The Epoch Times, which blames China for the pandemic, has been criticised for sending its publication to homes in Scotland.
Edinburgh residents have received a right wing magazine published in the US that blames China for the coronavirus.
A 32-page publication by "The Epoch Times” has dropped through letterboxes in the Capital this morning.
It claims covid-19, which has caused the death of thousands of people in the UK, should instead be called the “China virus”.
Concerned parliamentarians hit out the development. Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: “The last thing we need is cranky conspiracy theories and misinformation. We need to know who is behind this.”
Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer said: “No-one should be fooled by this glossy magazine, it is nothing more than dangerous propaganda from a fringe extremist group."
Founded in 2000 by Americans linked to Falun Gong, a spiritual movement in China, The Epoch Times has been described as “one of the most mysterious fixtures of the pro-Trump media universe.”
According to the New Statesman magazine, an NBC News investigation from last year found that the outlet spent more than $1.5 million on around 11,000 pro-Trump advertisements over a six month period.
It also echoes the US president’s view on coronavirus by focusing on China.
The organisation’s attempt at influencing opinion outside the US is now coming under scrutiny.
It was reported this week that people in Oakville, Etobicoke, Markham, and Toronto in Canada had received copies of a special edition of the publication.
On the name of the virus, the paper stated: “Others have referred to it as the “Wuhan virus”, after its place of origin, as is common in naming diseases.
Greer added that the magazine was a "deflection from the failings of the American President’s response to this crisis, and we cannot let Trump’s supporters import their conspiracy theories here too".
Original website：https://www.dailyrecord.co.ukews/politics/anger-right-wing-conspiracy-magazine-21945695
