Photograph a terrorist target

Henry Porter, one of the few journalists to "get it" has an excellent article today about how people are being lifted by the police for photographing things - cycle paths, derelict buildings, railway stations and the like. They are then whisked off to the police station and their fingerprints and DNA taken. As our Henry says, something really has to be done.

My idea would be to have a "Photograph a Potential Terrorist Target Day", in which everyone goes out with their cameras and snaps away at any state-owned building. It doesn't actually have to be a terrorist target, any state owned building would do, but the point needs to be got across that this kind of behaviour is normal and acceptable and should not be an excuse for the police to meet their arrest targets by simply lifting people of the streets.

In fact, while we're about it, maybe we should start photographing state officials at work - including particularly policemen.

Comments

[PeterMG]

Could not agree more and I have been trying to get more people (the younger ones) I work with to see what is going on. Photography issues have been well covered by Armature Photographer and I now carry around my rights and the relevant law in my camera bag when I’m out with my camera. Many Chief Constables have already had to issue apologies and the police are completely abusing the law and overstepping their jurisdiction. The Christmas issue of AP had all the updated info. By the way if they ask you to delete photographs from your digital camera they are breaking the Law. If they have due cause to think you are committing a crime your photos are evidence, and guess what you can not do with evidence.

I have written to my MP (Tory) but he seems disinterested. These are the issues that need to driven home but unfortunately I don’t think Cameron has a clue. Where’s David Davies, he’s looking better and better all the time.

[James P]

This has been covered several times recently at The Register:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/12/01/photo_police_rules/

Good point by Peter about evidence. I think in most cases, if you simply stand your ground and ask for chapter and verse on the law you are supposed to be breaking, you will be regarded as too difficult a customer. I would hope so, anyway!

[Bishop Hill]

I think they would probably just haul you off to the clink anyway if you did that.

[Sebastian Weetabix]

The usual police tactic with a barrack room lawyer is to arrest them & then charge them with resisting arrest.