Police could be forced to destroy huge archives of surveillance photographs
taken at protests, riots and football matches following a landmark
judgment.
Appeal Court judges ruled yesterday that a law-abiding arms trade
activist had his human rights breached when police took photos of
him at a protest and kept them on file.
In a judgment that could change the way all UK police forces monitor
protesters, the
Metropolitan Police was told to destroy all pictures of Andrew Wood.
It could mean police will have to sift through hundreds of thousands
of stored surveillance photos and destroy pictures of any innocent
subject who complains.
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However, a one-month delay was granted yesterday to allow an appeal
to the House of Lords.
The ground-breaking case marks another blow to 'Big Brother' surveillance
tactics increasingly favoured by police.
It follows last month's European Court ruling forcing the Home Office to stop indefinitely storing DNA profiles of people who are arrested but never charged.
