Incident Summary:

05/16/2020: Assailants set fire to a cell phone tower along Palmers Road in Weymouth, Auckland, New Zealand. There were no reported casualties in the attack. This was one of two similar arson incidents targeting towers in Auckland suburbs on the same night. No group claimed responsibility; however, authorities suspected that the attacks may have been carried out in relation to conspiracy theory regarding the link between 5G radio waves and the COVID-19 pandemic.

GTD ID:
202005160010

When:
2020-05-16

Country:
New Zealand

Region:
Australasia & Oceania

Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:

Auckland

City:
Clendon Park

Location Details:
The incident occurred along Palmers Road.

Attack Information
Type of Attack (more) Facility/Infrastructure Attack
Successful Attack? (more) Yes
Target Information (more)
Target Type: Telecommunication
Name of Entity Unknown
Specific Description Cellphone Tower
Nationality of Target New Zealand
Additional Information
Hostages No
Ransom No
Property Damage Yes
Extent of Property Damage Unknown
Value of Property Damage Unknown
Weapon Information
Type Sub-type
Incendiary Arson/Fire
Additional Information
Suicide Attack?No
Part of Multiple Incident?Yes
Criterion 1 (more) Yes
Criterion 2 (more) Yes
Criterion 3 (more) Yes
Doubt Terrorism Proper (more) No
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name Claimed Responsibility
Conspiracy theory extremists No
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators Unknown
Number of Captured Perpetrators 0
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties 0 Fatalities / 0 Injured
Total Number of Fatalities 0
Number of U.S. Fatalities 0
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities 0
Total Number of Injured 0
Number of U.S. Injured 0
Number of Perpetrators Injured 0
Sources
"Two more fires at cellphone towers, adding to series of suspected attacks," Radio New Zealand News, May 17, 2020.
"Police investigating two further cell tower fires overnight in Auckland," ONE News, May 16, 2020.