Charles Veitch

Apr 19, 2026 - 21:38
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Charles Veitch

minor correction (peace -> police) and refs

← Previous revision Revision as of 16:06, 19 April 2026
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==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Veitch was born on 5 August 1980{{Cite web |title=Man charged following public order incident in city centre |url=https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2026/february/man-charged-following-public-order-incident-in-city-centre/ |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=www.gmp.police.uk |language=en-GB}} in [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil, to a Brazilian mother and a Scottish merchant seaman. He later migrated to the UK. His father later became a wealthy oil worker.{{cite news |last=Storr |first=Will |date=29 May 2013 |title=The 9/11 conspiracy theorist who changed his mind |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/10079244/The-911-conspiracy-theorist-who-changed-his-mind.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 November 2023 |work=[[The Telegraph (London)|The Telegraph]] |language=en}} He attended [[Edinburgh Academy]] and received a Master of Arts in philosophy from the [[University of Edinburgh]].{{cite news |title=The 9/11 Conspiracy Theorist Who Changed His Mind |url=https://www.gmss.uk/events/the-conspiracy-theorist-who-changed-his-mind |access-date=9 November 2023 |work=Greater Manchester Skeptics Society}}
Veitch was born on 5 August 1980{{Cite web |title=Man charged following public order incident in city centre |url=https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2026/february/man-charged-following-public-order-incident-in-city-centre/ |access-date=2026-02-18 |website=www.gmp.police.uk |language=en-GB}} in [[Rio de Janeiro]], Brazil, to a Brazilian mother and a Scottish merchant seaman. He later migrated to the UK. His father later became a wealthy oil worker.{{cite news |last=Storr |first=Will |date=29 May 2013 |title=The 9/11 conspiracy theorist who changed his mind |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/10079244/The-911-conspiracy-theorist-who-changed-his-mind.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=10 November 2023 |work=[[The Telegraph (London)|The Telegraph]] |language=en}} He attended [[Edinburgh Academy]] and received a Master of Arts in philosophy from the [[University of Edinburgh]].{{cite news |title=The 9/11 Conspiracy Theorist Who Changed His Mind |url=https://www.gmss.uk/events/the-conspiracy-theorist-who-changed-his-mind |access-date=9 November 2023 |work=Greater Manchester Skeptics Society}}{{When|date=April 2026}}


==Biography==
==Biography==
Following university, Veitch joined the [[Territorial Army (UK)|Territorial Army]] and worked at [[HBOS]] in wealth management.
Following university, Veitch joined the [[Territorial Army (UK)|Territorial Army]] and worked at [[HBOS]] in wealth management.


In 2006, he became interested in [[9/11 conspiracy theories]], and was eventually occasionally posting videos on YouTube of himself and friends protesting.{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Jeremy |date=2011-09-07 |title=9/11 Truth: How conspiracy theorists react to apostates like Charlie Veitch. |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trutherism/2011/09/youre_not_paranoid_if_its_true.html |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Slate Magazine}}
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In 2006, he became interested in [[9/11 conspiracy theories]], and was eventually occasionally posting videos on YouTube of himself and friends protesting.{{Cite web |last=Stahl |first=Jeremy |date=2011-09-07 |title=9/11 Truth: How conspiracy theorists react to apostates like Charlie Veitch. |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trutherism/2011/09/youre_not_paranoid_if_its_true.html |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=Slate Magazine}} He was laid off from HBOS in 2009 due to the [[2008 financial crisis]], and dedicated himself to making guerilla videos and protesting on a full-time basis.{{Cite news |date=2011-04-29 |title=Man arrested in Cambridge for royal wedding protest plan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-13237702 |access-date=2025-06-28 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} In June 2010, Veitch—who then described himself as an absurdist filmmaker and part of the "Love Police" movement—was charged with impersonating a peace officer at Toronto airport during the G20 summit period.{{Cite web |date=2010-07-01 |title=UK satirist charged with impersonating G20 officer |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/uk-satirist-charged-with-impersonating-g20-officer/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=CTVNews |language=en}} Circa 2011 he was an [[Anarchism|anarchist]].{{Cite web |date=2011-04-29 |title=Royal wedding: masked anarchists thwarted by police |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8483761/Royal-wedding-masked-anarchists-thwarted-by-police.html |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Laville |first=Sandra |last2=Booth |first2=Robert |date=2011-04-29 |title=Royal wedding: police use section 60 to deter anarchists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/29/royal-wedding-arrests-route |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=O'Hagan |first=Ellie Mae |date=2011-05-02 |title=Anarchists have civil liberties too |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/02/anarchists-civil-liberties-media-police |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He became a [[9/11 truth movement|9/11 "truther"]] and in 2011 was included in the BBC's ''9/11: Conspiracy Road Trip''.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Alex |date=24 April 2013 |title=Conspiracy Theorists Are Dangerous Enemies to Make |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-conspiracy-theory-community-are-dangerous-enemies-to-make/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |work=[[Vice (website)|Vice]] |language=en}} According to an article in ''Slate'', "by the third day of actually speaking with people he had believed responsible for covering up mass murder, Veitch was starting to believe he was wrong about 9/11." Veitch later confessed he no longer believed 9/11 was faked by the United States government. His decision to denounce the 9/11 conspiracy theories drew backlash from [[Alex Jones]] and [[David Icke]], as well as [[death threat]]s and unfounded criminal allegations.{{Cite news |last=Guest |first=Katy |date=2022-06-09 |title=How Minds Change by David McRaney review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jun/09/how-minds-change-by-david-mcraney-review |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}


