Football fans attending a match in Cardiff protested against police use of facial recognition technology. Big Brother Watch, alongside the Cardiff City supporters’ club, staged a protest against the police force’s use of this invasive technology. Fans, who complained that they felt that their privacy was being threatened, wore masks and held a banner that read ‘No facial recognition’ during the match.
Silkie Carlo, Director of Big Brother Watch, said that “[p]olice repeatedly targeting football fans with this new and dangerous mass surveillance tool treats them like suspects, erodes public freedoms and wastes public money. South Wales Police are acting like Big Brother and seem tone deaf to public concerns.”
The Guardian – Anger over use of facial recognition at south Wales football derby
Wales Online – Protest against police using facial recognition technology at the South Wales derby
ITV News – Police criticised for plans to use facial recognition cameras at Cardiff v Swansea match
Engineering & Technology – Police vs privacy replay at Cardiff-Swansea football match