License plate readers used by US police to monitor vehicle movements have been vandalized in at least 36 states, according to an NPR report citing an analysis of local media coverage.

The cameras have reportedly been stolen or damaged, cut down, rammed with vehicles, covered in paint or stickers and, in some cases, shot at.

The incidents point to growing opposition to the expansion of automated surveillance systems that can allow authorities to track where vehicles are located at particular times.

License plate cameras face backlash across US

The reported incidents have targeted automatic license plate readers deployed by US law enforcement agencies across the country.

The systems use cameras to capture license plates and collect information that can subsequently be used by police to identify and locate vehicles.

According to NPR, more than 130,000 automatic license plate readers have been installed across the United States.

The scale of the surveillance network has fueled concerns among opponents who argue that technology initially presented as a law enforcement tool can develop into a system capable of monitoring large numbers of people who are not suspected of wrongdoing.

The reported attacks range from relatively simple acts of obstruction to outright destruction. Cameras have been removed, struck by vehicles, and covered to prevent them from capturing license plate information.

Source:Websites