August 27th, 2010
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – 22.08.10. Around 200 environmental activists in white boiler suits and masks breach police lines at the Royal Bank of Scotland’s headquarters on Sunday 22 August 2010 in Gogarburn. Protesters smashed five large windows with hammers. Police made two arrests (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2010. All rights reserved.
“Climate Camp is restricting free speech” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.
I’ve written an article for Environment section of The Guardian on Climate Camp and the media.
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July 26th, 2010
“Freedom and Photography” – festivalofpolitics.org.uk
I’m one of the speakers at the Festival of Politics & World Press Photo ‘Freedom and Photography’ event next month at the Scottish Parliament.
The event will be chaired by Stephen Mayes, Secretary to the World Press Photo Jury and Managing Director of VII Photo Agency.
“Join a panel of professional photographers and experts as they discuss arguably one of the most important issues faced today by both professional and amateur photographers alike, where freedom to photograph in public ends and where privacy and restriction begins. The panel includes photographer Marc Vallée; Damien Demolder, Editor of Amateur Photographer magazine; Media Lawyer Campbell Deane; and Linda Macpherson of the UK Photographers Rights Guide; they will explore this contentious area, trying to make sense of what many feel are legal ambiguities surrounding public photography.”
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July 14th, 2010
“The Media Show” – BBC Radio 4.
I was a guest on BBC Radio 4′s Media Show today which is hosted by Steve Hewlett.
“Earlier this month the government said police would need stronger grounds before stopping and searching photographers on suspicion of terrorism. While welcoming this repeal of s44 of the Terrorism Act, photographer Marc Vallée says he still has concerns about police conduct, which he puts to ACPO’s spokesman on this, Craig Mackey, Cumbria’s Chief Constable.”
You can also download a podcast of the show from here.
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July 3rd, 2010
Poster.
“Victory Flashmob – Section 44 is Dead!” – londonphotographers.org
“Campaigners claim victory over Stop & Search ruling” – PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org
Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow. First round is on the Met!
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June 28th, 2010
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June 27th, 2010
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June 25th, 2010
Link to PDF.
“Victory for NUJ members, human rights and press freedom” – nuj.org.uk
“Police pay damages to journalists for breaching their right to report” – bindmans.com
“A Victory for Press Freedom” – londonphotographers.org
Jason Parkinson and I have won our Greek Embassy case against the Metropolitan Police. This is a significant victory for press freedom.
Here is the police apology in full:
“On 8 December 2008 well-respected political journalists Marc Vallée and Jason Parkinson were reporting a protest outside the Greek Embassy, Holland Park, London. The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has accepted liability for breach of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The MPS apologise for this and have paid compensation. The MPS confirms its recognition that freedom of the press is a cornerstone of democracy and that journalists have a right to report freely. The MPS recognise that on 8 December 2008 they failed to respect press freedom in respect of Mr Vallée and Mr Parkinson.”
Click here for the full NUJ press release.
Past blog posts:
“Journalists launch civil action against police” – marcvallee.co.uk/blog
“Police to investigate Greek embassy incident” – marcvallee.co.uk/blog
“Video: Journalists obstructed at Greek Embassy protest” – marcvallee.co.uk/blog
“Can I have my lens hood back officer?” – marcvallee.co.uk/blog
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June 11th, 2010
“Branch Secretary Stepping Down” – londonphotographers.org
I’m stepping down as Secretary of the London Photographers’ Branch to prioritise my work as branch Legal Rep. Below is the text of an email I sent to Branch Committee members on 3rd June 2010:
“I have decided to resign as Branch Secretary.
“In the first six months of the Branch’s life a great deal has been achieved. The highlights for me have been the Branch discussions on The Future for Photography with Martin Argles along with Kelvin Bruce and John Harris, the Ethics & Photojournalism meeting with Stuart Freedman and the hugely successful Hostile Reconnaissance rally – the only major civil liberties event of note during the general election campaign.
“The positive outcome of the last six months is that the Branch has recruited new members each month and without doubt is becoming the voice of London photographers.
“As all Branch officers know the time and energy we put into the Branch is voluntary. The best use of that limited time and energy for me is to focus on supporting members who have had a negative encounter with the state and to defend media freedoms as the Branch Legal Rep.
“I will not step down as Secretary until the Branch has elected a new Secretary and I hope that will take place at the June Branch meeting.”
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May 22nd, 2010
“Coalition has no interest in protecting the right to strike” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.
Here is a Comment is free for Liberty Central by yours truly on the right to strike, civil liberties and press freedom. This Roy Greenslade piece is also worth taking a look at.
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April 14th, 2010
“Speaking up for press freedom” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.
Here is my Comment is free on last nights Hostile Reconnaissance – Terror Laws, Civil Liberties and Press Freedom rally organised by the London Photographers’ Branch of the National Union of Journalists.
Do we need a press freedom bill?
A legal definition of who is a journalist is problematic but both news gathering and journalism need legal protection.
For me a press freedom bill would not be about giving individual journalists more legal protection then any other citizen. What it could do is give the act of news gathering legal protection. The film footage by a New York fund manger of the attack on Ian Tomlinson at the G20 in London last year by a TSG police officer was a very important act of news gathering by a member of the public who was not a journalist.
In the hands of Paul Lewis and The Guardian that film footage become journalism. The police did visit The Guardian office to put pressure on The Guardian to remove the film from its website. Thankfully The Guardian stood up to this pressure. Legal protection in that context would be a step forward.
We have a common law right to take a picture in a public place. Court rulings over privacy, counterterrorism laws and police action threaten that common law right. I would like that right to be protected for all.
Updated: 15.04.10.
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