February 21st, 2010 | 
Author: Unbelievable – read this story and accompanying video about a photographer who was detained for EIGHT HOURS for taking pictures of Christmas Celebrations.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/21/photographer-films-anti-terror-arrest
Watch the police repeatedly harass the photographer and this completely unconscionable statement that photography is antisocial:
Patefield and his friend maintained that they did not want to disclose their details. They were stopped a third and final time when returning to their car. This time the officer was accompanied by an acting sergeant. “Under law, fine, we can ask for your details – we’ve got no powers,” he said. “However, due to the fact that we believe you were involved in antisocial behaviour, ie taking photographs … then we do have a power under [the Police Reform Act] to ask for your name and address, and for you to provide it. If you don’t, then you may be arrested.”
TOURISTS BEWARE – You will be arrested if you visit the United Kingdom and take pictures.
Posted in Photography and the Law
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Is it me.. or has the whole world gone to Hell in a hand basket!?
Rail Car Fan
Rail Car, you may not be far off. It seems the UK certainly has.
How in the hell is taking photographs anti-social? those cops are morons.
PSCO’s aren’t really known for their intelligence and the bobbies will back them up every step no matter how asinine their charge. I suspect they target photographers just to show their bosses that their doing something other than being useless.
And yes the world has gone to hell in a hand basket, courtesy of our current overlords, sorry… MP’s, senators etc…
Pity, I was really thinking about making a trip to London this summer, but not at the expense of being labeled a ‘terrorist’ and getting my ass thrown in the slammer simply because I have a camera.