Photograph a cop, go to jail

[compur]

Taking photos of police officers could be considered a crime

The relationship between photographers and police could worsen next month
when new laws are introduced that allow for the arrest and imprisonment of
anyone who takes pictures of officers 'likely to be useful to a person
committing or preparing an act of terrorism'.

Article here.

 

[beni_hung]

Article here.

What?!? I'm sure the officer will be terrorized by me taking his picture..

 

[Josh66]

...Welcome to the police state.

 

[MikeBcos]

Kinda glad I emigrated.

 

[Phranquey]

Kinda glad I emigrated.

Don't worry. We probably won't be far behind...."Homeland Security". I'm kinda surprised NY, L.A., or Chicago hasn't tried this already.

 

[MikeBcos]

Don't worry. We probably won't be far behind...."Homeland Security". I'm kinda surprised NY, L.A., or Chicago hasn't tried this already.

I'm already researching Pacific Islands for when it does happen here.

 

[beni_hung]

It's the beginning of the end of "freedom of the press" in the United States.

 

[inTempus]

It's the beginning of the end of "freedom of the press" in the United States.

This is taking place in England. It's not happening here... yet.

 

[Flash Harry]

Yes its definitely happening here even after a petition a new law comes into effect 12 feb which basically states if your photographing public services personnel or buildings you can be told to stop/have your equipment taken/be arrested, in fact a few have already been arrested for photographing cops etc at demonstrations in London and most recent and nearer to me someone who photographed a ship arriving in teeside was arrested and held for an hour for "suspicious activity" under the prevention of terrorism act.

Freedom of anything is on the way out in the west I'm afraid, this country has turned into paranoia paradise. H

 

[Slaphead]

I'm so glad I emigrated from the UK - IMO the british government is using the perceived (I'm tempted these days to say the "invented") threat of terrorism to invoke more and more freedom curtailing laws.

I'm stopping now before I get to rant stage on this topic.

 

[epp_b]

The attack on photographers' rights is nothing new in the UK.

 

[ksmattfish]

Remember that "the Man" is always well behind the curve when it comes to understanding and effectively using technology. That's why they've harassed thousands of everyday photographers, and yet have never once apprehended a terrorist photographing anything. Be aware of their clumsy attempts to control information and circumvent them. It should be easy. The terrorists sure aren't having any problems fooling them. Get a remote release and leave the camera hanging around your neck when photographing cops.

Soon this will be moot anyway. In the future all areas of any major urban area will be covered by numerous private surveillance cameras as well as the government cameras. Big Brother will find that billions of Little Brothers are watching his every move.

Wireless file transfer from the camera will become more popular. Let the cop have your mem card; your camera will have already cell phoned a copy of the file where ever you want.

 

[gumball513]

WTF lol

 

[djacobox372]

This is taking place in England. It's not happening here... yet.

It can't happen here without amending the constitution and removing the pesky little part about "freedom of the press."

 

[stsinner]

I'm so glad I emigrated from the UK - IMO the british government is using the perceived (I'm tempted these days to say the "invented") threat of terrorism to invoke more and more freedom curtailing laws.

How ignorant that statement was. There's several thousand parentless children in NYC that wish terrorism was an invented threat.

Terrorism is very real.

This is going too far-making photographing a cop illegal, but to discount terrorism is cultural suicide.