[UK] Met warns officers off photographers

JohnK

Article from The Register about Police in the UK being reminded that photographers aren't terrorists.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/09/metropolitan_police_photo/

The Metropolitan Police has issued guidance to its officers to remind them that using a camera in public is not in itself a terrorist offence.
...
The guidance reminds officers that the public do not need a license to take photographs in the street and the police have no power to stop people taking pictures of anything they like, including police officers.

TJM

This is a useful development. I'm not aware of Gardai here giving hassle to photographers but this gives us a useful precedent to use if needs be.

Paulw

Thankfully the Gardai have a lot more sense and are better educated here.

sineadw

If they mean it, then excellent

Ricky91t

Paulw wrote: »

Thankfully the Gardai have a lot more sense and are better educated here.

Burnt

I haven't been hassled in the past 6 weeks or so, dispite being down in the
city, canary warf, parliment sq and the usual locations. So maybe they're
taking heed.

I'll probabily get busted tonight now....:(

KarmaGarda

This is a nice development. A friend of mine was taking pictures of the Fire Brigade and got cornered by the police here in London for it. They insisted he deleted the pictures or they would arrest him. He, being the guy he is, obliged... I would have been far more stubborn.

FX Meister

KarmaGarda wrote: »

They insisted he deleted the pictures or they would arrest him. He, being the guy he is, obliged... I would have been far more stubborn.

Push comes to shove I'd delete them. Then switch memory cards and recover them later with software.

mikeanywhere

TJM wrote: »

This is a useful development. I'm not aware of Gardai here giving hassle to photographers but this gives us a useful precedent to use if needs be.

I had a bit of hassle with the local fuzz a little while back when I wanted to take a shot that involved the fuzz. The shot was more of a general shot than anyone specific.

But generally they are really cool!!

eolair

KarmaGarda wrote: »

This is a nice development. A friend of mine was taking pictures of the Fire Brigade and got cornered by the police here in London for it. They insisted he deleted the pictures or they would arrest him. He, being the guy he is, obliged... I would have been far more stubborn.

If you're ever asked to delete pics taken in a public place in the UK, then ask them why. If the reason is that they're allegedly illegal then you've allegedly committed a crime, and the officer is asking you to destroy evidence. Which is a crime. Only a court can order the destruction/deletion of images.

The only caveats are around sensitive sites - power stations, transport hubs, military bases - these are covered in CT legislation. If you really want to take any pictures of the first two, get a permit for the day.

Anouilh

This thread is full of the sort of information that reminds me to stay home...