Kirklees council first in UK to ban mosquito

This is certainly not the first time we have written about mosquito devices – the indiscriminate anti-yoof devices, designed to prevent groups of teenagers from gathering outside shops by emitting high-pitched buzzing audible only to those under the age of 25. 

As we have said in the past there would be enormous outrage if machines were used to keep away pensioners or ethnic groups; yet the Government has resisted any attempts to ban them.  

However, it seems that some councils are now paying attention to complaints about the device. The Huddersfield Examiner has reported that Kirklees council unanimously voted to ban the device from all council property, becoming the first in the UK to do so. The success was due to the work of the Youth Council.

Deputy chairman Muney Singh Jauhar told councillors: “We spoke to a wide range of people and explained to them what the device does. Parents were unpleasantly surprised by this news.”

Fellow youth councillor George Lane added: “There are still going to be issues with antisocial behaviour, but there are alternatives to the Mosquito.” Cabinet member Clr Cath Harris agreed that the devices were unfair.

The Ashbrow Labour woman said: “They punish the majority for the behaviour of the minority and they don’t solve the problem – they just move it on.”

Although the devices are only banned on council property at the moment, it is definitely a step in the right direction; one which we strongly urge other councils to follow.

To reiterate a point made in previous posts, failure to keep law and order and to educate children to behave properly shouldn’t be papered over with illiberal and borderline-cruel technology which can not differentiate between those doing wrong and those simply wishing to go the shops.

By Hannah Dedman