Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

David Baddiel condemns anti-vaxxers for comparing vaccine to Nazi Germany medical experiments

‘WILL YOU F*** OFF,’ he wrote

Ellie Harrison
Thursday 21 October 2021 05:26 EDT
Michael Gove ambushed by mob of anti-vaxxers

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Comedian David Baddiel has condemned anti-vaxxers for comparing the coronavirus vaccine to medical experiments that were carried out under the Nazi regime.

On Wednesday, BBC journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh shared a video on Twitter of anti-vaccine activist Michael Chaves serving staff at Colchester Hospital with bogus legal notices about the Nuremberg code and claiming Covid is “an absolute plandemic hoax”.

The Nuremberg Code is a set of ethical research principles developed in the wake of Nazi atrocities – specifically the inhumane and often deadly experimentation on humans without consent – during the Second World War.

Some anti-vaxxers have falsely claimed that Covid-19 vaccines violate the Nuremberg Code because they are “experimental” and, as those who receive the vaccines are not told about this, they are unable to give their informed consent.

This is untrue. The Covid vaccines being rolled out in the UK have been proven to be safe and effective in large-scale clinical trials.

Responding to Sardarizadeh’s video on Twitter, Baddiel, who is Jewish, wrote: “Nuremberg, my arse. WILL YOU F*** OFF WITH THE NAZI GERMANY REFERENCES YOU F***ING T***S. Sorry, I may have got a tiny bit cross there.”

In a subsequent comment, he added: “What’s irritating about it is not just the offensiveness. It’s because it’s so obvious these f***wits use these references – about which they know nothing – to add to themselves and their stupid f***wittery a spurious gravitas.”

This week, a Labour MP called for “buffer zones” to be established outside schools as anti-vaccine protesters target pupils.

Stella Creasy said people did not have an “open, uncontested right” to impose their views on others.

Anti-vaxxers have targeted schools with protests and legal threats since coronavirus vaccines began being rolled out to 12- to 15-year-olds in England.

Some anti-vaxx groups on the messaging service Telegram have been mobilising members to visit areas around schools to approach teenagers to discuss vaccines and spread misinformation.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in