In this Just the News article, Randy Diamond reports that Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has reversed course and ordered surveillance cameras near Lumen Field to be activated during the FIFA World Cup.
- Wilson said the decision came after updated briefings from Seattle police and the FBI about the “current global and local threat environment.”
- Seattle is scheduled to host its first of six World Cup matches on June 15.
- In March, Wilson had paused the city’s surveillance camera program, allowing cameras near Lumen Field to be installed but not activated unless a credible threat emerged.
- Her earlier position was rooted in privacy and civil liberties concerns, including fears that surveillance footage could be used by federal immigration agents.
- The dispute involves several dozen CCTV cameras already installed in and around the stadium area but kept inactive.
- Multiple Seattle City Council members had pushed back on Wilson’s earlier stance, arguing that waiting for a clearly defined “credible threat” was impractical.
- Public Safety Committee Chairman Bob Kettle praised the reversal, saying it strengthens Seattle’s public safety readiness ahead of the World Cup.
- Councilman Rob Saka also backed the move, invoking the unpredictability of major security incidents and referencing his personal experience at the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.
- Wilson said the city will continue working on policies and safeguards governing how video data is used and protected.
Read the full story:
https://justthenews.com/nation/states/center-square/seattle-mayor-reverses-course-activates-surveillance-cameras-world-cup
