THERE have been 16 arson attacks on 5G masts in West Belfast since June 2023, following the latest incident at the weekend.
On Saturday night, a newly-installed 5G mast, off the Stewartstown Road was targeted twice within a matter of hours.
At around 11pm, firefighters responded to an electrical box belonging to the mast on fire. Just two hours later, at 1:25am, firefighters received a second call, that the same mast had been set alight during routine patrols.
On Sunday night, a 5G mast on the Doagh Road in Whiteabbey was set alight, bringing the number of attacks to 17.
The attacks are believed to be linked to conspiracy theories spread online around 5G masts and danger to public health.
Cornerstone, the firm responsible for maintaining the physical masts which provide signal for network providers previously stated: "The strong consensus of expert groups and public health agencies, such as the World Health Organization, is that no health risks have been established from exposure to the low-level radio signals used by these base stations."
Police hit out at what they called “extremely dangerous” behaviour.
Chief Inspector Hamilton said: “This is the latest in a number of fires targeting 5G masts in the area and it is being treated as deliberate.
“Setting fire to electrical equipment is extremely dangerous and reckless and puts not only the perpetrator, but also members of the public at risk. The damage also costs the mast-owners a substantial amount of money to repair and affects the mobile phone service of the local community.
“We continue to engage with local representatives and the mast-owners around the issue.”
The attacks have also led to poor signal and communication issues in West Belfast.
A recent survey carried out by Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey found that out of 2,602 people who responded, 87 per cent described phone signal in west Belfast as poor or very poor, with only three per cent saying it was good or excellent.
Paul Maskey MP said: “This wanton destruction, fuelled by inaccuracies and misconceptions, is damaging vital infrastructure in our community.
“This is the latest in a series of reckless attacks, resulting in poor connectivity, risking public safety and lives.
“It’s time for the PSNI to step up and ensure those responsible for this ludicrous behaviour are brought to justice before even more damage is inflicted on vital services.
“I will continue working to improve phone signal in West Belfast.”
