Use of facial recognition at Unite the Kingdom and counter protests and sporting events
Freedom of information request reference no: 01.FOI.25.047441
I note you seek access to the following information:
- Was facial recognition technology deployed and used on those attending the Tommy Robinson festival/march.
- If so, how many people were identified, stopped and charged - what offence and how many false positive.
- Was the same technology used in the counter protestors. If so, how many people identified, stopped and charged. What offence and how many false positives.
- Has the technology been deployed at sporting events such as football matches. If so where when and how many people identified, stopped and charged. and how many false positives.
Decision
I have today decided to disclose some of the requested informatio
With regard to your fourth question regarding how many were charged at sporting events, I have withheld this information. Due to the low number of arrests made, to reveal the outcome of those be it charges or not, would reveal personal information of those involved
Q1 - Was facial recognition technology deployed and used on those attending the Tommy Robinson festival/march.
Q2 - If so, how many people were identified, stopped and charged - what offence and how many false positive.
Q3 - Was the same technology used in the counter protestors. If so how many people identified, stopped and charged. What offence and how many false positives.
No, Facial Recognition was not deployed at any stage at this event, for either protestors or counter protestors.
Q4 - Has the technology been deployed at sporting events such as football matches. If so where when and how many people identified, stopped and charged. And how many false positives.
Yes, Facial Recognition has been deployed for sporting events for the following Dates/Locations (all of these were football matches)
24 September 2023 – Islington, Outside Highbury and Islington station
6 November 2023 – Haringey, High Road and Love Lane
21 December 2023 – Selhurst Park, Holmesdale Rd and Norwood Junction
28 April 2024- Haringey, Love Lane and Northumberland Park
The answers to your sub questions for this request can be found in the deployment records section of our Facial Recognition website below (with the exception of charges outlined above). Please note this link will need to be copy and pasted into your web browser to work.