Overview

• Live facial recognition cameras will be stationed on approaches to the Notting Hill Carnival during the August 23–25 bank holiday weekend for the first time.
• Attendees’ faces will be screened against watchlists of wanted knife offenders, rapists, robbers and other serious-violence suspects.
• The enhanced security operation is backed by an extra £1 million, around 7,000 officers per day, knife arches and new prevention orders.
• Non-matching biometric data must be deleted immediately and an independent body will oversee compliance with strict data-protection protocols.
• Civil liberties groups warn of potential privacy risks and minority misidentification despite tests by the National Physical Laboratory finding no significant bias.