COVID conspiracy theorist, Delta yoga studio owner charged with breaking Quarantine Act
Posted November 4, 2020 11:06 pm.
Last Updated November 5, 2020 1:39 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A controversial yoga studio owner and COVID-19 conspiracy theorist has been charged with three counts of breaking the Quarantine Act.
On his Facebook page, Mak Parhar says he recently attended a flat-earth conference in South Carolina, an event called Flatoberfest 2020, and refused to self-isolate for two weeks once he returned home to the Lower Mainland.
Speaking at an anti-mask rally at the Vancouver Art Gallery Sunday, he said he “played their game” on the flight by wearing a mask on board but removing it when he was off “the radar.”
Parhar also admitted to the crowd that he ignored multiple warnings from officers before being handed tickets.
According to court records, Parhar violated the Quarantine Act for three days spanning Halloween to Nov. 2.
Parhar told the crowd he refused to provide information to officials such as a quarantine plan and said he does not apply to the Quarantine Act, saying he is not defined as a “traveller” or a “person.”
“They call it to quarantine. It’s not really quarantine. It’s self-imprisonment,” he claims.
Failure to comply with the Quarantine Act could lead to max fines of up to $300,000 or even six months in jail for a summary conviction. If a person caused serious bodily harm or imminent death by recklessly or willfully contravening the Act, they could see fines of up to $1-million and/or three years in jail.
Parhar is expected to make an appearance in New Westminster provincial court on Nov. 16.
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Earlier this year, Parhar came under fire and faces controversy when the business license at his Delta Hot Yoga studio was pulled after he made several false claims about COVID-19, including that the virus could not survive the heat in his classes.