We're all going to snap
One of the most egregious abuses is the recent idea that anyone taking a photo of anything must be doing so not because they want a memento, but because they plan to blow it up at some later date.
Therefore, they are potential terrorists. Oh no! Therefore, under section 44 of the Terrorism Act, they must be stopped, arrested and their cameras confiscated.
What a load of hectoring, controlling, fascist state bollocks that is. What happened to the simple concept of a 'free country' for fuck's sake?
If CF wants to take a photo of something, he'll fucking well take a photo of it, and the police - or more often, the pretendy police, the PCSO - can fuck right off.
A group has been created to kick back against this insane over-empowerment of Plod, under the catchy name of "I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist!"
As PHNAT (yeah, that's what they call themselves) say on their website :
"Photography is under attack. Across the country it that seems anyone with a camera is being targeted as a potential terrorist, whether amateur or professional, whether landscape, architectural or street photographer"
Fucking right. They also point the glaring failure of logic underlying this stupidity:
"creation of the collective visual history of our country is extinguished by anti-terrorist legislation designed to protect the heritage it prevents us recording"
But more fundamentally, why the fuck can't we take a photo of anything we can see without the heavy hand of the state falling onto our shoulders?
But that's just not happening in the real world: a press photographer covering - gawd 'elp us - 'campaigning Santas' at City Airport was arrested.
A BBC photographer was stopped and searched for pointing his camera - along with several hundred tourists - at St Paul's Cathedral.
And in one of the most outstanding pieces of fuckwittery yet, seven - seven? - armed - fucking armed? - police grabbed an architectural photographer in the City of London, for the crime of photographing a steeple at the ruined Christ church in Newgate. Dear God.
Well, PHNAT aren't going to take this shit anymore. They've planned a demonstration for tomorrow. Saturday January 23rd, on Trafalgar Square at noon. "In defence of street photography". Jesus H. Christ, that it should come to this - defending our right to use a camera outdoors.
Get down there tomorrow, if you're able. Exercise your rights; take some pictures.
And tell the Nanny State, and all her plastic plods, to fuck right off.
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9 comments:
I seem to recall that a Senior Met Officer (it might even have been DAC John Yeats) recently publicly stated that ..
"it was no offence to take photographs of front-line Police Staff, nor of public buildings and that it had never been the intention that the Legislation should be interpreted in such a way" ..
It will be interesting to see if that edict has filtered down to the Rank & File ..
Shower of useless cunts
FOUND IT !!!!!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/dec/15/yates-police-terrorism-powers-photography
I suggest that those going tomorrow print this off & carry it with them at all times .. and that they take the shoulder numbers of any Police Officer or PCSO who attempts to prevent photography of public buildings & to follow that up with a very strongly-worded complaint ..
Well done, Captain.
Best of British to anyone attending.
Or a Paedophile. Take a picture of your little girl at the christmas concert with the other kids - oh no cos you might be part of a peodophile ring.
"and that they take the shoulder numbers of any Police Officer or PCSO"
And if they aren't wearing any, or they're covered, then take a picture of them as well. It will be evidence of a crime being committed...
It's also worth mentioning that the Environment Agency is coming in for huge stick from the British Journal of Photography and the Association of Photographers (amongst others I should think) for advertising for people to partake in unpaid work on their behalf;
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=872792
It's ok though, you even get to KEEP YOUR OWN PHOTOGRAPHS. Well, that's alright then. You can take pictures of things as long as the government can profit from it without paying the going rate.
What, exactly, is it they don't want us to record?
Its not so much that they want to prevent anyone from recording anything ..
More that they want to thwart and/or disrupt recconaissance by potential terrorists ..
But as Assistant Commissioner of the Met, John Yates points out .. "this has to be balanced by a common-sense approach" .. it would seem that his Directive to all Borough Commanders has not been heeded ..
I would suggest that any/all complaints against Police with regard to this matter be addressed to him personally C/O New Scotland Yard ..
BTW .. its not actually a Criminal Offence for any Police Officer/PCSO to cover up, or fail to display their Number(s) .. it is however a Disciplinary matter & should form the basis for a legitimate complaint ..
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