The campaign group I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! invites photographers to gather in London this Saturday in defence of street photography.
The Mass Photo Gathering is in Trafalgar Square at 12 noon on Saturday 23 January. (Map here.) Over 1,400 people have already confirmed their attendance via this Facebook page.
We’ve covered many cases, here at Lib Dem Voice, of anti-terrorist legislation being misused, particularly to detain photographers. Prompted by incidents like these, PHNAT calls on photographers, whether amateur or professional, as well as anyone who values visual imagery, “to defend our rights and stop the abuse of the terror laws.”
See also Section 44 powers remain in place despite European Court decision from the British Journal of Photography:
“Police forces across the UK have confirmed they will continue to use Section 44 to stop and search individuals, including photographers, despite a decision by the European Court of Human Rights, which found the powers to be illegal. The Home Office plans to appeal the ruling, but it faces an uphill battle to get it overturned.
In a statement to BJP, David Hanson, Policing and Security Minister, has reaffirmed that the stop and search powers granted under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 were ‘an important tool in a package of measures in the on-going fight against terrorism.’
He adds: ‘I am disappointed with the [European Court of Human Rights] ruling in this case as we won all other challenges in the UK courts, including at the House of Lords. We are considering the judgment and will seek to appeal.’ “
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2 Comments
A friend of mine had a neat idea for people stopped under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
The places where the police have the right to perform a section 44 search without concrete suspicion are kept secret. People who are searched are suspected terrorists. Therefore, if a policeman tries to search you, then arrest him for violating the Official Secrets Act and revealing state secrets to a suspected terrorist!
Thank God someone is sticking up for photographers. I’m fed up being made to feel like a pervert whenever I take my camera out in public. There has to be some common sense applied here. Photographing around a kids’ playpark is one thing but innocently taking pics on crowded city streets is quite another.