Police face backlash after tweeting image of comedian captured on spy-cam

IT WAS supposed to be a joke, but now police are facing a massive backlash after tweeting a picture of a famous comedian captured from a helicopter camera.

police tweet

UK metropolitan police are under fire after tweeting a picture of a famous comedian captured by a surveillance helicopter flying over London.

The image of funnyman Michael McIntyre going about his day was shared by the @NPASLondon account that shares live updates from helicopters in the sky above the English capital.

It was tweeted with the caption “Whilst on tasking in central London this morning we spotted a certain energetic funny man ... Can you guess who? ...”

.@NPASLondon defends (now deleted) spy-cam tweet of comedian Michael #McIntyre http://t.co/Jp4MftNh2Q pic.twitter.com/oyiILcjmB0

— PrivacyInternational (@privacyint) July 16, 2015

However Twitter users didn’t see the funny side and were quick to slam the police for breaching his privacy with their surveillance methods.

We must be grateful to @NPASLondon for showing, in real time, how data protection rules can be casually breached by the police.

— Jack of Kent (@JackofKent) July 15, 2015

Photo of feed from @NPASLondon camera over central London (at 762 feet?) Pretty scary what they can see. pic.twitter.com/45gEveXMRp

— Lewis Bush (@LewisKayBush) July 15, 2015

Aw, @NPASLondon accidentally deleted their creepy validation of the public's fears about ubiquitous surveillance. pic.twitter.com/LhR1BctU5w

— Leslie (@leslienassar) July 16, 2015

@NPASLondon Did you seek the individual's consent? Or is this an abuse of your considerable surveillance powers?

— Robin Wilton (@futureidentity) July 15, 2015

The tweet was quickly deleted and deemed “inappropriate”.

The UK’s camera commissioner Tony Porter said it seemed to violate a code of conduct that ensured cameras are used for crime-fighting or public safety.

“If there is no operational requirement you shouldn’t be invading that person’s privacy,” he said.

NPAS ground operations director Richard Watson said “we will be speaking to the person who posted the tweet”.

Privacy advocate Rachel Robinson, of human rights group Liberty, told AP the tweet is the latest example in a “blase attitude” towards privacy.

UKIP MEP Gerard Batten called it a “gross misuse” of police power.

“It isn’t some private citizen taking a snap of a passing celebrity, this is the police, abusing their authority,” he told The Guardian.

A spokesman for Michael McIntyre said he had no comment on the issue.

British comedian Michael McIntyre at Wimbledon. Picture: Leon Neal.