Okanagan Green Party candidate apologizes for Facebook post peddling 9/11 conspiracy

Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola Green Party candidate Robert Mellalieu is distancing himself from a Facebook post he published two years ago questioning the events of 9/11.

In the post, published on June 14, 2017, Mellalieu tried to connect the fatal fire at Grenfell Tower in West London on that day with the collapse of the World Trade Centre towers in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

Seventy-two people died in the Grenfell Tower fire, while 2,606 people died when the twin towers of the World Trade Centre collapsed. Another 157 people died on board the two hijacked aircraft that terrorists used to fly into the twin towers.

“Grenfell Tower (fire) started (on the) fourth floor, burnt to the top and (is) still standing,” Mellalieu wrote. “(The) World Trade Center fire started in the middle and causes complete collapse within hours? Hmmmm.”

Mellalieu also shared a link to a 9/11 conspiracy website in the Facebook post.

He apologized for the Facebook post on Tuesday and said he doesn’t support or promote 9/11 conspiracy theories.

“I’m an analytical person and am careful to look at all aspects of an issue,” said Mellalieu.

“After digging deeper into the material, I have found that 9/11 conspiracies don’t add up. I do not support or promote 9/11 conspiracy theories. I’m sorry if I caused any confusion or distracted from the urgent crisis of climate change.”

The Green Party of Canada would not comment any further on the matter.

It’s not the first time Mellalieu’s views have got him into trouble.

Last week he was one of two Okanagan Green Party candidates attacked by the NDP for comments they made about abortion.

READ MORE: NDP calls out Okanagan Green candidates for views on abortion

According to a report by PressProgress, Mellalieu refused to identify as “pro-choice” or “pro-life” because he said it was

inappropriate to simplify a complicated question with a simple binary answer.

He quickly retracted his statement, claiming the comments were “misinterpreted.”

“I will never waiver from a woman’s right to choose,” he said earlier this week. “That’s sacrosanct, absolute, never changing that.”

@Niftymittens14
daniel.taylor@kelownacapnews.com
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