London Police to Deploy Facial Recognition Technology During 'Unite the Kingdom' and Nakba 78 Demonstrations

The Metropolitan Police are launching an unprecedented large-scale security operation to anticipate violence and hate speech in the British capital. This operation coincides with the scheduled dates of two major protests, taking place alongside the FA Cup Final match between Chelsea and Manchester City on Friday, May 15th.

Scotland Yard is deploying approximately 4,000 officers, including 660 personnel from outside London, to maintain public order. For the first time, live facial recognition technology and new powers to address hate speech will be strictly enforced on the ground.

Authorities have identified two main groups of protesters who will be demonstrating with strictly defined routes and schedules:

Deputy Assistant Commissioner James Harman expressed concern about the potential for football hooligans to join the ‘Unite the Kingdom’ protest. Given that tens of thousands of fans will be gathering at Wembley for the FA Cup Final, the risk of clashes between groups is a top priority for the police.

In addition to the thousands of personnel on the ground, the Metropolitan Police also have on standby:

To date, at least seven people from abroad, including US political commentator Valentina Gomez and Belgian politician Filip Dewinter, have been banned from entering the UK to participate in the demonstrations in order to maintain national security.

All protest activities are required to end before nightfall to ensure that the flow of football fans from Wembley does not intersect with protesters in the city centre. Police have stated that they will not tolerate deviations from the established routes. (The Standard/I-2)