November 6th, 2009 | 
Author: Photographers are reporting in this Flickr discussion thread that they were harassed and intimidated by police for engaging in perfectly LEGAL photography. According to the photographer who initiated the discussion:
All the photos in my Halloween set Halloween 2009 were taken on my own property. I certainly didn’t try to hide the fact that I was taking photos. None of the kids or their parents complained or objected. In fact, many of the parents posed their children for these shots.
Apparently a nosey neighbor objected to my taking photos and called the police to complain.
The photographer’s profile states he is in Newport, NC so we presume the incident occurred there. Even more disturbing is the story told by another photographer further down in that discussion. Here is the exchange between the photographer and a cop:
“Why are you taking pictures?”
“For fun.”
“Did you get the parents’ permission?”
“No, but they were standing right next to me.”
“But you didn’t get their permission?”
“No, but…”
“Are you giving the photos to the parents?”
“No. If they want a….”
“So you know why we’re here?”
“They were standing right next to me!”
“Then what are you doing with the photos?”
“Put them on the internet.”
“Why?”
“That’s what I do with all my pictures.”
“You are the only person in San Jose taking photos of kids. So you know why we’re here?”
“My kids were photographed by at least three houses on our block!”
“You are the only person taking photos with professional gear. So you know why we’re here?”
“‘cuz anyone with a camera is either a pedophile or a terrorist?”
That pissed him off a bit. He was fishing for me to say something, but I don’t know what he expected me to say.
“Halloween is a bad time. There are cults abducting children” trying to justify what they were doing.
“huh?”
Photography IS NOT A CRIME yet police officers and ignorant civilians continue to act as if it is. Police officers need to stop investigating it as if it is criminal activity and simply tell whiners that it is NOT ILLEGAL to carry or use a camera. Even worse is the verbal abuse police heap upon photographers who are doing nothing illegal.
Posted in Photography and the Law
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