Terrorist Photographers

[BJ]

I watched a Japanese person stopped and questioned by police as a suspected terrorist for taking pictures of "buildings and places" in Twickenham, King Street. I was bemused and wondered what the world was coming to. I wondered if I should help by suggesting they might find a lot more Japanese people with cameras outside Buckingham Palace where the Queen lives.
Being abroad rather a lot, I was not aware that this was a growing phenomenon. BBC News - Photographers protest over UK terror search laws
Anyone else been arrested for pointing a camera? I would have thought that Google Street View should be banned if it was a real problem. You don't even need to leave Yorkshire (where it's been proved that most of our terrorists come from) to get a good view of Twickenham. Google Maps with Street View

[don]

Blimey BJ something else we agree on!

There does seem to be an irrational paranoia gripping the country.

There's still more chance of getting run over on a zebra crossing than being blown out of the sky.

[bythesea]

They win...we lose


Maybe we could have a competition, see who can get arrested for taking a picture at the most inane place, outside of London earns double points....


However, you can't blame the police for taking an interest, I mean, a Japanese person taking photographs...... who ever heard of such a thing....

[Cussy]

I've not been stopped myself, but have heard of people that have.

What makes it all a total nonsense is the fact that almost everyone has a camera in their pocket on their phone. Now if I was doing something dodgy and needed photos I would be using my phone and not an expensive DSLR.

I was given a card to carry early in 2009 that stated the law and pointed out to any police officer that amateur photographers are allowed to do what we do. But would a copper listen anyway?

More worrying for me is I have been challenged a few times taking pictures of my own children in parks or soft-play. I always politely point out I don't want their snotty little brat in my photo and could they please get out of frame!! Just because most parents are paranoid isn't going to stop me having photos of my kids doing what kids enjoy doing - playing.
Rob

[Scuba Diva]

More worrying for me is I have been challenged a few times taking pictures of my own children in parks or soft-play. I always politely point out I don't want their snotty little brat in my photo and could they please get out of frame!! Just because most parents are paranoid isn't going to stop me having photos of my kids doing what kids enjoy doing - playing.
Rob

Its so sad that we have all become so suspicious and that parents can't let children be children.

[Mike Ward]

A chap at my local camera club has a neat dodge for tricky situations - he wears a high-vis yellow vest!

So far he's photographed several places he really shouldn't have been and has even had police persons move their car out of shot for him!

[iwantone]

Seems like the terrorists have won, we are living in a paranoid state with our own government monitoring our every move and every word, just in case!

Any suggestions for a warm sunny place that doesn't harrass you for taking a picture (serious question as I really have had enough of the u.k)

[MarkP]

How many of you lobbied your MP when the terrorism act was being "debated"?

Or were you scared of being "soft on terror"?

[Kalahari Diver]

I am afraid that lobbying your MP doesn't seem to work. At least mine is just lobby fodder!

David.

[MarkP]

I am afraid that lobbying your MP doesn't seem to work. At least mine is just lobby fodder!

Didn't work with my useless liskspittle either. But at least I tried.

My point was that most people embraced this cr@p in the wake of 911 and 77. The few that didn't were labelled as terroist-loving softy do gooders.