Disaster Trolls

Martin and his daughter suffered life-changing injuries in the Manchester Arena bombing, but one conspiracy theorist claims to have gone to great lengths to try to prove otherwise.

Eve, then 14, and her father were the closest people to the blast to survive the 2017 terror attack, in which 22 people and the bomber were killed.

During the months that followed, Martin was shocked to be told about false claims, promoted by conspiracy show host Richard D Hall, that the bombing was faked. Hall accused him and other survivors of lying about their injuries. But then to Martin’s even greater horror, he discovered Hall had shared a video with his followers online where he demonstrated how he would set up a camera to film Eve - now profoundly disabled and in a wheelchair - to see whether she could in fact walk.

In this BBC Radio 4 podcast series, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, investigates how survivors of UK terror attacks and tragedies are targeted with horrific conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats.

Across this series - and in this episode - there are graphic descriptions of violence. This episode contains audio from Richard D Hall’s website.

Presenter: Marianna Spring

Daren is haunted by his experience of the Manchester Arena bombing. So why do people taunt him with conspiracy theories which falsely claim the attack didn’t happen?

On 22 May 2017, a terrorist bomb was detonated in the foyer of the arena at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people and the bomber. Daren, who had been in the audience with his son, rushed to help the injured. He has lived with the trauma of that night ever since.

But to Daren’s disbelief, it wasn’t long before sinister claims began circulating online, wild allegations that the attack was faked. He and other survivors were accused of being “crisis actors” paid to play a part in a massive deception by evil forces in the government.

So who is propagating these baseless claims?

In this BBC Radio 4 podcast, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring, investigates how survivors of UK terror attacks and tragedies are targeted with horrific conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Some are even tracked down offline too. Now they want answers and justice.

Across this series - and in this episode - there are graphic descriptions of violence. This episode contains audio from Richard D Hall’s website.

Presenter: Marianna Spring

What happens when tragedy makes you a target? Why would anybody accuse terrorism survivors of being liars and “crisis actors”?

The BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring investigates how people caught up in the Manchester Arena bombing and other UK terror attacks, are targeted with extreme conspiracy theories, online abuse and threats. Some are even hunted down offline. It’s a phenomenon we might usually associate with the US, and the billion dollar damages ruling against Alex Jones for claiming the Sandy Hook school shootings were faked. But Marianna uncovers shocking evidence that British trolls are also blighting the lives of people right here in the UK, people who now want answers and justice.

Presenter: Marianna Spring

Producer: Ant Adeane

Editor: Ed Main