Rukshan Fernando
Rukshan Fernando (born 1984 or 1985),[1] also known as Real Rukshan, is a Sri Lankan-Australian videographer and wedding photographer known for his favourable coverage of the anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown movement in Australia.[1][2][3][4]
Early life
[edit]Fernando was born to a Labor-voting Sri Lankan migrant couple.[1] He went to school at Dandenong, Victoria[5] and studied law at Victoria University.[5][1]
Career
[edit]Fernando co-founded Ferndara, a wedding photography business based in Melbourne.[6][5] As of 2014, Fernando and his team have travelled to Sri Lanka to film weddings.[6]
In 2020, Fernando became known for creating memes mocking Premier Dan Andrews.[5][1] He provided live coverage of the anti-lockdown protests in Melbourne; he said that he did not endorse the views of the protestors.[1] He has been viewed as a hero by supporters of Melbourne's anti-vaccine and anti-lockdown protests.[1][3]
The Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun listed Fernando among the top 100 superspreaders of misinformation.[3]
In 2022, Fernando travelled to New Zealand with far-right activist[7][2] Avi Yemini. Yemini was refused entry to New Zealand on character grounds.[2] However, Fernando was allowed into New Zealand, and filmed a glowing tribute to an anti-government rally led by COVID-19 conspiracy theorist Chantelle Baker.[2]
Views
[edit]Fernando supports former U.S. president Donald Trump[5][2] and his false claim that the 2020 U.S. election was stolen. He is a fan of American right-wing conspiracy theorists Mike Cernovich, Jack Posobiec and Andy Ngo.[5]
Fernando is a climate change denier.[5] In 2019, he promoted a conspiracy theory that U.S. politician Ilhan Omar had married her brother.[8][5]
Fernando said that he supported Dan Andrews when the first lockdown began in March 2020. Later that year, he said in an interview with Fox News personality Laura Ingraham that Victoria was becoming like "Communist China".[1]
Personal life
[edit]Fernando lives in Melbourne's south-east.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i O'Neil, Patrick (25 September 2021). "Who is the Real Rukshan?". The Age. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Elliott, Tim (17 February 2023). "'He's exploiting people who are genuinely scared': Avi Yemini and the art of outrage". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b c "Parliament protest: Aussie far-right conspiracy commentators to attend, claims influencer". The New Zealand Herald. 14 May 2024. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
- ^ Fleming, Andy (23 September 2021). "Constructing a narrative: the CFMEU protest and the far right". Overland Literary Journal. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Wilson, Cam (24 September 2021). "Real Rukshan: the live streamer who took Melbourne's protest to the world stage". Crikey. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ a b Ma, Laura (23 December 2014). "Filmmakers release amazing three-minute Sri Lanka tour". CNN. Archived from the original on 15 May 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2024.
- ^ McGowan, Michael (24 September 2021). "Workers' rights or the far right: who was behind Melbourne's pandemic protests?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 24 December 2023. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
- ^ Fernando, Rukshan [@therealrukshan] (5 November 2019). "Yeah but he didn't, this ungrateful crim Omar has married a sibling to commit immigration fraud" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 24 September 2021 – via Twitter.