Innocent photographer or terrorist?

[moggie]

From the BBC:

Misplaced fears about terror, privacy and child protection are preventing amateur photographers from enjoying their hobby, say campaigners.

Phil Smith thought ex-EastEnder Letitia Dean turning on the Christmas lights in Ipswich would make a good snap for his collection.

The 49-year-old started by firing off a few shots of the warm-up act on stage. But before the main attraction showed up, Mr Smith was challenged by a police officer who asked if he had a licence for the camera.

After explaining he didn't need one, he was taken down a side-street for a formal "stop and search", then asked to delete the photos and ordered not take any more. So he slunk home with his camera.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7351252.stm

FFS, what kind of country are we becoming where some woodentop can make up licences on the spot and order you around like that? I'd like to think I'd have given a more robust response if it'd been me being challenged, but of course that'd probably just land me in a cell.

[Morris Onions]

1. Good grief!

They really are becoming a law unto themselves aren't they.

Here's how to deal with them...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfQrDK9YHas&feature=related

Quite funny.

[truebrit71]

7. Brilliant video....spineless buggers didn't have the guts to admit they were wrong...

...

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. And yet the Met is encouraging people to report photographers

"Thousands of people take photos every day. What if one of them seems odd? Terrorists use surveillance to help plan attacks, taking photos and making notes about security measures like the location of CCTV cameras. If you see someone doing that, we need to know. Let experienced officers decide what action to take."

http://www.met.police.uk/campaigns/campaign_ct_2008.htm

We see what an 'experienced' officer does with someone taking photos at a public ceremony. :eyes: And, given we have more CCTV that anywhere in the world, just about any photo in London is going to end up noting the location of a camera.

[non sociopath skin]

3. I am beginning to get the vibe, in my professional life, that we are in for a backlash ...

... against the overkill engendered by our obsession with paedophilia.

More and more professionals in education, childcare and healthcare are muttering ever louder about the total no-no on any physical demonstration of empathy, kindness or affection whatsoever towards children.

Interesting that The Powers That Be will set their face like flint against any attempt to stop parents smacking their kids but back off from condoning any affectionate pat on the back or gentle squeeze of the hand by a professional faced with a distressed and unhappy child.

The words "baby" and "bathwater" spring to mind ...

The Skin

[Henny Penny]

5. Baby??? bath???

You just count yourself lucky young fella me lad that you're an anonymous poster on this 'ere interweb!

[non sociopath skin]

6. ROFLOL

:rofl:

... though it's not funny really .... :banghead:

The Skin

[fedsron2us]

4. Even the Daily Telegraph appears to be getting fed up with sort of thing