He was laid off from HBOS in 2009 due to the [[2008 financial crisis]], and dedicated himself to making guerilla videos and protesting on a full-time basis.{{Cite news |date=2011-04-29 |title=Man arrested in Cambridge for royal wedding protest plan |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-13237702 |access-date=2025-06-28 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}} In June 2010, Veitch was describing himself as an absurdist filmmaker and part of the "Love Police" movement. He was charged with impersonating a police officer at Toronto airport during the G20 summit period.{{Cite web |date=2010-07-01 |title=UK satirist charged with impersonating G20 officer |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/article/uk-satirist-charged-with-impersonating-g20-officer/ |access-date=2025-08-14 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=30 June 2010 |title=Man charged with impersonating police during G20 |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/man-charged-with-impersonating-police-during-g20-1.961692 |access-date=19 April 2026 |website=CBC News}}
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In recent years, he has made walking [[YouTube]] videos set in north-western English towns commenting on and interacting with people on the streets.{{cite news |last=Himelfield |first=Dave |date=24 August 2023 |title=Huddersfield people divided after YouTuber says town gives off a 'Third World vibe' |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/huddersfield-people-divided-after-youtuber-24845997 |access-date=12 February 2024 |work=Yorkshire Live}}{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Sarah |date=4 January 2024 |title=YouTuber Charles Veitch criticises Nelson in YouTube video' |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24023473.youtuber-charles-veitch-criticises-nelson-youtube-video/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |work=Lancashire Telegraph}}{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Todd |date=2015-02-02 |title=Watch: Filmmaker Charlie Veitch fined after clash with BNP supporters at cuts protest |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/charlie-veitch-bnp-video-fined-8564752 |access-date=2025-06-28 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}

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Circa 2011, he was an [[Anarchism|anarchist]].{{Cite web |date=2011-04-29 |title=Royal wedding: masked anarchists thwarted by police |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-wedding/8483761/Royal-wedding-masked-anarchists-thwarted-by-police.html |access-date=2025-06-29 |website=The Telegraph |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Laville |first=Sandra |last2=Booth |first2=Robert |date=2011-04-29 |title=Royal wedding: police use section 60 to deter anarchists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/apr/29/royal-wedding-arrests-route |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}{{Cite news |last=O'Hagan |first=Ellie Mae |date=2011-05-02 |title=Anarchists have civil liberties too |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/may/02/anarchists-civil-liberties-media-police |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} He became a [[9/11 truth movement|9/11 "truther"]] and in 2011 was included in the BBC's ''9/11: Conspiracy Road Trip''.{{cite news |last1=Miller |first1=Alex |date=24 April 2013 |title=Conspiracy Theorists Are Dangerous Enemies to Make |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-conspiracy-theory-community-are-dangerous-enemies-to-make/ |access-date=10 November 2023 |work=[[Vice (website)|Vice]] |language=en}} According to an article in ''Slate'', "by the third day of actually speaking with people he had believed responsible for covering up mass murder, Veitch was starting to believe he was wrong about 9/11." /> Veitch later confessed he no longer believed 9/11 was faked by the United States government. His decision to denounce the 9/11 conspiracy theories drew backlash from [[Alex Jones]] and [[David Icke]], as well as [[death threat]]s and unfounded criminal allegations.{{Cite news |last=Guest |first=Katy |date=2022-06-09 |title=How Minds Change by David McRaney review |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jun/09/how-minds-change-by-david-mcraney-review |access-date=2025-06-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

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Since at least 2015, he has made walking [[YouTube]] videos in northern and midland towns in England. He gives a stream-of-conscious rambles and comments on and interacts with people on the streets.{{cite news |last=Himelfield |first=Dave |date=24 August 2023 |title=Huddersfield people divided after YouTuber says town gives off a 'Third World vibe' |url=https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/huddersfield-people-divided-after-youtuber-24845997 |access-date=12 February 2024 |work=Yorkshire Live}}{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Sarah |date=4 January 2024 |title=YouTuber Charles Veitch criticises Nelson in YouTube video' |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/24023473.youtuber-charles-veitch-criticises-nelson-youtube-video/ |access-date=12 February 2024 |work=Lancashire Telegraph}}{{Cite web |last=Fitzgerald |first=Todd |date=2015-02-02 |title=Watch: Filmmaker Charlie Veitch fined after clash with BNP supporters at cuts protest |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/charlie-veitch-bnp-video-fined-8564752 |access-date=2025-06-28 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
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