LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.12.08. Two police officers attempt to stop Photojournalist Marc Vallée reporting on a blockade of the Greek Embassy by Greek and British anarchists in London, England on Monday 8th December 2008. Published here by kind permission of Philip Caller. (c) Philip Caller, 2008.
“NUJ speaks out against Met Police ‘heavy-handedness’ at Greek Embassy Protests” - blogs.journalism.co.uk
“Journalists obstructed at embassy protests” – National Union of Journalists.
“Police attempt to confiscate photography equipment at the Greek Embassy protests” – blogs.journalism.co.uk
“Members of the media have a duty to take photographs and film incidents and we have no legal power or moral responsibility to prevent or restrict what they record.” - Guidelines for Metropolitan Police Service staff on dealing with media reporters, press photographers and television crews, 2006.
“First of all, may I take this opportunity to state that the Government greatly values the importance of the freedom of the press, and as such there is no legal restriction on photography in public place” – Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary in a letter to Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, June 2008.
Post updated on: 11.12.08.
Tags: Free Press Home Office Media Freedom Media Restriction Media Workers Metropolitan Police Philip Caller Photographers Photography Photojournalism Picture Libraries Police Officer Press Freedom
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Marc, while (as an NUJ photographer myself) I do not condone the bully-boy tactics of the Police at all, I have to say that you seem to get more than your fair share of abuse from that sector. Have you stopped to wonder if it might be something about you or the way you approach those situations that might have a bearing on it?
[...] Can I have my lens hood back officer? [...]
Are you sure you don’t want to go the whole hog, Stephen, and suggest that there is no smoke without fire?
The issue is that police officers do not like people who are not police officers documenting their behaviour, their actions, their attitudes or their words.
Asserting one’s right to document such things is what attracts the ire of police officers; not the way that one ‘approaches these situations’, but that one dares to approach them at all.
[...] Vallée, who has featured on Journalism.co.uk before in regards to his investigation of rights under the Terrorism Act 2000, also publishes the photos on his blog. [...]
“Have you stopped to wonder if it might be something about you or the way you approach those situations that might have a bearing on it?”
Yes, Stephen your quite right aren’t you!
Marc should just approach the situation in a civilised manner and should always ask the police first before he takes his pictures. Marc should also ask the police for guidance on what to shoot. And afterwards Marc should approach the police press office and ask them for guidance on what to send out afterwards. Above all Marc should be civilised at all times and should never make a nuisance of himself should he.
Stick to photo-shopping kettles Stephen, you’d be bloody hopeless in this line of work!
I agree 100 % with Stephen Power in the first blog above.
Why do you say that Brian? Marc is a friend and colleague and done many jobs with him. He is always professional and concentious in the way he works. Like all of us he is just trying to do his job to the best of his ability and sometimes, as Terence rightly says, the cops take exception to this. We have all had hassle to varying degrees, and surely we have to unite in doing what we can so we can get on with our work. We are no different to other workers in wanting to get on with our job without unecessary interference. Its not as if we are interfering with a crime scene is it?
Brian…The Independent.
It was.
Were you?
Obviously not anymore.
I think what Stephen and Brian have written is pretty much bang out of order. I’ve worked alongside Marc on a few occasions on events and demos and he always worked in a very professional way and is very attentive to his work.
I think the reason the Police probably target him, (and the real reason the he gets more than his fair share of abuse from that sector) is because:
A) He took them to court for the injuries that he sustained at the hands of an incompetent copper. Even though the case was settled out of court, everyone knew that it was in truth him who won the day. They hate losing, especially to someone who shows them up for thuggery.
B) He’s a bloody good journalist who has documented time and time again examples of them abusing their authority and harassing journalists. They hate people who expose this kind of stuff.
I think it’s really sad that another NUJ photographer, in a world where our rights as journalists, according to the same NUJ, are abused and ignored, assumes it must be the photographer at fault not the police.
I think you both need to read up on what’s really going on in the world pretty quick to be honest.
I’ve often photographed demonstrations with Marc and know that he behaves in a totally professional way.
If you go and take photographs of events like this on the streets, you will get problems with police. At Croydon earlier this year I saw Marc tumbling forward beside me after a police officer had come up behind him and pushed him (unfortunately behind my back – so I didn’t actually see or photograph the incident) as he was standing beside me taking pictures.
