There’s been growing outrage and concern from UK photographers over increasingly Draconian, illegal – and plain daft – clampdowns on their right to take photos in a public place.
Police officers, security guards and general jobsworths have been using terrorism laws to harass photographers, sparking several public protests in London.
Our sister site urban75 has been documented a whole slew of case studies, including outrageous tales of a man held in police station for eight hours after taking pictures of Christmas celebrations, a Mall security guard accusing a shopper of being a paedophile for photographing his own son and the Police deleting a London tourists’ photos ‘to prevent terrorism.’
In a meeting with a Parliamentary photography group and journalists, David Hanson MP, the UK Policing and Crime Minister, has today restated that anti-terrorism laws should not be used to stop photographers, innocent members of the public, tourists and journalists from taking snaps.
He added that guidance to that effect has been provided to the UK police forces, although similar advice issued in the past doesn’t seem to have prevented further harassment.
Here’s David Hanson MP’s press statement:
“I recently met with Austin Mitchell MP, members of the Parliamentary All Party Photography Group and representatives of the photographic press and the Royal Photographic Society to discuss the issue of counter terrorism powers and offences in relation to photography.
“I welcomed the opportunity to reassure all those concerned with this issue that we have no intention of Section 44 or Section 58A being used to stop ordinary people taking photos or to curtail legitimate journalistic activity.
“Guidance has been provided to all police forces advising that these powers and offences should not be used to stop innocent member of the public, tourists or responsible journalists from taking photographs.
“These powers and offences are intended to help protect the public and those on the front line of our counter terrorism operations from terrorist attack. For the 58A offence to be committed, the information is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
“I have committed to writing to Austin Mitchell MP to reinforce this message and to follow-up on the representations made to me at today’s meeting.”
[Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK]
[Via]
