South Wales Police has vowed to scan football fans with live facial recognition at the Cardiff City v Swansea City football match (Photo: Getty)
Fans have slammed a decision to allow police to use facial recognition technology at today’s Cardiff and Swansea City Championship clash.
Supporters attending the match, which kicks off at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium at 12pm, will be actively scanned by facial recognition cameras in order to identify ‘potential troublemakers’.
The technology works by flagging known offenders whose photos are already on police databases.
But angry fans have promised to wear ‘Halloween masks’ in protest at the surveillance technology.
It is the first use of the controversial facial scanners since a 2017 UEFA Champions’ League match, when more than 2,500 innocent fans were incorrectly flagged by the system and their photos sent to police. South Wales Police blamed the errors on a ‘poor quality of images’ from Uefa and Interpol watchlists, while also claiming it was the first use of the technology.
Cardiff fans hang flags in the away end at Swansea City v Cardiff City derby (Photo: James Marsh/BPI/REX )
The reintroduction of the software comes after a Cardiff high court ruling last month, when a judge ruled police use of facial recognition was legal.
Vince Alms, spokesperson for Football Supporters’ Association Wales, has strongly condemned use of the technology in today’s match.
He said: ...