Israël : Residents destroyed celullar antennas
http://www.next-up.org/pages/NewsoftheWorld106israel.php
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The neighbours did a "lynch" to cellular antennas
By Shimon Afargan
Maariv
10.12.06
The residents of a building on Barlev 4 street in Beer Sheva, took in the weekend a very unusual step in order to protest against the cellular antennas on the roof of the penthouse in the building where they live. The broke into the penthouse, destroyed the antennas and caused to the equipment damage of tens of thousands of dollars. Several months ago, the residents of the building were amazed to find out that the roof on the 8th floor was rented for $1200 a month to Cellcom, that erected there 3 cellular antennas inside the flower-pots. The people asked Cellcom to remove the antennas immediately, because they are a real danger for them and their children. Several weeks ago, dozens of the building's residents, among them many children, started suffering from strong headaches. "I took my little boy, who suffered of strong headaches, to an expert physician, and he was interested to know whether we had cellular antennas on the roof", told one of the residents, "I said that yes, and he said that this was probably the reason for the headaches".
Another resident told "Maariv" that the neighbours asked Cellcom and the municipality to remove the antennas, but were rejected with excuses, "When we saw that it didn't help, we decided to take steps in order to remove the antennas from the building" he told.
After all their efforts to remove the antennas had failed, dozens of the building residents decided to take the law into their hands. In the night between Thursday and Friday, they broke into the penthouse. They destroyed the place, broke the antennas and caused damage to the expensive technological equipment that was there, also the equipment that was inside the penthouse.
When Cellcom learnt about this, a security officer was called into the place, 2 security guards and an amstaf dog. When the residents threatened to cause them damage if they didn't leave the place, Beer Shevas' police was called to the place too, the policemen calmed them down after a long time. The policemen from Beer Sheva police station negotiated between the residents and Cellcom, and they reached a temporary solution- the equipment will not be operated until they reach to an agreement.
"We had no other choice, it is not possible that for greed the residents will get cancer because of the dangerous radiation that the antennas emit. If Cellcom does not remove the antennas, we will destroy the penthouse and the rest of the infrastructure that is left in the place. This is probably the only language they understand. Antennas on roofs are mortal danger" clarified one of the residents.
The Cellular Companies Forum said in response: "The installations were erected with approval and permission. We see very seriosly the damage to the antennas and infrastructure".
Two of the residents who destroyed the antennas were interviewed to two channels on TV today's morning, each one to different programme. They told:
* They went to the environmental ministry and were ignored, the same with the municipality.
* the antennas are there for two years
* after a 1+ years many men in the area became impotent, and got fertility problems.
* the child with the doctor story - the doctor heard many complaints on headaches from people in the area
* the child got also testicles problem, and the doctor said these problems will also hurt the next generation of the people who developed them.
* all these problems started 3/4 year ago, after 1+ year since the antennas were erected there.
* during the last half a year, the children have had headaches and nausea, also the adults have them, but especially the children.
Informant: Iris Atzmon
