A rumored 5G protest day could take place Saturday.
Corinne Reichert
A 5G protest is being planned for the weekend, NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, warned Thursday. The Global 5G Protest Day could see mobile towers attacked on Saturday, according to an advisory, spotted earlier Thursday by Light Reading.
“NATE as an organization has heard through official channels that there are 5G Global Protest Day activities being planned throughout the country this Saturday,” NATE said. “NATE reminds our member companies and their employees to remain safe, exercise vigilance and report any unusual or suspicious activities that they witness when traveling to and working at tower sites this weekend.”
NATE, a nonprofit trade association, represents companies in the US, Canada, the UK, China, Singapore, Spain, Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Ghana, Israel, Jamaica, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Trinidad.
Todd Schlekeway, NATE CEO, told Light Reading he heard rumors of a 5G protest day from carriers and tower companies. NATE, T-Mobile, Verizon and CTIA — which represents the US wireless industry — didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. AT&T didn’t provide a comment.
Rumors of a protest day follow attacks on 5G towers in the UK due to false coronavirus conspiracy theories that blame the spread of COVID-19 on 5G.
The conspiracy theory is false; radio waves can’t cause a virus. Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have all committed to taking down misinformation. UK carriers have also asked people to stop burning mobile towers, and the UK’s national medical director called the 5G conspiracy theory “complete and utter rubbish.”
YouTube banned videos claiming 5G caused the coronavirus back in April.