Through the Static

By Hannah Saunders

Officials in the City of Seattle have been in a lull regarding CCTV surveillance and addressing upcoming changes— specifically the installation of over 20 cameras in the Stadium District ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which kicks-off in Seattle on June 15. Now, the Mayor’s Office (MO), SPD, and the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs (OIRA) are holding two public safety sessions about the soccer tournament, with a focus on immigrant communities.

Speakers will discuss the role of Seattle Police during the World Cup, protest protocols, and security measures near the venue, neighborhood, and in public spaces. They will also tap into what the city can and cannot do in terms of federal enforcement, as well as language accessibility. Seattle’s Lumen Field will host six World Cup matches:

• Belgium vs Egypt on June 15
• USA vs Australia on June 19
• Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar on June 24
• Egypt vs Islamic Republic of Iran on June 26
• Group G winner vs one of the eight-best third-placed teams on July 1
• Winner of Match 81 vs Winner of Match 82 on July 6

When Mayor Wilson previously announced the camera installation, she said they will not be turned on unless there is a “credible threat,” with SPD and the mayor having yet to define what exactly that means. Mayor Wilson has implied that Seattle residents are to simply trust that police will keep these cameras turned off and not used to harm community members, when SPD continues to murder and brutalize them in the streets.

Footage from SPD’s CCTV cameras are stored at the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC), and is allegedly erased after five days. But, if footage is called up for connection to an incident, it’s uploaded and retained on Axon’s servers at evidence.com. Axon is a long-time DHS partner that provides body-worn video cameras, AI software, and storage systems, including evidence.com, which server rests outside of Washington state, meaning it does not have to comply with the state’s privacy laws. Furthermore, evidence.com uses the Microsoft Azure cloud, which is a server the Israeli Occupation Forces use to carry out its genocide against Palestinians, and to mass surveil them.

For months, concerned community members have hounded Mayor Wilson and the Seattle City Council to turn off all cameras, citing mass surveillance and the harm it can have on marginalized communities, as well as other concerns like bad actors and hackers obtaining data.

The briefings are both 1.5 hours and will cover the exact same material. The first one is taking place on Thursday, May 21, at 1 p.m. and people can register here. The second one is on Wednesday, May 27, at 6 p.m.

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