Hugo Coelho

Campaigners say buzz off to the Mosquito

Mosquito device

Children's right campaigners last week called for a ban on high-frequency devices used to drive teenagers away from commercial zones.

The sonic device known as the 'mosquito' emits a disturbing high-pitched whine only under-25 can hear.

 

The popularity of the £500, so called 'Mosquito Alarm' is growing among retailers who face violence from youth gangs.

The campaigners estimate there are more than 3500 'mosquitoes' across the United Kingdom.

England's commissioner for children Sir Al Aynsley-Green called for an immediate ban of the device.

"These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving," he said.

'An indiscriminate sonic weapon'

Campaigners are asking youngsters to identify the spots where the 'mosquitoes' are installed and encourage them to report against them.

Buzz Off, the movement that calls for the ban, already gained the support of Human right groups.

Liberty Director, Shami Chakirabarti, said: "What type of society uses a low level sonic weapon on its children? Imagine the outcry if a device was introduced that caused blanket discomfort to people of one race or gender".

But according to developer Howard Stapleton local councils, shopkeepers and police forces are increasingly adopting the mosquito alarm.

Answering critics, the creator of the ultrasonic device said: “People talk about infringing human rights but what about the human rights of the shopkeeper who is seeing his business collapse because groups of unruly teenagers are driving away his customers?"

The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) also defended the use of the alarm whenever shoppers face youth vandalism.

Now that a re-ignition of the "hoddies' rights" debate is on the brink, the government announced, it has no intention to ban the 'mosquito alarm'.

Nevertheless, it claimed that the alarm should be used only as a last resort against anti-social behaviour.

 

Copyright London Out Loud 2008 l Legal Policy