Telstra’s savage ‘response’ to 5G antenna conspiracy theorist is fake, but it wishes it was real

The rollout of new 5G technology continues to encounter bizarre conspiracy theories and it seemed Telstra has had a gut full, but there’s a catch.

A screenshot purporting to show Telstra delivering a savage response on social media to a 5G conspiracy theorist is fake, the telecommunications giant has confirmed.

However, in a twist, the company said it wished the slap-down was theirs.

Telstra is battling a small but vocal group of opponents to the technology, who claim that 5G is unsafe and is even somehow responsible for the spread of the coronavirus.

Today, a Twitter user shared a screenshot of an exchange said to be between a conspiracy theorist and Telstra, which quickly went viral.

It comes as locals in Mullumbimby on the New South Wales north coast continue to protest, again blocking Telstra workers from accessing a 5G tower that’s being installed.

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The regional town of Mullumbimby is the states’s north is fast becoming NSW’s conspiracy theory capital, with regular 5G tower protests taking place. Picture: Supplied from Sherrie Yeoman

Anti-coronavirus lockdown protesters also held placards about 5G in Melbourne earlier this month. Picture: AFP

Byron Shire Council also buckled under pressure from the campaigners, passing a motion to halt the development of the antenna until health risks were assessed.

There is no evidence that 5G technology is unsafe.

Telstra’s Facebook page is regularly inundated with comments from conspiracy theorists attacking its rollout of 5G.

A Twitter user shared an image he said was from Telstra’s Facebook page.

“TAKE DOWN 5G TOWERS THERE WEAPONS THAT CAUSE COVID!!” a user named James wrote.

Telstra promptly replied: “Hi James. The 5G towers will help download your conspiracy videos faster.”

RELATED: Conspiracy theorists burn 5G towers claiming link to virus

Telstra's savage reply to a 5G conspiracy theorist on Facebook. Picture: @KiwiCraig74/Twitter

A Telstra spokesman told news.com.au that the image is fake.

But the telco then took to its Twitter to declare that “we wish it was” real.

Attention everyone. This isn’t real, but we wish it was. So we're tweeting it now. https://t.co/7fM7ofA23C

— Telstra (@Telstra) May 21, 2020

Some attendees of a small demonstration in Melbourne earlier this month against COVID-19 lockdown measures held anti-5G placards.

The anti-5G movement has strong links to anti-vaccination groups.

A NSW Council has delayed a 5G tower development because of conspiracy theorists protesting it. Picture: Supplied from Sherrie Yeoman.

Bizarre claims about 5G and the coronavirus have spread online since the pandemic began, even sparking vandalism attacks on antennas in Europe.

“I’m absolutely outraged, absolutely disgusted, that people would be taking action against the very infrastructure that we need to respond to this health emergency,” Stephen Powis, medical director of the National Health Service in England, said in early April.