Birmingham stops camera surveillance in Muslim areas

Good.


Although you have to wonder what's the point of public consultation if it's true that:

officials insisted the £3m project would go ahead following a retrospective public consultation, arguing the cameras would help reduce crime.

That's the bit I really don't get - why is it alright for the 'ring of steel' to be there to stop ordinary crime but not terrorism?

So many questions it's hard to know where to start: are these particularly high crime areas? If so, why not a ring of steel round every such area - is this some kind of trial? If not, why these areas? Durrr, 'cos they're 'Muslim'? So it's because they're Muslim? And some Muslims are terrorists, so it's not about ordinary crime its about terrorism? No, because it can't be about terrorism, because that would undermine public confidence, we've only just realised. Whereas cameras to combat simply 'crime' are OK. So OK that we'll announce the result of the retrospective public consultation before it's even begun. Or should that be retrospectively consult with the public after the decision has already been made then completely ignore what we didn't want to find out in the first place?