Protest venue under a web of cameras and facial recognition systems
Delhi Police have deployed advanced AI-powered facial recognition surveillance vans and cameras at protest sites in Jantar Mantar. While authorities claim these tools are for identifying criminals, protesters have raised significant concerns regarding privacy and the potential for surveillance to suppress dissent.
Why it matters
The deployment of AI surveillance in public protest spaces raises critical questions about the balance between public safety and civil liberties.
As the crowd continues to swell at Jantar Mantar, the Delhi Police have deployed powerful cameras and at least three mobile surveillance vans around the venue. The devices continuously capture live images and run them past a police database to identify and isolate people with criminal records.
On Thursday (July 23, 2026) night, additional CCTV cameras were installed around Jantar Mantar and the images were played on screens inside a mobile police control room.
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