John Cusack denies sharing conspiracy theory linking coronavirus with 5G

‘High Fidelity’ actor also called his sharing of an antisemitic cartoon ‘a dumb error’

John Cusack attends a film premiere in 2016 (John MacDougall/Getty Images)

John Cusack has denied sharing conspiracy theories that link the coronavirus pandemic with the ultrafast wireless technology 5G.

The conspiracy theory has gained momentum throughout 2020, with Facebook groups and YouTube videos amplifying baseless claims that radio waves sent by 5G are responsible for the virus.

Cusack was accused of further stoking the conspiracy on Twitter in April, when he claimed that “5G will be proven to be very, very bad for people’s health”, adding: “I got sources in [the] scientific community and medical.”

While Cusack did not specify Covid-19 as a symptom of the growth in 5G technology, and later deleted the tweet in question, many interpreted his tweet as a gesture to the conspiracy.

Cusack has now denied the claims. “I never equated 5G with the coronavirus,” he told The New York Times. “I said it’s not proven technology, and unproven technologies aren’t always tested before they take off.

He continued: “That was a hit I took, because I’ve been critical of the Trump administration, critical about big tech. Sometimes you’re going to get stoned for telling the truth. If you really tell the truth, they’ll put you in jail. Then if you really tell the truth after that, they’ll kill you. I can take small hits for telling the truth. But I don’t think anybody thinks I’m some partisan left-wing goon.”

Cusack, who will soon star in Amazon’s US remake of the Channel 4 series Utopia, also addressed an incident in which he shared an antisemitic cartoon on his Twitter.

The tweet featured a Star of David alongside the quote: “To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise.”

“I thought they were saying something else with that image,” Cusack said. “That was a dumb error on my part. But I have 35 years of being on the side of social justice, so I’m not worried about that.”

In May, Cusack was pepper sprayed by police and hit with a baton during a Chicago protest against police brutality.