KINGSNORTH, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM – 05.8.08. Police stop and search Jason N. Parkinson, Video & Print Journalist,  outside the main gates of the Camp for Climate Action Kingsnorth, Kent, England on Tuesday 5th August 2008.  Published here by kind permission of Jess Hurd/reportdigital.co.uk. (c) Jess Hurd, 2008.

“Covering Climate Camp: Part One” – Current TV.

“Covering Climate Camp: Part Two” – Current TV.

My good friend and colleague Jason N. Parkinson has made a film about journalists covering Climate Camp in Kent last summer.  Click on the links above to watch the film and this is what Jason had to say about the film.

“In August 2008, environmental protestors set up camp in Kent, England, to protest the current and newly proposed E-On coal-fired power stations at Kingsnorth.   Part one of the film documents not the protest movement, but the journalists trying to cover the story for independent and mainstream news organisations.

“In some of the worst scenes of police interference the press were subjected to stop-and-search, harassment, aggression and violence, which led to the National Union of Journalists and the industry media publically slamming the police on the grounds of press freedom restriction.

“In Part Two of two of the film the policing gets heavier, journalists trying to cover the story for independent and mainstream news organisations face surveillance, harassment, endless stop-and-searches and assault – they are even followed by a police unit to a McDonald’s restaurant.”

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 24.01.09. Protesters congregate outside the BBC’s Broadcasting House to demonstrate against the Corporation’s decision not to broadcast a Gaza charity appeal on Saturday 24th January 2009 in London, England. Politicians including government ministers, religious leaders and senior members of the BBC’s own staff have condemned the decision not to broadcast the charity appeal to raise emergency funds for people in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“BBC crisis over refusal to broadcast Gaza appeal” – The Guardian.

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Images: “Gaza Protest Against BBC Decision Not to Air Emergency Fund Appeal – 24.01.09″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 24.01.09. A Metropolitan Police Forward Intelligence Team sergeant grabs hold of a press photographer’s camera on a Gaza protest against the BBC on Saturday 24th January 2009 in London, England. Justin Tallis, a London based freelance photographer and NUJ and BPPA member, was photographing the anti-BBC protest. The BBC had refused to broadcast a charity appeal to raise emergency funds for people in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Another press photographer threatened by police” - British Journal of Photography.

Images: “Surveillance Police grab Press Photographers Camera on Gaza anti-BBC Protest – 24.01.09″

Justin Tallis tells us what happened in his own words,

The police officer said “let me have a look at that picture.” I said, “No”.  The police officer then said, “You’re not allowed to take photos of police officers”.  I then said, “Don’t be ridiculous of course I can take pictures of police officers”. The police officer then tried to take my camera from me.   After a bit of time I think the police officer realised he was in the wrong trying to forcibly take my equipment from me.  He then got very close to me, way into my personal space, and said again “you shouldn’t have taken that photo you were intimidating me”. I think that if Marc had not been there taking these photos the situation could have ended very differently.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 17.01.09. Demonstrators against the war in Gaza congregate in Trafalgar Square for a Rally to highlight the plight of women and children killed in the ongoing conflict on Saturday 17th January 2009 in London, England. The death toll in Gaza, according to figures from the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health, now stands at 1,115 people including 370 children. The United Nations say that 5,015 people, including 1,745 children, had been injured since the Israeli campaign started. Displaced people seeking refuge in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools and other facilities has risen overnight by some 4,000 people to a total of 49,000. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Press Conference on humanitarian situation in gaza” – United Nations.

“Children of Gaza” – The Guardian.

“The Palestinians say: ‘This is a war of extermination’” - The Guardian.

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Images: “Gaza Protest – 17.01.09″

More images: “Gaza/Israeli Protest Collection 2008 -2009″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 17.01.09. A group of men set fire to the Israeli flag as demonstrators against the war in Gaza congregate in Trafalgar Square for a Rally to highlight the plight of women and children killed in the ongoing conflict on Saturday 17th January 2009 in London, England. The death toll in Gaza, according to figures from the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health, now stands at 1,115 people including 370 children. The United Nations say that 5,015 people, including 1,745 children, had been injured since the Israeli campaign started. Displaced people seeking refuge in United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) schools and other facilities has risen overnight by some 4,000 people to a total of 49,000. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 11.01.09. A member of Independent Jewish Voices joins anti-war demonstrators in Trafalgar Square to protest against a rally in support of Israeli military action in Gaza on Sunday 11th January 2009 in London, England. Muslim and Jewish groups held a small and non-violent counter-protest which was kept separate from the pro-Israeli rally by large numbers of police. The on going military action has killed hundreds of civilians in Gaza including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

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Images: “Counter-Protest against Pro-Israeli Rally – 11.01.09″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 11.01.09. Pro-Israeli demonstrators congregate in Trafalgar Square for a rally in support of the Israeli military action in Gaza on Sunday 11th January 2009 in London, England. Anti-war protesters held a small counter-protest which was kept separate by police. The on going military action has killed hundreds of civilians in Gaza including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Thousands of Jews rally against Hamas” – The Guardian.

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Images: “Pro-Israeli Protest – 11.01.09″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 11.01.09. Pro-Israeli demonstrators congregate in Trafalgar Square for a rally in support of the Israeli military action in Gaza on Sunday 11th January 2009 in London, England. Anti-war protesters held a small counter-protest which was kept separate by police. The on going military action has killed hundreds of civilians in Gaza including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 10.01.09. A young girl in Hyde Park before marching to the Israeli Embassy on Saturday 10th January 2009 in London, England. Demonstrators called for an end to the on going war between Israel and Gaza which has killed hundreds of civilians including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

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Images: “Gaza Protest -10.01.09″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 10.01.09. Protesters break through barriers protecting the Israeli Embassy on Saturday 10th January 2009 in London, England. Demonstrators had marched from Hyde Park to the Israeli Embassy to protest against the on going war between Israel and Gaza which has killed hundreds of civilians including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Another Gaza Journalist Killed, IFJ Calls for Global Protest Over Media Blockade” - International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

“Foreign journalists continue to fight for Gaza access” – Press Gazette.

“Deal to admit journalists aborted” – The Guardian.

From the International Federation of Journalists:

“The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has called on the world of journalism to raise its voice in protest over Israeli government pressure on media trying to cover the Gaza conflict.   The Government has imposed a blockade on the world’s media trying to report on the crisis inside Gaza.

“The IFJ call comes as another Palestinian journalist was reported killed – the fourth  victim of recent Israeli military action in Gaza.   Eyhab Al Wahidi , who worked as a cameraman for the Palestinian Broadcast Corporation  in Gaza, was killed with his wife and mother in law yesterday when Israeli troops shelled their home in Gaza city.  The family children were injured.”

To read more click here.

I will be posting  more on the media and Gaza later next week.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 03.01.09. Palestinian demonstrators set fire to the Israeli flag outside 10 Downing Street, Whitehall, London as Palestinian demonstrators and supporters protest in central London on Saturday 3rd January 2009. Demonstrators congregated to call for an end of Israeli air strikes which has killed hundreds including women and children. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

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Images: “Gaza Protest -03.01.09″

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 03.01.09. Palestinian demonstrators and supporters protest outside the Israeli Embassy in west London on Saturday 3rd January 2009. Hundreds of police in full riot gear blocked protesters from reaching the Embassy as protesters learn that Israeli ground troops have started to enter Gaza. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.