French anti-terror police have requested the video footage from the July 14 terror attacks in Nice, France, be deleted to avoid “uncontrolled dissemination,” but Nice officials argue the footage must be kept as evidence, according to an article by BBC.
The Islamic State (ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attacks, in which a terrorist drove a truck through a crowd, killing more than 80 people who were celebrating Bastille Day.
Since the attack, some controversy has arisen regarding the extent of police patrol, with some claiming the government lied about policing at the event.
Whether this request to delete footage is to cover something up or is simply being made out of respect for the victims and their families, it seems to run contrary to the purpose of placing video surveillance cameras in public areas.
Most people know that to go out in public, especially in a major city, is to be recorded. The tradeoff of privacy for increased security seems to be almost universally understood. Surveillance footage has been used in countless situations to deter crime, apprehend criminals, vindicate officers or possibly reveal a narrative vastly different from the official story.
The point is that although it might not always tell the entire story, video doesn’t lie — and that is why it becomes so valuable when the priority is uncovering the truth, regardless of where that leads or what it reveals.
To imagine footage of a horrific slaughter such as the one that took place in Nice being disseminated online or, even worse, being used as propaganda by terrorists is loathsome and disturbing. But to delete the footage in this case seems to defeat the purpose of having video surveillance. The one thing most necessary here is the truth, because how a government responds to this and prepares for security at future events depends on the truth. Video footage offers that truth and must be maintained, even despite the risks.
For original coverage of this issue, visit http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36864440.
