A new campaign for photographers’ rights launched this weekend – with more than two hundred leading photographers showing their support for the PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org website by holding up a placard saying “I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist!” – will help all photographers to understand and uphold their legal right to take photographs.
The campaign will fight for photographers’ rights across the country, opposing police repression and the abuse of anti-terrorism legislation. It will challenge the unreasonable restrictions in pseudo-public spaces such as shopping centres and Canary Wharf.
Anti-Terror Map: The website will map the use across the country of anti-terrorism legislation which can impose prison sentences for simply photographing a police officer and whose wide-ranging draconian powers allow police to stop and search anyone even where there is no reasonable suspicion of terrorism at all.
Stop & Search Bust Card: Also featured on the site will be a ‘bust card’ for photographers – that will set out their legal right to take photographs when stopped by police or security staff.
Canary Wharf ‘Flash-mob’: The campaign calls for a National Photographers Flash-Mob of Canary Wharf on 12th September 2009 and is calling for photographers across the country to highlight spaces where photography is unreasonably restricted. The flash-mob action will highlight how heavy handed private security guards are restricting individual liberty and press freedom by preventing photographers from pursuing their hobby or their profession.
The London flash-mob will be at 3pm at the Clocks, Canary Wharf, London.
Update -12.08.09: PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org has had a bit of press.
“I’m a photographer…” – Phil Coomes, BBC News.
“Photographers’ rights fight sparks new campaign” – Chris Cheesman, amateurphotographer.co.uk
Tags: ACPO Amateur Photographer Association of Chief Police Officers BBC News Canary Wharf Chris Cheesman Counter-Terrorism FIT Flash Mob Forward Intelligence Team Free Press Home Office Human Rights I’m a Photographer Jess Hurd Media Freedom Media Restriction Media Workers Metropolitan Police Minister of State for Policing National Union of Journalists New Scotland Yard Not a Terrorist Phil Coomes Photographers Photography Photojournalism Picture Libraries Police Police Surveillance Police Violence Press Freedom Press Freedom Collateral Damage State State Repression Surveillance Terrorism Terrorism Act The Foundry War on Terror
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Out of interest, in what way is Canary Wharf ‘pseudo’ public?
A sub-editor writes:
In “new campaign for photographer’s rights is launched”, the apostrophe should be after the “s”, unless the campaign is for the rights of only one photographer.
Thank you very much Charlie.
A pseudo-public place is one that appears to be public, and which is accessible to the public, but which is actually private property [e.g. Covent Garden, Canary Wharf in London, Multrees Walk in Edinburgh].
And also Spitalfields in London where parking a bike on any lamp-post would leave you with a £50 parking fine.
Good point Simon – it’s a big issue in this city – public space going private. This is worth taking a look at:
http://www.marcvallee.co.uk/blog/2009/05/urban-space/
By the way – love your website!