Conspiracy theorists who believe that 5G technology is helping or causing the coronavirus pandemic have attacked 5G base stations in The Netherlands.
The country’s Nationaal Coördinator Terrorismebestrijding en Veiligheid (NCTV), the Dutch counter-terrorism unit, said that sabotage and arson of radio masts in the Netherlands have occurred in recent days, mirroring similar incidents that happened in the U.K. last week in the wake of some believing that 5G is either helping the spread of coronavirus or actually causing it.
The NCTV said this isn’t the first time that protests have been conducted over the rollout of 5G networks in the Netherlands. Previous protests were in the form of demonstrations, but never led to any sabotage and arson.
“The NCTV considers this a worrying development,” a statement said on the organization’s web page. “The possible impact of the failure of transmission masts in the Netherlands can be significant. The failure could have consequences for the coverage of the telephone network and thus the accessibility of emergency services.”
A total of four incidents have happened with an anti-5G slogan being spray-painted at one scene of the attack, reports local newspaper De Telegraaf.
The Netherlands is currently in the testing phase of 5G development and have not yet begun any nationwide rollout of 5G pending a spectrum auction due to conclude in June.
There are two 5G theories that have circulated since the coronavirus pandemic began: First, that the electromagnetic radiation from 5G suppresses the immune system, causing the virus to thrive; and second, that 5G causes the virus to “talk to each other” about who to infect.
However, Full Fact, a U.K. independent fact checking organization, said these theories are false, pointing to the American Cancer Society’s research that 5G’s electromagnetic radiation is far below the level thought to cause damage to cells in the human body. And since the coronavirus has spread to areas of the world where no 5G networks exist, the technology cannot be responsible for the pandemic.
