Security cameras manufactured by Chinese companies that have been removed from sensitive UK government sites are now raising significant concerns at locations housing foundational symbols of democracy, including Salisbury Cathedral's copy of the Magna Carta.
Surveillance at Historic Sites
Campaigners have called on Salisbury Cathedral to remove CCTV cameras produced by Dahua Technology, a company based in Hangzhou, China, that currently monitors one of only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. The 1215 document, sealed by King John at Runnymede, established crucial limitations on feudal powers and is widely regarded as a precursor to modern democratic values and human rights protections.
Similar concerns have been raised about the Parthenon temple in Greece, where surveillance equipment from another Chinese firm, Hikvision, is reportedly in use. Both companies' technologies have already been stripped from sensitive UK government locations over fears they could be remotely accessed by Chinese authorities for espionage purposes.
Human Rights Allegations
The World Uyghur Congress (WUC), representing the persecuted ethnic minority from China's Xinjiang region, has written to Salisbury Cathedral's head of security alleging that Dahua Technology has been implicated in "genocide or crimes against humanity." The organisation cites the company's alleged involvement in developing facial recognition systems specifically designed to identify Uyghurs and automate police reporting in Xinjiang.
"For us, it is particularly painful that the technologies of such companies are being used to protect one of the most prominent symbols of democracy and freedom," the WUC stated in correspondence seen by the Guardian. The organisation emphasised that Dahua's CCTV systems have "played a role in control and surveillance mechanisms" in Xinjiang targeting the primarily Muslim Uyghur population.
Security Vulnerabilities Exploited
Beyond human rights concerns, campaigners have highlighted serious security vulnerabilities in the Chinese-made surveillance equipment. Ukrainian organisations have reported multiple incidents where footage from Dahua and Hikvision cameras appears to have been accessed and even broadcast online during Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian territory.
Oleksii Kuprienko of the Ukrainian organisation Don't Fund Russian Army explained: "Such footage can be used to analyse the effectiveness of strikes and, at the same time, to intimidate civilians by openly showing the power of Russian weapons." He referenced a specific incident in early 2024 when footage from a camera believed to be Hikvision equipment broadcast the operation of a Ukrainian air defence system, which was subsequently struck shortly afterwards.
Ukrainian MP Grigory Mamka, who sits on a parliamentary committee scrutinising law enforcement, confirmed that cameras manufactured by both Dahua and Hikvision are being removed in Ukraine after security services established that "entrance codes were hacked and connection was made to equipment installed by these two companies."
Cathedral's Response
A spokesperson for Salisbury Cathedral stated they had not received the email from the WUC, though evidence suggests it was sent on 22 December. The cathedral representative added: "We also do not comment on security matters; however, our systems and suppliers are regularly reviewed, working with external advisers."
According to Dahua Technology's website, their low-light surveillance cameras were installed at Salisbury Cathedral by UK security firm ARC Fire Safety & Security to help ensure the safety of the historic document. The cathedral's own website describes the 810-year-old Magna Carta as a "powerful symbol of social justice" that has "inspired and encouraged freedom movements around the world."
The controversy emerges during a period of diplomatic engagement between the UK and China, with Keir Starmer recently opening the door to a potential UK visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping following bilateral talks. Neither Dahua Technology nor Hikvision returned requests for comment regarding the allegations, and an email to representatives responsible for the Parthenon's stewardship went unanswered.
