5G Mast Fires

20 suspected arson attacks against phone masts recorded over the Easter weekend.

07:05 16 April 2020

More than 20 suspected arson attacks have been recorded over the Easter weekend amid concern about conspiracy theories linking the next-generation mobile network to the coronavirus pandemic. 

 

Two of the incidents took place in Dagenham and Huddersfield. Two men, a 19-year-old and an 18-year-old were arrested on suspicion of arson. One of the sites that were targeted is said to provide mobile connectivity to the Nightingale Hospital in Birmingham. 

 

Vodafone chief executive Nick Jeffery said: "Burning down masts means damaging important national infrastructure." 

 

"In practice, this means families not being able to say a final goodbye to their loved ones; hard-working doctors, nurses, and police officers not being able to phone their kids, partners or parents for a comforting chat." 

 

West Yorkshire Police were also alerted when a fire took place on Lower Quarry Road in Huddersfield. The incident destroyed communications equipment belonging to three mobile network providers, one of which is used by the emergency services. 

 

The arson attacks are being linked to theories that 5G technology is used to spread COVID-19, which has been described as the "worst kind of fake news" by Professor Steve Powis, the national medical director of NHS England. 

 

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Mobile UK, said: Theories being spread about 5G are baseless and are not grounded in credible scientific theory." 

 

"Mobile operators are dedicated to keeping the UK connected, and careless talk could cause untold damage." 

 

"Continuing attacks on mobile infrastructure risks lives and at these challenging times, the UK's critical sectors must be able to focus all their efforts fighting this pandemic."