I’m sure at least some of you remember the crazy “anti terror” campaign posters around the UK a while back (pictured below). Well the backlash from that bizarre, and more than a little creepy, event has finally starting catching up with them it seems.
According to ‘Amateur Photographer‘, the UK government is set to release a set of specific guidelines and reminders for police policy in regards to photography, which will, among other things, contain the following…
’There is no power under the Terrorism Act to prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place.
If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist reconnaissance then they should act appropriately, by searching the person under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act or making an arrest. Cameras, film and memory cards may be seized as evidence but there is no power for images to be deleted or film destroyed by officers.’
At least, that’s in the draft version. It’s yet to be determined what exactly will make the final cut.
It’s interesting to see the UK government attempting a bit of a proactive aproach with this, though it would be nice if the police could be expected to know how to deal with such things without a written reminder not to abuse their power. If only the US (and to a slightly smaller degree Canada) would at least attempt to deal with the legal issues surrounding the police harassing photographers (and other such people whom they consider a good target for undue harassment).
I once had a run-in with a police officer regarding my taking photos near where he was walking around in Ottawa, and thankfully it didn’t amount to anything other than a few choice words and explaining that I knew my rights and such (which sadly is the case for far too few people these days), and that was that. It could have been far worse.
Anyone have any stories about undue police harassment because of your photography? I’ve heard too many to count, but it’s always interesting to hear just how crazy the world can be sometimes….even if it tends to be high on the “Orwell, 1984″ meter from time to time.
You May Not be Labeled a Terrorist After All
I’m sure at least some of you remember the crazy “anti terror” campaign posters around the UK a while back (pictured below). Well the backlash from that bizarre, and more than a little creepy, event has finally starting catching up with them it seems.
According to ‘Amateur Photographer‘, the UK government is set to release a set of specific guidelines and reminders for police policy in regards to photography, which will, among other things, contain the following…
’There is no power under the Terrorism Act to prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place.
If officers reasonably suspect that photographs are being taken as part of hostile terrorist reconnaissance then they should act appropriately, by searching the person under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act or making an arrest. Cameras, film and memory cards may be seized as evidence but there is no power for images to be deleted or film destroyed by officers.’
At least, that’s in the draft version. It’s yet to be determined what exactly will make the final cut.
It’s interesting to see the UK government attempting a bit of a proactive aproach with this, though it would be nice if the police could be expected to know how to deal with such things without a written reminder not to abuse their power. If only the US (and to a slightly smaller degree Canada) would at least attempt to deal with the legal issues surrounding the police harassing photographers (and other such people whom they consider a good target for undue harassment).
I once had a run-in with a police officer regarding my taking photos near where he was walking around in Ottawa, and thankfully it didn’t amount to anything other than a few choice words and explaining that I knew my rights and such (which sadly is the case for far too few people these days), and that was that. It could have been far worse.
Anyone have any stories about undue police harassment because of your photography? I’ve heard too many to count, but it’s always interesting to hear just how crazy the world can be sometimes….even if it tends to be high on the “Orwell, 1984″ meter from time to time.