Protesters took to Tynwald, urging members not to approve planning changes for telecoms infrastructure to be installed in the island.

Placards reading ’More masts = more cancer’ and ’What about the electrosensitive people?’ were waved on Buck’s Road, Douglas, by campaigners of 5G Aware IOM and other concerned residents on Tuesday (November 19).

This was ahead of Tynwald approving the Town and Country Planning Telecommunications Order 2019.

The order allows telecoms equipment to be installed without going through the full planning permission process, which will make it faster for organisations to carry out new smaller telecoms improvements.

This change is to ensure that the community and businesses ’receive the most modern and comprehensive mobile phone service and coverage, which helps make our lives easier and businesses more profitable’, the order states.

The equipment is capable of providing 5G and fibre optic technology.

Petra Stetina, who delivered a petition for redress of grievance on Tynwald Day against 5G communications in the island, took part in the demonstration.

She wrote to MHKs, saying: ’I have rights as a landowner or landlord as to know what planning applications are being sought around my property and I have rights to appeal.

’With the proposed order these rights will be very difficult to exercise to lack of transparency.’

Her concern is that electromagnetic field (EMF) and radio frequency (RF) signals would be emitted close to her home.

These, she said, ’disrupt health and well-being’.

’Even if you are not concerned with the adverse biological effects of mobile telecommunications devices, there still is the fact that people want to know and [should] be able to oppose planning of any sort near their homes,’ she said.

She added: ’This step towards the withdrawal of local power and individual rights to appeal is not something I can agree with, especially in the midst of the highly controversial 5G roll-out.’