we are at the minute." | "If Van wanted to sing a song about saving lives, then that would be more in keeping with where we are at the minute." |
| He added: "If Van Morrison has counter-scientific facts that he's prepared to stand over, and have that debate with the chief scientific adviser, then I think that's how he should do it." | He added: "If Van Morrison has counter-scientific facts that he's prepared to stand over, and have that debate with the chief scientific adviser, then I think that's how he should do it." |
| Mr Swann has warned that Northern Ireland could again face tighter restrictions if new cases of Covid-19 continue to rise. | Mr Swann has warned that Northern Ireland could again face tighter restrictions if new cases of Covid-19 continue to rise. |
| Niall Murphy, a prominent solicitor who was critically ill with Covid-19, described the songs as "offensive and dangerous". | |
| "I had a ventilator placed down my gullet while I was in an induced coma for 14 days, and the same time in recovery, and then in and out of intensive care and I would not want anybody to experience that," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme. | |
| "This very serious solemn public health message is being sullied by someone who should know better." | |
| Sean McGovern, a consultant in emergency medicine, said that figures showed that Covid-19 is the second most common cause of death in Northern Ireland, behind only cancer. | |
| He added that it was "wrong to use celebrity status to dilute the message and create problems". | |
| Belfast city councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown, of the Alliance Party, said he has asked the council to consider revoking Sir Van's freedom of Belfast over the songs. | |
| However, DUP MP Sammy Wilson has defended Sir Van and said he was "raising an important point". | |
| "It's a debate which has been going on for a long, long time, that we do ask the kind of questions that he has asked in these songs - how much of our freedom do we give to the government and how much should the government rely on us to use our common sense?" | |
| 'Pseudoscience' controversy | |
| Sir Van recorded the three songs recently in Belfast and England. | Sir Van recorded the three songs recently in Belfast and England. |
| No More Lockdown is the most strident of the three tracks. "No more lockdown / No more government overreach," the musician sings in the chorus. "No more fascist bullies / Disturbing our peace. | No More Lockdown is the most strident of the three tracks. "No more lockdown / No more government overreach," the musician sings in the chorus. "No more fascist bullies / Disturbing our peace. |
| "No more taking of our freedom / And our God given rights / Pretending it's for our safety / When it's really to enslave." | "No more taking of our freedom / And our God given rights / Pretending it's for our safety / When it's really to enslave." |
| Sir Van has previously caused controversy by denouncing what he called the "pseudoscience" around coronavirus. | Sir Van has previously caused controversy by denouncing what he called the "pseudoscience" around coronavirus. |
| Launching a campaign to "save live music" on his website last month, the 75-year-old said socially-distanced gigs were not economically viable. | Launching a campaign to "save live music" on his website last month, the 75-year-old said socially-distanced gigs were not economically viable. |
| "I call on my fellow singers, musicians, writers, producers, promoters and others in the industry to fight with me on this. Come forward, stand up, fight the pseudoscience and speak up." | |
| Sir Van said his new songs would be released at two-week intervals with the first, Born To Be Free, arriving on 25 September. | Sir Van said his new songs would be released at two-week intervals with the first, Born To Be Free, arriving on 25 September. |
| In a statement announcing the songs, the musician said: "I'm not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already. | In a statement announcing the songs, the musician said: "I'm not telling people what to do or think, the government is doing a great job of that already. |
| "It's about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves." | "It's about freedom of choice, I believe people should have the right to think for themselves." |
| However, Mr Swann urged people to "listen to the health advice coming from the professionals - the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser. | However, Mr Swann urged people to "listen to the health advice coming from the professionals - the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser. |
| "They are the people who see the dangers. | "They are the people who see the dangers. |
| "I know whose message I would rather listen to, that's the message of the professional, Dr Michael McBride and Professor Ian Young." | "I know whose message I would rather listen to, that's the message of the professional, Dr Michael McBride and Professor Ian Young." |