July 9th, 2009 | 
Author: As we have been reporting photographers in Great Britain have been experiencing widespread harassment by police and Police Community Support Officers (PCSO). The Metropolitan Police Service has finally responded by issuing a clarification to the rules. The following sentences appear promising:
Members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel….
The Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place.
[...]
Any officer making an arrest for an offence under Section 58a must be able to demonstrate a reasonable suspicion that the information was of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
It should ordinarily be considered inappropriate to use Section 58a to arrest people photographing police officers in the course of normal policing activities, including protests, as without more, there is no link to terrorism.
[...]
Creating vantage points
When areas are cordoned off following an incident, creating a vantage point, if possible, where members of the media at the scene can see police activity, can help them do their job without interfering with a police operation. However, media may still report from areas accessible to the general public.[...]
The press and the public
If someone distressed or bereaved asks the police to stop the media recording them, the request can be passed on to the media, but not enforced.
Of course we will have to wait and see how this works in practice and if the situation really improves. New York City also issued a directive to the officers of the NYPD, however the reports we have been receiving indicates that the directive is being flagrantly ignored by the cop on the street and harassment of photographers is continuing unabated. Perhaps London will be different…
Posted in Photography and the Law
Have a story to share that we did not cover? Want to discuss something in greater detail? Want to compare Nikon vs. Canon? Post it in our forum - all are welcome.
this is an important development for photographers. it’s because of web sites like this along with the publicity generated by people asserting their rights that these clarifications were made. hopefully this will save some poor soul with a camera the hassle and indignation of a verbal assault in the future.
Still problematic (and interesting) are the differences from our rights here in the U.S. — for example, the power of the police to compel a photographer to show his images (how do they deal with film?), and the ability to seize without warrant.