The UK police arresting photographers

I recently saw few videos from the Guardian's news website about arresting amateur photographers in the name of anti-terrorism law or anti-social behavior. What is your opinion about this?

Here are those videos;
1. An amateur photographer was stopped taking photographs of Accrington town centre, then arrested for anti-social behavior,
http://www.guardian.co​.uk …olice-arrest-photographer
2. An Italian Art student was arrested for filming buildings and surveillance cameras, http://www.guardian.co​.uk …9/dec/15/police​-terrorism
3. Police stopped and searched Paul Lewis under anti-terrorism law for filming a building, http://www.guardian.co​.uk …olice-anti-terrorism-laws

The third video was already posted in this forum. I think the last two videos were taken at the London's financial area.

IMO, Google Maps and Earth gives lot of details than any other photographs or videos. Now, even they show important buildings in 3D.

If they say they've got reason to believe (insert absurdity here), then by refusing to give details of who you are isn't ever going to result in anything other than a trip to the police station.

They could do with raising the standards a little when they are recruiting people for PCSO work though.

I appreciate that these people are standing up for themselves under what appear to be absolutely absurd circumstances, but they could have saved themselves a lot of bother by just playing the game.

Mike

Another article on the subject:

http://www.guardian.co​.uk …rorism-powers-photography

I swear the uk is going backwards.

"Anti-social behavior" Haha! That's hilarious...but not. 1984... :/

Saw the same article yesterday and I was so pleased I'm here and not back "home" in the UK.

Seems like you chaps are being bullied by the Gov. but I can't think why. Surely, the more 'togs there are taking pictures, the more likely it is, that one of them will photograph a real terrorist.

As to "anti-social behaviour", that's a classic.

"Hey look, there's a guy taking pictures of Father Christmas using pro' camera gear...I think I'll bully him, take away his rights, insult him, insinuate he's a perv, and then ignore his requests for justification of my actions."

Regards,
Simon....a long way from that kind of "social behaviour".

skygod44 wrote in post #9668861
"Hey look, there's a guy taking pictures of Father Christmas using pro' camera gear...I think I'll bully him, take away his rights, insult him, insinuate he's a perv, and then ignore his requests for justification of my actions."

Guy taking pictures of Father Christmas loves Big Brother...

While I wholeheartedly understand that the job of a police officer is to keep the public safe from harm and enforce the law; censorship is something else entirely...

J_TULLAR wrote in post #9668697
I swear the uk is going backwards.

Whats new? my country has always been going backwards

http://photographernot​aterrorist.org/

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

Bust card for your wallets!!

im sure this will become a reality here in the states as well...if it isnt already...

It gets worse for photographers in the UK, no wonder there are so many POMS emigrating to NZ

http://www.copyrightac​tion.com …tography-in-public?page=1

Another pom in NZ!

Spacemunkie wrote in post #9671060
Another pom in NZ!

I don't remember letting you in!! Where's my kick-back

Mike-DT6 wrote in post #9668626
If they say they've got reason to believe (insert absurdity here), then by refusing to give details of who you are isn't ever going to result in anything other than a trip to the police station.

Exactly. It's not a huge deal to give your name to an officer of the law.

They could do with raising the standards a little when they are recruiting people for PCSO work though.

I'd like to emphasize this. Too many Law Enforcement Officers are unaware of actual laws, and are power hungry. Therefore they bother people for no reason.

I appreciate that these people are standing up for themselves under what appear to be absolutely absurd circumstances, but they could have saved themselves a lot of bother by just playing the game.

Play the game to an extent, give your details, if they keep pestering you, take down the officers names, move on/go home and report them. It's the most you can do without wasting your time by getting upset and potentially detained.

Mike

What's funny, is I have been questioned by numerous police officers and security about taking pictures somewhere weird or in a "suspicious manner". I just tell them I'm a student and I'm doing a class project (I still carry my old student id, lol). I've never been asked to show my details, but I've been asked to leave before (private property, easily accessible by public, so I left).

I got stopped and searched under the "terrorism act" because someone of my ethnicity was seen in the area looking suspicious...

I had a camera around my neck and giving a tourist a guide around parts of London. Yet police have yet to track down James May's stolen TV...