By Nick Heath, 7 April 2008 14:07
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Wild West-style wanted posters will offer a £1,000 reward for anyone capturing the fingerprints of the Prime Minister or Home Secretary.
The spoof posters, seen here, offer the reward for anyone who can lawfully obtain the fingerprints of either Gordon Brown or Jacqui Smith.
The elaborate stunt has been dreamt up by anti-ID cards campaigners No2ID and Privacy International, who will put up posters in tube stations and pub toilets.
Brown and Smith are accused of "identity theft" in the posters, which promise to make their fingerprints publicly available if captured.
The reward money will be paid to a charity of the 'bounty hunter's' choice, once evidence is provided to corroborate their identity.
It suggests lifting the prints from hard surfaces such as a beer glass or doorknob.
The campaign is an attack on government plans to take the biometric details of UK citizens for ID cards, starting next year.
The poster says: "Smith & Brown intend acquiring by force the fingerprints of innocent people. The ringleaders need to learn that our fingerprints are not government property."
The campaign could leave the groups open to prosecution for incitement but there has been no indication of any legal action so far.
Photo credit: No2ID
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. anonymous
Why obtained legally? Police / CPS obtain fingerprints and DNA illegally every day. Hell, they're even considering taking this info from kids....perhaps we need another poster - reward for the fingerprints of their families too.
2. Ollie Clark
Er, surely you just hand them an autograph book with a shiny surface (polished first of course and wearing gloves) and you've got your grand?
It's so easy to "steal" people's fingerprints that I can't really see the point they're making here. The hard part is putting Mr Brown's or Ms Smith's fingerprints on the end of your own fingers to impersonate them. This is not as hard as most people probably think though.
3. Ric Fowles
Sure, Ollie, next time you are in Mr Brown's or Ms Smith's company, pass them your autograph book!