(PIX):As 'No Kings' protests decry Trump, surveillance is made stronger

19/10/2025 5:59

People who take part in Saturday's mass "No Kings" protest against US President Donald Trump's administration may be targeted for federal government surveillance with a range of technology that could include facial recognition and phone hacking.



"No Kings" organizers expect 2,600 rallies across all 50 U.S. states. But the level of surveillance at protests and the type of technology in use is likely to be both location-specific and dependent on the police forces present.



For instance, crowds in Washington, D.C., where anti-scale fencing has been erected around the White House complex, are likely to be surveilled differently than those in a small rural town.



One federal law enforcement agency, the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has been implementing Trump's immigration crackdown and has amassed a digital surveillance arsenal, according to various news outlets.



These includes facial recognition and phone hacking tools, as well as cell site simulators, which can allow for granular surveillance of protesters’ mobile phones.



Multiple federal agencies have deployed social media monitoringas well.