Thought I'd share a little experience I had this evening, being stoppped and challenged and told to delete photos I'd been taken at Canary Wharf.
In a nut shell, it amounted to a couple of jumped up security guards telling me I had no right to take photos and had to delete them and that the police had no juristriction at the Wharf..!!!!
Bit of digging and here's some helpful info from the Home Secretary's recent statement in Parliament http://photographernotaterrorist.org/... Basically, Officers (That's proper Police and not security guards or Police Community Support Officers) will no longer be able to search individuals using section 44 powers. Instead, officers must reasonably suspect the person to be a terrorist before they can stop you photographing...
Just thought I share my experience and see if anyone else out there had similar...
Here's what caused all the trouble.... Clealry some secret govt experiment going on that I shouldn't have taken.... Click on pic to read the full account...
I probably end up in tons of places I shouldn't be in, but so far I haven't been caught--haha. I'm taking notes on your conversation in case I need snappy comebacks, though....
That happened to me about a year ago in Florida. I was at an Office building. I went to take a couple pics, and "Clem" the Security Guard comes at me acting like he was the Team America World Police. I bet his wife kicks his butt daily and makes him wash dishes. What a joke.
2. I wonder how the law's different in other countries, ie. Australia or the US (eeek). Anyone know?
3. Don't requirements like "officers must reasonably suspect the person to be a terrorist" make way for racial stereotyping, to some extent? What's worse - to have to defend your use of a camera, or to have to defend your place of birth, skin and clothes? It's a lot easier to follow one's prejudices than one is usually prepared to admit, at least until one makes a concerted effort not to. The police would far more readily hold a photographer in a cell overnight on a trumped-up charge if they're a foreigner - at least, that's how it seems in the media.
Well you know.. I can understand him being scared of you, You look scary to me, and didnt I see your photo on a wanted poster last year?? Terrorist of the year or something like that??? and you know that building could be housing the secret love child of Hitler and the queen mother...... They have to have some type of protection!!
So far I have only been told I was not allowed to take pictures in the mall. Apparently making fun of products by placing them on your head and taking photos is prohibited. hehe
@farge really haven't run into too many problems around here. i even shot some at the airport a few weeks ago that included the security checkpoint and on a local base with no problems... i believe it has something to do with a document somewhere that allows us free speech... haha that is until they slap you with the Patriot Act....
@barrymikhal ,as long as you dont open up too much. I wouldnt want your guts all over the place..... as for being a spy, I think if you found out the truth, you would have to be destroyed ... and you film too.
Australia is fairly free with photography, in actual public places. Shopping centres, because they are owned privately, can stop you from taking photos or videos inside (but not from a public place just outside), but they can't tell you to delete your photos or footage. In fact, no-one can. In Queensland that would be called Wilful Damage under the Criminal Code.
When I've been given grief I've mostly just given a thousand-yard stare, and then ignored them (or photographed them if they've made threats towards me - you know, in case I need to identify them later). Granted, I'm 6'2" and most people would think twice about man-handling me. If anyone tried to take my memory cards or camera they would have some actual violence on their hands. I'm a bit touchy about that stuff.
Interesting! I'm presuming you didn't delete them as you've shown us this one - how did it resolve?
I've only been told to stop when I've been taking pics of the building I work in (govt dept) - and when I said 'no don't worry I'm work here, here's my pass' - the security guard said it was for my own protection as the police might stop me ...
All I can say is, you are commited to 'The cause' - over a years worth of photos on a relatively unknown website, all so you can terrorise London in the future without suspiscion ... (Though I'm guessing MI5 now have a file on you ...)
In 2006, Southbank in Melbourne, Australia erected signs declaring a ban on photography in and around the complex (unless given explicit permission), amidst the terrorist paranoia of the day. This caused an enormous stir in the photographic community, with many reports of security guards approaching tourists and local photographers and asking them to cease, made it into the papers.
Eventually Southbank took down the signs, but as far as I'm aware, they still maintain the right to ask you to cease photographing under Australian law. This is because the area is privately owned, despite the outdoor areas being very public in nature. Please someone correct me if this has since been rectified.
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Great world we live in.
2. I wonder how the law's different in other countries, ie. Australia or the US (eeek). Anyone know?
3. Don't requirements like "officers must reasonably suspect the person to be a terrorist" make way for racial stereotyping, to some extent? What's worse - to have to defend your use of a camera, or to have to defend your place of birth, skin and clothes? It's a lot easier to follow one's prejudices than one is usually prepared to admit, at least until one makes a concerted effort not to. The police would far more readily hold a photographer in a cell overnight on a trumped-up charge if they're a foreigner - at least, that's how it seems in the media.
I think we all must realize that there are people who wish us dead.
@nikkers - I can only dream that people would open up like you do, myself included.
carry this in the USA
When I've been given grief I've mostly just given a thousand-yard stare, and then ignored them (or photographed them if they've made threats towards me - you know, in case I need to identify them later). Granted, I'm 6'2" and most people would think twice about man-handling me. If anyone tried to take my memory cards or camera they would have some actual violence on their hands. I'm a bit touchy about that stuff.
I've only been told to stop when I've been taking pics of the building I work in (govt dept) - and when I said 'no don't worry I'm work here, here's my pass' - the security guard said it was for my own protection as the police might stop me ...
Eventually Southbank took down the signs, but as far as I'm aware, they still maintain the right to ask you to cease photographing under Australian law. This is because the area is privately owned, despite the outdoor areas being very public in nature. Please someone correct me if this has since been rectified.