Last Thursday NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear sent a letter to Jacqui Smith the Home Secretary on the issue of police surveillance of journalists. In the letter Jeremy Dear wrote that “…we have serious concerns about the activities of the Metropolitan Police’s Forward Intelligence Team (FIT Team) in monitoring and recording the activities of bona fide journalists, especially photographers.” He went on to say the “police’s surveillance… amounts to virtual harassment”.
The full text of the letter has been released to the press today.
British Journal of Photography, 28.05.08, page 4. Copyright British Journal of Photography/Incisive Media, 2008. Published here by kind permission of the British Journal of Photography/Incisive Media.
The cover of the 1968 The Concerned photographer edited by Cornell Capa which included the work of Robert Capa, Werner Bischof, Chim, Andre Kertesz, Leonard Freed and Dan Weiner.
“The concerned photographer finds much in the present unacceptable which he tries to alter. Our goal is simply to let the world also know why it is unacceptable.” – Cornell Capa.
The New York Times reports that, “Cornell Capa, who founded the Iternational Center of Photography in New York after a long and distinguished career as a photojournalist, first on the staff of Life magazine and then as a member of Magnum Photos, died Friday at his home in Manhattan. He was 90.”
Flat Earth News – “The controversial exposé of the truth about our news media.”
I finally got round to reading Flat Earth News by Nick Davies. One of the best reads I have had for some time. As John Humphrys says “if you read newspapers, you must read this book” and I very much agree.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 06.11.06. The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) (often known as MI6) headquarters in Vauxhall on the River Thames. The distinctive building is a well known London landmark designed by the architect Terry Farrell. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2006.
Tomorrow freelance journalist Shiv Malik – with backing from the NUJ – will be in the high court for a judicial review due to police demands for his source material relating to the former right-wing islamist Hassan Butt. The outcome to this case could have serious implications for the future of investigative journalism.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said, “It would appear the police now see journalists as simply another tool of intelligence gathering – and that puts both journalists and journalism under threat. If someone wants to blow the whistle on wrongdoing, or speak out on issues of a sensitive nature, they will be far less likely to come forward if they are unsure about whether they can speak in confidence. That’s not only damaging to democracy, it also forces debate around these issues out of the public eye. Open debate is one of our strongest weapons in taking on terrorists, yet this case undermines our ability to expose the fragility of their arguments.”
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 02.05.08. A civilian police photographer films and photographs working journalists outside City Hall on Friday 2 May 2008 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.
This week the NUJ will be taking up the issue of police surveillance of journalists who regularly cover protests with Jacqui Smith at the Home Office. The British Journal of Photography got wind of this towards the end of last week and rang up for quotes from both Jeremy Dear and I for an article for this weeks issue.
Here are the quotes in full.
NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear said, “The government must stamp out the routine and deliberate targeting of photographers and other journalists by the Forward Intelligence Team. Such actions undermine media freedom and can serve to intimidate photographers trying to carry out their lawful work. These abuses are the latest in an increasingly long list of infringements of media freedom at the hands of the Met Police. The rights of photographers to work free from threat, harassment and intimidation must be upheld”.
Photojournalist Marc Vallée said,“Press freedom is a central tenet of our democracy and it is extremely unpleasant to have Metropolitan Police Forward Intelligence Team (FIT) officers take notes, film and photography you when working. It begs the questions what legal, moral and political power such repressive actions are based on. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary needs to swiftly confirm that the police have no legal power to prevent or restrict working photographers in this way.”
I will post more later in the week once things start to move on this.
A month ago an Israeli tank crew killed the journalist Fadel Shana in Gaza. Reuters (who Fadel Shana worked for) has renewed its demand for an explanation from the Israeli army on why it fired on its cameraman. To find out more, click on the links above.
LONDON. UNITED KINGDOM – 27.10.07. Prisons campaigner Pauline Campbell speaks of the unbearable pain of losing a child through suicide in prison in Trafalgar Square, London, England on Saturday 27th October 2007. Custody death protesters marched from Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square via Downing Street to demand justice for those who have been killed in police custody, prisons and mental health institutions. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2007.
Yesterday I opened an email from Pauline Campbell from a few days before, Pauline always made sure I was up to date with her campaign against custody deaths. Then to be told of her death later that day hits hard in the most brutal of ways. As one of the many journalists that covered her campaign I can say I will miss this most courageous and brave women very much.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 15.06.07. Groups of right-wing islamists demonstrate opposite 10 Downing Street, London, England on Friday 15th June 2007. The islamists protesters congregated to call for a campaign against “British oppression” of UK muslins communities. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2007.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 12.05.08. Protesters demonstrate opposite 10 Downing Street against the Counter-Terrorism Bill in London, England on 12th May 2008. The Bill includes plans to extend pre-charge detention for terror suspects from 28 to 42 days. Parliament is due to vote on the Bill in June 2008. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 10.05.08. Palestinian supporters march from Victoria Embankment to Trafalgar Square, London England on Saturday 10th May 2008. The demonstration marked the 60th anniversary of the Nakba (the catastrophe) which saw hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forced from their homes and birth of the Israeli state. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.
