CONSPIRACY theories linking 5G to the coronavirus pandemic could fuel further attacks on equipment and telecoms engineers, the Economy Minister has warned.
Diane Dodds spoke out yesterday after a 5G mast in north Belfast was targeted in an arson attack last week.
A video of last Thursday’s incident on the Antrim Road appeared online, with voices heard making reference to 5G.
The network is the latest generation of mobile technology, enabling faster speeds and greater capacity. EE was the first network to go live in Belfast in May 2019.
But the outbreak of coronavirus has prompted a surge in conspiracy theories linking the expansion of the 5G network to the global pandemic.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Economy Minister praised the role of telecoms industry during the ongoing crisis, and stated that any intimidation of telecoms staff is unacceptable.
Directly referencing the conspiracy theories, Ms Dodds said: “By continuing to circulate these unfounded claims they not only fuel anxieties but also fuel an environment in which acts of arson and the abuse of telecoms engineers doing their jobs is becoming more common.
“Nothing can be achieved by such actions. At a time when the importance of telecommunications has never been so prominent, this criminal damage and intimidation will only increase the difficulties faced by our community.
“I would ask those responsible to think of their community, particularly those who live alone, for whom telecoms services represent their only contact with family, friends and neighbours at this very difficult time.”
The trade association representing the UK’s mobile network operators EE, 02, Three and Vodafone also issued a statement yesterday, accusing “certain groups” of using the Covid-19 pandemic to spread false rumours and theories about the safety of 5G technologies.
Mobile UK blasted the conspiracy theories on social media as “baseless and not grounded in accepted scientific theory”.
It has directly linked the spread of such posts to abuse and threats made against the telecoms industry’s key workers.
Gareth Elliott of Mobile UK said yesterday: “The mobile industry is putting 100 per cent of its effort into ensuring that the Northern Ireland remains connected and our workers and the mobile operators have rightly been recognised as key to the national effort.”
He continued: “Abuse of our key workers and making threats to damage infrastructure under the pretence of claims about 5G is not acceptable and only impacts on our ability as an industry to maintain the resilience and operational capacity of the networks to support mass home working and critical connectivity to the emergency services, vulnerable consumers and hospitals.”
