Moment angry mob hurl abuse at vicar and chase worshippers down the road after ... trends now
This is the moment an angry mob hurls abuse at a vicar and chases worshippers after conspiracy theorists leapt on lies claiming there was a baby-eating satanic cult at a Hampstead school.
Baseless claims of ritual child sex abuse in the well-heeled North London suburb spread worldwide after the mother of two young siblings peddled allegations online.
Footage revealed in Channel 4's new documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax shows how activists descended on a church to harass locals including a priest.
They are seen pursuing him at his home as well as mothers with their children - while a US ringleader whips up a frenzy online and plots his own trip to Britain.
Rupert Wilson Quaintance raised thousands of pounds to fund his transatlantic visit after saying he wanted to 'kick down doors' and 'take blood samples' from the parents he accused - before later being jailed for his frightening antics.
Mobs gathered outside a Hampstead church targeting worshippers and peddling false claims
New Channel 4 documentary Accused: The Hampstead Hoax shows a vicar being harassed
US conspiracy theorist Rupert Wilson Quaintance posted online videos demanding action
The disturbing scenes came after two young siblings aged eight and nine accused parents - including their own father - and teachers at their North London primary school of being a part of a satanic paedophile ring in 2015.
Their mother Ella Draper shared the false accusations online and Sabine McNeill - a virulent conspiracy theorist, since dubbed Britain's worst online troll - released videos of the children making these accusations online.
Personal details of 175 people allegedly involved were also posted on the internet, causing ongoing trauma for those affected - including four mothers who fought back by taking on their accusers while clearing their own names.
The hoax went viral and led to death threats, harassment and abuse against the falsely accused parents.
The satanist cult allegations were found to be baseless but the conspiracy theory caught fire online after Draper uploaded a video calling out a conspiracy on the part of the police to drop the investigation.
The documentary, first broadcast last night, shows how vigilantes filmed themselves as they came to Hampstead to interrogate those they thought involved.
One can be heard saying as he films: 'Here's the church, where the vicar lives - the paedo.'
The group are seen peppering the unnamed cleric with comments such as 'Have you heard about the satanic?', 'You're involved in it', 'Stop killing the babies' and 'Satan'.
A US-accented woman was also shown shouting outside Christ Church in Hampstead, saying: 'Listen to the children - don't tell the children to shut up.'
And another man, when challenged by a parishioner about his filming, says: 'I'm allowed to - it's a free world. Why are you eating babies?
'You laugh - it's all over the net, isn't it? It's all over the net.'
Mothers wrongly targeted in the campaign have said they were 'petrified' by the protests