It just isn’t tenable to say “it might be something about you or the way you approach those situations” – either you go and risk the kind of harassment Marc and the rest of us get – or you stay away and these things happen unreported.
Marc has stood up against police misbehaviour in a very public way and all of us who work in this area have to thank and support him. I’m shocked that a fellow NUJ member should try to undermine him. I’ve no doubt that his stand on these issues is why it was Marc who got sent flying at Croydon and not me.
Power’s and Harris’ comments are clearly based in their own flaccid, self referential world of pretty kettles and cushy commissions shot from posh hotels. But they are quite useful in they giving the opportunity (taken by several here) to refute what no doubt many other silent readers may think. So, while I laugh at their blinkered take on a world they no longer understand, I’m glad they made the comments.
I’ve never worked with Marc but I know him and for an NUJ colleague to suggest that getting battered by the cops might in any way be his fault is, at best, naive and, at worst, absolutely disgusting.
Marc has taken the trouble to campaign for the rights of journalists at a time when those rights seem to be rapidly diminishing. If I were a cop, I might consider targetting him as a “troublemaker” (not that I’m excusing or condoning such a view), but I can’t imagine why a journalist would want to make attacking comments!! Like many others, I have seen Marc’s work and behaviour at close hand in the streets, and I can assure Brian and Stephen (who clearly haven’t!) that his attitude is always professional and non-confrontational. I am appalled that people who call themselves journalists would make such ill-informed attacks on a fellow professional who is having a hard enough and dangerous time without their added insults.
I guess this is why Stephen Power doesn’t understand what Marc does. Or why. Or how.
http://www.adareimages.com/photo_3170745.html
…or this
http://www.adareimages.com/photo_3170702.html
…or this
http://www.adareimages.com/photo_233464.html
Oh hang on, sorry…
http://www.adareimages.com/photo_2145226.html
…those pensioners look pretty nasty, this could have turned ugly. Brave, brave, Stephen.
I would have to say, having been on many demos with marc, that there IS something about the way he approaches these situations that antagonises the law enforcement community. Namely he turns up at dangerous and unpredictable protests, and peacefully takes pictures of the police breaking the law, and then puts them on the web. It’s this wanton exercising of his democratic rights that really gets up their noses, and they predictably respond with authoritarian aggression. I’ve told marc time and time again that if he only applied for permission to film the police a week in advance, and snapped them giving tourists directions or helping cats down out of trees he wouldn’t get this trouble… but he won’t listen.
Chris
PS We were also there at the Sack Parliament demo and did film marc being seriously assaulted by that gorilla in uniform. it’s on the dvd extras of the Taking Liberties DVD.
I have been working with Marc and Jason in many occasions and never came across as them being different in the way their approach demonstrations. I fully support both in this one.
Best
Facundo
I do not have the same opinions as Marc in different matters but I fully support him and Jason in this one. Guys like them are constantly pushing for our rights; with every push of them, the rest of us gain a little bit more. Without them we would not even enjoy half of the rights we have now. I also have been working side by side with both of them and I never saw them doing anything “unlawfully”. Keep going, Marc, keep going Jason!
That copper is a thug! But also I have to point out that if you wear BLACK clothing in these times, you will be marked as anarchists or black block etc.
Really? Do you expect us to wear dayglo vests with a target symbol painted on the then?
Paul
this is the info you need
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camouflage
Thanks mate but I don’t tend to wear my cammo combat trousers while working unless its something like a music festival or something fluffy like that.
Wearing dark (including black) and inconspicious clothing clothing and looking “normal” seems to be the best option in my experience.
I used to have red spiky hair and several dangly earrings and wondered why I used to get hassle from cops on demos.
Paul – heres a tip – best to look like Heath & Safety/ Murphy/ tourist / little old lady.
Black will invite police surveillance more or less anywhere – its seen as a uniform.
What a twat Stephen Power is. I’m not a journalist, nor a protester/anarchist – just an ordinary middle-class guy. There’s lots of great coppers around, but some truly nasty thugs like this guy. PLEASE keep reporting on them, and getting in their faces. I don’t entirely trust our media, either, to be honest, but they are an vital to our freedom. Governments are automatically anti-freedom, no matter where in the spectrum of politics they sit, and the fact that we are facing some small terrorist threat gives them opportunity to undermine our liberties. Why next they’ll be proposing some sort of special card you have to carry, identifying you, with a picture and personal information, linked back to a central database. Really.