Source link : https://london-news.net/met-police-stands-firm-on-facial-recognition-technology-amid-carnival-controversy/

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has backed the use of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology as a means for officers to identify individuals on watch lists, especially as its implementation approaches for the Notting Hill Carnival.

Sir Mark Rowley addressed criticisms from civil liberties and anti-racism organizations urging the police to abandon LFR, which they claim casts individuals as “potential suspects,” during the holiday celebration.

“Our objective is to maintain Carnival as a safe and welcoming event for everyone. From an operational standpoint, we believe that LFR plays a significant role in achieving this goal,” Sir Mark stated in a correspondence.

He noted that nearly 350 individuals were apprehended at last year’s Carnival for various offenses, including serious crimes like homicide, rape, and the possession of weapons.

On Sunday, 11 organizations sent a letter to Sir Mark, condemning LFR as “a mass surveillance method that regards all Carnival attendees as potential offenders and is unsuitable for one of London’s major cultural events.”

They expressed their dismay at the decision to reinstate this technology at the Carnival and raised concerns about its potential inaccuracy, particularly affecting women and people of color.

Sir Mark emphasized that the police had crafted a comprehensive and detailed plan to ensure the safety of the more than one million expected Carnival attendees.

He acknowledged the previous deployment of LFR…

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Publish date : 2025-08-19 16:40:00

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