Anti-maskers intimidating Waterford retailers
A group of anti-maskers has been intimidating retailers in the Waterford area with a fraudulent letter claiming to be from a local solicitor. The group had allegedly fraudulently obtained the solicitor’s signature and used it on the letter sent to several businesses.
It is understood that the anti-mask and vaccine groups have been mobilising on Facebook and WhatsApp Groups and the original letter, which contained the fake signature of solicitor Ken Cunningham, was downloaded from a group and each locality was told to sign it from a “well-known local solicitor” according to a report in the Irish Examiner.
In the letter from a group calling itself ‘Anti-Corruption Ireland’, which has been sent to shops and other businesses, claims that refusing entry to people not wearing a mask “is a serious matter, involving a systematic breach of the law and serious infringement of the civil and human rights under the Constitution of the European Convention of Human Rights”. The letter is then signed, fraudulently, by “Ken Cunningham Solicitors, South Parade, Waterford”.
Speaking out against the campaign, Ken Cunningham said that he was “emphatically denying any involvement with any group that is anti-face mask or anti-vaccine”. He said that he had been contacted by a number of businesses who were surprised to see his name on the letter.
“We have no instructions as a legal firm from anyone purporting to suggest that we are sending out correspondence on their behalf, and signed off by me personally or our firm, that we are to take legal action on their behalf,” Mr Cunningham said.
“It is not true and any local business owner that receives this correspondence with my name purportedly set out, I want them to make direct contact with me as I am making a list of all the local businesses that have received one.”
