Garda intelligence warns of attacks on vaccine centres and phone masts

Gardaí across the country have been issued an urgent notice warning them about possible far-right attacks on vaccination centres and telecommunications infrastructure.

The bulletin came from the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service, headed by Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Howard.

Gardaí received the confidential notice over the weekend through the Garda internal internet portal.

It is understood the intelligence is based on information gleaned from the monitoring of internet forums popular among far-right, anti-vaccination and conspiracy theory groups.

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Threats of criminal damage to vaccine centres and telephone masts have surfaced in such groups in recent weeks, prompting the Garda intelligence section to send out the mass alert.

The warning, which was first reported in Tuesday’s Irish Daily Star, advises gardaí to be watchful for threats targeting the country’s 30 vaccination centres.

It describes a threat of “direct action” against such sites from far-right, conspiracy theory groups.

‘Precautionary measure’

The warning does not name specific groups or individuals nor does it name specific targets.

A senior source described it as a “precautionary measure” to ensure gardaí are aware of something “which may or may not happen”. He said there is no indication people attending vaccination centres are at any risk.

Covid-19 vaccination centres are at risk of being targeted in relation to a variety of conspiracy theories concerning the rollout of the vaccine.

Telecommunications towers are a target due to the rollout of 5G technology. Various conspiracy theories have emerged relating to 5G technology in recent years, including false claims that it spreads the virus or that the Government has been using lockdowns to install 5G in secret.

Gardaí have been warned that it is not only 5G masts that are at risk, as people are unlikely to be able to tell the difference between 5G and older forms of communications infrastructure such as 4G.

In April 2020, two mobile phone masts were set on fire in Letterkenny, Co Donegal. Gardaí believed the fires were set deliberately by arsonists.

The Donegal masts were actually 4G infrastructure which were being upgraded to provide extra coverage to Letterkenny General Hospital and the surrounding areas.

Growing threat

Gardaí have repeatedly warned of the growing threat from the far right in Ireland.

Last year, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris warned of plans by far-right groups to try to disrupt key State institutions and infrastructure.

This included Dublin Port, high-profile shopping areas such as Grafton Street in Dublin, Dáil Éireann and Government departments. His comments followed a violent anti-lockdown protest in Dublin during which gardaí were attacked with fireworks.

He added the far right in Ireland had switched from open-source communication with each other – such as social media – to more covert means when organising protests.

He said the Irish groups believed in the great replacement theory – a conspiracy suggesting predominantly white populations were being deliberately replaced with people from other ethnic groups by mass migration – which had become very popular with far-right groups in America.

However, the Irish groups remained small and were under observation and investigation by gardaí.