Activisits have turned to Mother Nature to come up with a novel way to render the controversial cameras useless.
Groups of activists across London have embarked on a daring campaign to challenge the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) enforcement measures. The individuals, who have yet to be formally identified, have ingeniously covered several ULEZ cameras with wooden structures designed to attract bats, rendering the cameras inoperative and simultaneously creating protected areas for the flying mammals.
The move comes as a direct protest against what the activists describe as the ‘over-policing’ of road usage in London, particularly with the recent expansions of the ULEZ boundaries. Opponents of the cameras argue they disproportionately impact lower-income families and small businesses.
The wooden boxes, which resemble typical bat houses, have been carefully placed over the cameras under the cover of night. Bats, being protected species in the UK, could potentially make these cameras and their immediate surroundings legally protected areas, complicating any efforts to remove the structures. The activists’ innovative strategy hinges on the strict protections bats enjoy under both domestic and European environmental laws.
The office of London’s mayor Sadiq Khan, which is responsible for the implementation and expansion of the ULEZ, has yet to respond officially to the development.
ULEZ cameras are surveillance cameras used to enforce the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) regulations. The cameras are strategically placed around Londons in zones to monitor and identify vehicles entering the area. They work by capturing the license plates of vehicles, which are then checked against a database to determine whether the vehicle meets the emission standards set for the zone. If a vehicle does not comply with these standards, the owner may be subject to a fine.
The introduction of the cameras has been met with strong opposition. Dozens have been vandalised or removed entirely by activists in an ongoing campaign to rid London’s streets of them. The new ‘bat’ strategy is likely to give the London mayor’s office further headaches. Khan introduced the first ULEZ zone in April 2019.
— Dr David Cartland (@CartlandDavid) March 26, 2024
I’ve seen coucil spy cams covered in paintball paint.