German activists start campaign to destroy surveillance cameras

Samantha Kimmey

German activists are attempting to destroy security cameras in anticipation of the European Police Congress in Berlin in February, according to Michael Ebeling, an opponent of public surveillance writing for France 24′s The Observers.

The group organizing the actions, CAMOVER, believe such cameras lead police to discriminate and use stereotypes in search of criminals and criminal activity. They are encouraging people to participate in the “game” until Feb. 19, when the congress convenes.

A debate over surveillance cameras was ignited in late 2012 after an attempted bomb attack in a Bonn train station, when cameras did not store recordings of the station and so police had no images of potential suspects or of the bomb being planted.

The country’s Interior Ministry claims the cameras have been shown to reduce crime by almost 20 percent.

Watch the video, via CAMOVER, below.

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