Spiking Bitcoin transactions fees due to spam attack?

We all have noticed increasing Bitcoin transaction fees as well as taking a long time to confirm transactions in Bitcoin.
I was initially attributed this to the rash of masses into Bitcoin space. However there is an alternative explanation to this:

Nic Carter, an experienced Bitcoin analyst and researcher, tweeted that the abrupt surge in the size of the Bitcoin mempool is suspicious, given that many one satoshi per byte transactions clogged up the mempool and the Bitcoin Blockchain network.

Carter suggested that a spam attack of low-fee transactions is preventing the Bitcoin Blockchain network from clearing transactions and processing payments.

And with Bitcoin Futures coming live at the end of this weekend - I would be extra cautious this weekend.

Read more: https://cointelegraph.com/news/analyst-suspicious-bitcoin-mempool-activity-transaction-fees-spike-to-16