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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Peter Walker

Why do traffic reduction schemes attract so many conspiracy theories?

Jordan Peterson
Jordan Peterson claimed Oxford council’s scheme to ease traffic congestion was part of a global plot. Photograph: Chris Williamson/Getty Images

Jordan Peterson is rarely lacking in strong opinions, but even by the standards of the Canadian psychologist turned hard-right culture warrior, this was vehement stuff: a city is planning to lock people in their local districts as part of a “well-documented” global plot to, ultimately, deprive them of all personal possessions.

Where was this? Not Beijing, or even Pyongyang. It was Oxford. In the days since Peterson’s tweet – viewed 7.5m times – officials in the city have fielded endless queries from around the world asking why they are imposing a “climate lockdown”. Inevitably, there have also been some threats.

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