Shocking conspiracy theory about Manchester Arena bombing shows why 'journalism matters'

In May 2017, suicide bomber Salman Abedi detonated a bomb as fans of the singer Ariana Grande left her concert at the Manchester Arena. Twenty-two people, including Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from Barra, were killed and hundreds were injured.

The explosion was witnessed by scores of people and prompted a massive response from the emergency services. The bomber’s family have revealed his apparent motive and his brother Hashem was jailed for at least 55 years for helping plan the attack.

Yet, according to Richard Hall, a former television producer who calls himself a ‘journalist’, this never happened. He falsely claims no one was "genuinely injured", the attack was staged and "millions of people have bought a lie".

Echoes of Sandy Hook

In his efforts to substantiate this ridiculous conspiracy theory, Hall began harassing two of the victims, Martin Hibbert and his daughter Eve, and has now been successfully sued for doing so.

In her ruling, Mrs Justice Steyn said Hall “has published and continues to publish his false allegations despite the attack having been the subject of thorough investigations, a criminal trial, and authoritative reports...”

The case has chilling echoes of the false conspiracy theory in the US that the 2012 Sandy Hook primary school shooting, in which 26 people were killed, did not happen.

Dictators always attack free press

On Monday, Journalism Matters Week will begin, highlighting “the vital role trusted news media journalism plays in our democratic society”.

In order to vote in an informed way, the public needs access to genuine reports about what is happening. Conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation, ‘deep fake’ videos and the like threaten to muddy the waters, make people suspicious and untrusting, unsure what to believe, and lead some astray. It is no coincidence that dictators and wannabe authoritarians the world over attack the free press and try to discredit or shut it down.

Conspiracy theorists, often given a platform by irresponsible social media companies, also threaten real journalism by giving those who would impose restrictions on press freedom a potential excuse to do so.

Democracy and the free press cannot exist without each other. Both must be defended to the hilt.