Protest Israeli Surveillance System in Glasgow
Saturday 3rd August 1pm
George Square at City Chambers
Resistance to both police use of automatic facial recognition generally and Israeli spyware specifically is growing. Scotland seems to be experiencing a perfect storm:
- Even though US cities – San Francisco, Oakland, Orlando – are banning the use of the technology as a threat to civil liberties, Glasgow City Council has authorised the police use of automatic facial recognition, and even emotional recognition programmes developed by a group wholly owned by Israeli arms company, Elbit Systems. This is the most intrusive sytem used by police anywhere in Europe.
- Police Scotland used Israeli hacking technology to surreptitiously break into people’s phones until 2018. Israeli hacking technology was used to track Saudi dissident Jamal Kashoggi before he was murdered, dismembered and dissolved in acid in Istanbul last year.
- Even some Tory MPs, and the Westminster Parliament Science and Technology Committee, have called for the technology not be used. Norman Lamb MP, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee, said:: “Current trials should be stopped and no further trials should take place until the right legal framework is in place.” But the system in Glasgow isn’t a “trial” like those taking place in England and Wales; it has been in full operation since 2013 at least, having been deployed without any public discussion.
- Real Madrid players have refused to work with a club fitness coach, Javier Vidal, because of his use of software developed by experts at the Israeli Intelligence Corps’ Unit 8200. Seven graduates of Unit 8200 developed the system deployed in Glasgow
The City Council has stalled and denied throughout. Shockingly, Shockingly, when first approached by a journalist for a comment, the Council Press Office labelled those opposing the system “anti-Jewish“, presumably for opposing a threat to civil liberties pioneered by an Israeli regime accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Councillors claimed to constituents that automatic facial recognition was not being used in Glasgow – until Police Scotland stated otherwise. The denial ran counter to a senior NICE Security Group VP claiming that “Glasgow is fully utilising the capabilities that NICE Situator can provide.”
Cllr Fariha Thomas claimed that there is adequate democraticv oversight of the sinister surveillance system but a recent independent report from Essex University warned that “”Simply establishing an oversight board, with no legal powers, is not good enough given the highly intrusive nature of the technologies”.
We now have a dangerous and sinister Home Secretary, Priti Patel, a member of a Government that cannot be trusted to respect our rights to a private area of our life. Patel
- was willing to see innocent people hanged to further her political agenda.
- pushed for a chunk of UK humanitarian aid to be diverted to the killers of the Israeli Army.
- was forced to resign as minister after revelations she had conducted secret meetings with the Israeli government without the knowledge of the UK Gov’t.
These are dangerous times and you need to act, to resist.
Share the event page for the Saturday protest: https://www.facebook.com/events/2300949480153824/
Mick Napier
mick@scottishpsc.org.uk
0795 800 2591
Order some copies of this new SPSC booklet (for a donation) – email campaign@scottishpsc.org.ukAlso available at Saturday protest