By Dylan Shobe
With millions expected to descend onto the World Cup this spring, some Boston residents voiced concerns about the implementation of anti-drone technology that might be deployed to monitor the games.
They said they are suspicious about what would happen to the technology when the matches are over and who will have access to it, given preexisting surveillance devices in Boston.
They also recall this month’s spectacle in El Paso, Texas, when US Customs and Border Protection agents used an anti-military laser to shoot down what they said were cartel-linked drones, only to discover they were party balloons.
“We’re hungry for order, we’re hungry for structure and I’m hungry to hear what logistics will look like because we haven’t heard anything,” said Eryn-Ashlei Bailey, a member of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council.
The state announced last month that it received $21.2 million in grant funding from the federal government to cover safety measures, including additional personnel and methods to detect, destroy or disable malicious-drone activity at the World Cup. The investment will ensure state and local law enforcement agencies “are equipped to safeguard residents and visitors during events like the World Cup,’’ said public safety and security Secretary Gina Kwon in a press release.
The grants include nearly $11 million for the Boston Police Department, nearly $4 million for the Foxborough Police Department and nearly $7 million for the Massachusetts Police Department.
Funding comes from the federal Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“These grants will help state and local police agencies bolster security, training and equipment to keep residents and visitors safe throughout the games and surrounding celebrations,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a press release announcing the grants.
The grants are part of a larger $500-million initiative that will be split over the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years, according to FEMA documents. The World Cup and America 250 celebrations will receive priority, with unallocated funds directed to next year.
FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be staged across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and include 104 matches. It is expected to attract 5 million people.
Boston will host seven matches this summer at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, according to Boston Host Committee for the World Cup’s website.
In addition, thousands are expected to descend onto Boston City Hall Plaza to celebrate the game in the heart of the city, and World Cup watch parties will be held throughout the neighborhoods.
Authorities have said that as part of their World Cup planning, they aim to keep the public safe.
Bailey said that she is concerned about counter-drone technology deployed in communities that face constant pressure from Immigration Customs and Enforcement agents. She said she also worries about overpolicing people in communities of color who are fearful of ICE.
People are afraid,’’ she said. “Then you’re bringing in this mass, powerful technology. The default would be, ‘We don’t want this technology. We want to protect our neighbors.’ ”
She said she hopes authorities will hold public conversations in communities near the World Cup, including Boston, about how these safety measures would be used.
David Chase Brewster III, another neighborhood council member, said while JP will be a distance away from the Boston World Cup matches, he is concerned about the increasing use of technology by people with bad intentions and by the government, which is supposed to protect the people.
Drones are inexpensive, small and easy to hide, he said.
“I see this being a concern of the Boston police,” said Brewster. “I would be happy if bad guys aren’t driving drones into my house.”
Dylan Shobe is a student in the Boston University Journalism program. This story is a partnership between The Mission Hill Gazette and the Boston University Journalism program.