The WSWS continues to receive statements in defence of Dr David Berger, a respected Australian physician and dedicated zero-COVID advocate who is being threatened with deregistration by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) over his social media condemnations of the government’s “let it rip” coronavirus policies.
Just as there is an effort to silence courageous experts like Dr Berger, those who defend them are being muzzled too.
On July 21, the Socialist Equality Party (Australia) Twitter account was locked over a video in defence of Dr Berger and free speech. While the campaign to reinstate the @SEP_Australia Twitter account was a success, with it being restored late Wednesday night, Twitter has failed to explain why it censored the SEP in the first place, and why it took so long for the measure to be overturned. This is striking, given that Twitter has now admitted the video broke no rules.
This blatant act of political censorship underscores the efforts of the ruling elite to suppress exposures of the homicidal “let it rip” policies, as they are causing the worst surge of the pandemic to date. Such attacks must be opposed by the broadest layers of workers, young people and professionals.
Since the publication of our first article on July 8, calling for a campaign in Dr. Berger’s defence, the WSWS has published thirteen articles compiling statements of support.
Statements of support can be emailed here. Please indicate in the email how you would like to be identified in our next article, and if you want to include a photo, please attach one to the email.
Lynn Stein, sent this statement via email
It is very frightening to see the kind of censorship and punishment that has been brought upon Dr. Berger. I admire Dr. Berger and those like him that work to inform and protect the public.
It is Orwellian, the control these government groups have in terms of censorship and the amount of power they wield over the professionals they regulate. There are many parallels to Assange and the battles he has faced. Hope people start opening their eyes and minds and pay attention to what is really going on and why.
Maria K, sent statement via email
Today I read about AHPRA’s move against Dr. Berger on the WSWS. I think that Dr. Berger has always acted very responsibly and in the sense of the health of the ill from COVID-19. The Australian Labor-government should not at all act in this way.
Graeme, public sector worker
I call on the Australia Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to cease the malicious and unprincipled campaign of persecution against Australian physician Dr David Berger. He is being persecuted for telling the truth, he is a courageous campaigner for Zero COVID, a policy that was once the desired outcome of the Australian medical community.
Every day there are news reports on the growth of novel COVID variants and sub-variants which can evade immunity by vaccination and infection, are more transmissible and potentially more deadly. Every day we hear reports of the crisis facing our hospitals, ambulance services and health professionals being overwhelmed by the lack of staff, facilities, and funding. This was happening before the Australian governments, state and federal, conspired to unleash the virus on the Australian population without their consent.
The anti-lockdown and anti-mask mandate protesters are an army of the most disorientated and declassed elements in society; libertarians, “wellness” advocates, New World Order, anti-vaccination and QAnon conspiracy theorists. The leadership of this army of the unhinged were mostly right-wing extremists, nationalists and outright fascists. Now governments have adopted almost all their demands!
Now these governments are championing mass death and are leaning on medical authorities such as AHPRA to persecute medical practitioners that refuse to ignore the medical evidence in support of “the economy.” Dr Berger’s views on how to deal with a pandemic were mainstream medical advice two years ago, now they are being subjected to censorship. Dr Berger must not be subject to any mandatory “re-education” because the medical authorities have bowed before the economic and political authorities.
Dr Berger should not be censored. His views should be shared widely and be the subject of an open, uncoerced discussion in the working class, the scientific community and the medical and health communities on the best way to deal with COVID and stop the mass death and disability that it causes.
Kirsten, Carer from South Australia
As a Carer for someone with serious health issues I have witnessed the devastating impact the “let it rip” COVID policy of federal and state governments has had on the community.
I condemn the attack on Dr. David Berger who has bravely taken a principled stand against this policy. Scientifically backed up by specialists around the globe, Dr. Berger is providing a clear analysis of the ongoing dangers of COVID-19 and its emerging variants.
For this he is being used as a warning to others who may speak out against the homicidal program which has caused the deaths of millions. Doctors and Health Workers are being given a clear message that they will face the same persecution if they refuse to be gagged. A medical specialist voiced their concerns to me recently that “we are first pledged to cause no harm.” They said that not speaking out “is causing immense harm.”
The persecution of Dr. Berger cannot be seen as separate to the recent attack on the SEP’s Australian Twitter account and the imprisonment of Julian Assange. Those who inform the public about the murderous program of the ruling class are singled out publicly and persecuted.
Only the working class can defend human rights in a global movement against inequality, mass illness and death, and oppose the drive to war that is being prepared at a rapid pace.
I encourage all working-class opponents of the persecution of those who exercise their right to free speech to support Dr. Berger and stand against his maltreatment.