Black church and community leaders have launched a new online opinion to gauge public opinion on government plans to retain the DNA of citizens with no criminal record, many of whom are discharged suspects.

Black church leaders and community groups have joined protests from civil rights campaigners over the UK government’s decision to retain DNA profiles on close to a million innocent people for up to 12 years.

Black church leaders have joined health experts in welcoming findings from a new opinion poll showing widespread public opposition to adding the DNA of innocent mental health patients to the National Criminal DNA database.