Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7888301.stm

If a link to terrorism can be proven, taking a photo of police officers could be illegal...

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

It's madness, I could be in trouble for taking a photo like this one from last week.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/...aa6b838d_b.jpg

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

Only if your linked to terrorism mate, your not, are you ?

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

"likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism" is incredibly broad and any photo of any Policeman could be construed as such.

This basically makes any kind of demonstration where the police may be present, pointless, since the whole of point demonstrations is to draw attention through the media.

Still, if you've done nothing wrong you've got nothing to fear..as long as you don't intend trying to prove yourself innocent with photographic evidence.

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

All cops are different and when presented with woolly law descriptions from the government, they always apply it differently. That would the government's fault for wording the laws so loosely.

From all the coppers I have ever known (and I have known a lot), none have ever refused a photograph or argued against having a photo taken providing the photographer had good intentions (like DW's photo). However, that doesn't extend to:

1. The pond life that turn up to photograph a pedestrian or motorist smeared across the road so they can take the photo home and furiously masturbate over it later.

2. When cops are struggling to control violent, drug-crazed and mostly armed clients/customers/****, they don't need wannabe papps a few inches from their face shouting and trying to incite the situation.

If anyone agrees with #2, I could turn up while they are at work, constantly videoing goading them and threatening to post it on Youtube, and see how well they do their job. Its not easy, even without the violent, armed, drug-crazed criminals.

This law was drafted to prevent a reoccurence of the situation we had before when a Muslim British soldier was targetted for kidknapp and summary (Youtube) execution. To think anyone who has a hi-vi jacket in the corner of their photo should just turn themselves in is rubbish.

---------- Post added at 13:21 ---------- Previous post was at 13:09 ----------

Also, another thing to bear in mind: coppers are people too. Like others, they might be photophobic and not want their photos taken and plastered all over the public. It would be nice if photographers respected that as well as the others who don't want their photo taken and (mis) used.

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

And there are plenty of people who will do that. Where I work there are at least two people well known for skulking about the town centre at weekends with cameraphones and putting edited highlights onto Youtube. Arresting a struggling bag of cocaine, alcohol, tattoos and muscle isn't pretty at the best of times and when certain sections of the incident are removed or glossed over it can look even worse.

Plus the uniform makes you look fat :D

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

That'll be the body armour, slim-boy! ;)

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

Under the act they could decide I was, arrest me and use the photograph as evidence to send me down. This is what is being fought against.

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

Errr of course. Not a fish-supper, McDonalds, kebab, curry or KFC has ever passed my lips when on duty oops:

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

Nope,it was Dunkin' Donuts instead :D

From today you can no longer film the Police.
 

Although they can film you without permission, you will find yourself breaking the law if you film them.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7888301.stm

This is just another piece of the jigsaw to completion of a Police State.

Re: From today you can no longer film the Police.
 

You aren't being paranoid.

WE ARE OUT TO GET YOU! :erm:

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

I bet the RUC wished this law existed in the 70s and 80s in Northern Ireland though

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

They will use this against anyone they want to. There have been example of them using anti terror laws against people who are not terrorists.

re: Photographing the police (Come on Derek...smile :D)
 

What??

Think of all the motorists they'll be missing out on catching....