More than 70 cell phone towers in the UK have been set on fire due to 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theories falsely claiming 5G technology is responsible for the spread of the coronavirus have grown in popularity online, prompting attacks on cell phone infrastructure in the United Kingdom.
Story at a glance
- At least 77 cell phone towers have been set on fire since the coronavirus outbreak.
- In some instances, telecom engineers were attacked or harassed.
- Officials say, however, the rate of such instances are decreasing.
A conspiracy theory claiming that 5G internet has somehow caused the spread of the coronavirus has led to more than 70 cell phone towers in the United Kingdom to become targets of arson attacks, according to a report from Business Insider.
It was reported last month that the U.K. reported about 50 fires targeting towers, the majority of which was not 5G-enabled, and other equipment, but Mobile UK, an organization representing Britain's four mobile operators, told Business Insider Wednesday that the number has grown to 77.
The group, however, noted the rate of attacks was decreasing.
"Daily attacks are very low now but have not stopped entirely," a Mobile UK spokesperson told Business Insider.
But the equipment is not the only target. Several instances of telecom engineers being attacked or harassed have been reported.
"We have 40 incidents where people have attacked, either physically or verbally, our staff. We've had engineers being driven at by people and swerve away at the last minute, and we've even had one Openreach engineer stabbed and put in hospital," Philip Jansen, CEO of British telecom company BT, said in April in a YouTube video.
Such conspiracy theories have grown in popularity recently as the number of coronavirus cases and deaths rise. The baseless claims have circulated online and on social media, prompting Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to try to curb the spread of videos and content falsely tying the spread of the virus to 5G.
https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/longevity/496502-more-than-70-cell-phone-towers-in-the-uk-have-been-set?amp&__twitter_impression=true
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