Tony Mallon, 42, who was recently arrested in connection with multiple arson attacks on 5G masts across West Belfast, insists there is “absolutely no evidence” linking him to the fires.
Mallon was taken into custody yesterday morning in Newry on suspicion of several arson charges but was released on bail later that day, pending further police investigations.
With a professional background in health and safety, Tony Mallon also founded the NI People’s Party and ran as an Independent candidate in the 2024 Westminster elections, receiving 161 votes.
Speaking to Andersonstown News on Friday afternoon, Mallon expressed his frustration over the arrest. “I have been working on a farm in Newry for several weeks,” he said. “Around 10 or 10:30 a.m. yesterday, three police cars arrived looking for me. I was shocked when they said I was wanted regarding arson attacks in West Belfast.”
Police searched his temporary residence and seized his phone and laptop. “Being handcuffed and taken to Musgrave and then Antrim Police Station was very degrading,” Mallon added.
He revealed the police claimed to have statements from “proper channels” linking him to 11 arson incidents, mostly from June. However, Mallon says he provided evidence that on one of those dates, he was in Troon, Scotland, not in Northern Ireland.
“I kept asking for evidence linking me to these crimes, but none was presented,” he said. “It’s disgusting to be associated with such acts.”
Mallon was released around 6:30 p.m. and described his arrest as “totally unlawful,” saying he plans to contact the Police Ombudsman. He also noted that some of his belongings have yet to be returned.
Since June 2023, 16 arson attacks on phone masts have been reported in West Belfast, including a recent double attack last Saturday on a newly-installed 5G mast near Stewartstown Road.
On the controversy surrounding the 5G infrastructure, Mallon stated, “I have always opposed vandalism. Change should come through legal means and proper channels.”
With his health and safety expertise, Mallon called for a radiation detection survey to evaluate whether 5G masts pose any health risks, emphasizing the need for clear evidence.
He added that while social media users have confronted him about the attacks, he firmly rejects violence as a solution. “The answer is not to go out and burn them,” he concluded.
