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London police enforce imaginary law against brave, principled teenaged photographer

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AB Editor | 12:33 Tue 29th Jun 2010 | News
48 Answers
Afternoon All.

From BoingBoing:

Two police officers stopped a teenaged freelance photographer from taking pictures of police cadets marching in an Armed Forces Day in London. The officers claimed (incorrectly) that it was against the law to photograph minors without parental consent. Then they pushed him down a set of stairs and detained him. The photographer recorded the incident, including the officers claiming that they didn't need any law to detain him.
http://www.boingboing...don-cops-enforce.html

From the Photographer:
"I was quickly and aggressively stopped by one of their adult officers asking me who I worked for," he wrote on his blog. "I responded that I was a freelance and upon being told I needed parental permission to photograph them, I explained this was a public event in a public place and that I didn't for editorial use."

It is quite a disgusting way for the police to act. The young man stands his ground, remains relatively calm and all he is met with is nonsense from the police. For anyone who suggests "young'uns should have more respect for authority" this is a fine example of why authority is not trusted by the nation's youth.

The video is a mix of the still images taken by the photographer and the sound recorded from the exchange.

Thoughts?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQucfv0slOE&feature=player_embedded#!
London police enforce imaginary law against brave, principled teenaged photographer
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So a statement intended to show my broad agreement with your earlier position elicits a spiteful response like that! Do you not understand anything you read?

It seems self evident which of us was lacking in knowledge.
I thought the Editor was here to edit......
Question Author
Hi Craft. You don't like me putting up a thread?

I think it is rare enough to be non offensive, surely?

Spare Ed
taken from the independant

In the audio recording, when asked by Mr Mattsson what law police were using to detain him and ask for details, one officer replies: “We don’t have to have a law.”

The 16-year-old continues to argue his case, informing the officers that he has a right to photograph in public places and asks whether he can get back to work.

Instead he is told by a second officer that he is now “considered a threat under the Terrorism Act” and escorted away from the parade. Mr Mattsson claims he was then pushed down a set of four concrete stairs and detained until the parade passed.

The incident in Romford came just 24 hours after the force was forced to pay compensation to two photojournalists for a similar incident. Marc Vallee and Jason Parkinson took civil action against the Met after they had their camera equipment grabbed by officers in December 2008 while reporting on a protest outside the Greek Embassy.

In a public apology the Met admitted that its officers had “failed to respect press freedom” of the two journalists and agreed to pay them each £3,500 plus legal costs.

Police forces across the country were told to stop using anti-terror laws to question and search innocent photographers after The Independent ran a campaign last year highlighting how legislation was being regularly misused. But groups representing photographers say the message is often struggling to get through to some front line officers.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said the force had no information on the incident but added that police officers should not stop amateur or professional photographers from capturing images in a public place.

Mr Mattsson has been given legal advice not to talk publicly about the incident. He is believes to be planning to take legal action against the Met.
Question Author
Thanks for that Dr.F
an update on photographer/terrorists

http://photographernotaterrorist.org/
Question Author
That is a really good link Jno.

The bust card looks useful!

http://photographerno...t/uploads/s44bust.pdf
oh, that's good. As a keen amateur (non-terror-related) photographer myself, I'll print that out. Thanks.

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