5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Beppe
Grillo on Wednesday accused The New York Times of "fake news"
over a editorial that said the anti-establishment group was
feeding skepticism about vaccines.
"Today The New York Times published an article which states
that 'In Italy, the populist Five Star Movement (M5S) led by the
comedian Beppe Grillo has campaigned actively on an
anti-vaccination platform, likewise repeating the false ties
between vaccinations and autism'," Grillo wrote on his blog.
"There is nothing to support this lie, not even a link, a
reference, a statement. Nothing. It's not there because it's a
lie".
The New York Times quoted Italian Ministry of Health figures
reporting 1,739 cases of measles up to April 26, compared with
840 in all of 2016 and only 250 in 2015, and noted that 88% of
sufferers had not been vaccinated.
Ex-premier Matteo Renzi, the leader of the centre-left
Democratic Party (PD), called on Grillo to apologise.
"Today Italy is in The New York Times because of the increase
in measles cases. And for the fact that some parties like the
5-Stars are intentionally skeptical about vaccines," Renzi said
on Facebook.
"(It's) an incredible, international bad show. And what does
Beppe Grillo do this morning? He attacks the The New York
Times...
"But how can you? Enough already. For once, Grillo, go back
to being human: leave the clicks and the algorithms.
"Take back the words you said against vaccines and against
mammographs. Apologise and we will all respect your step back".
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