Pictures: NUJ photographer stopped & searched 3 times in 45 minutes
February 11th, 2010


STOP & SEARCH ONE: Philip Caller being stopped & searched under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) at 7.50am on Sunday 7 February 2010 in London, England. Photo by Philip Caller. (c) Philip Caller, 2010. Published here by kind permission of Philip Caller.

“Photographer stopped and searched three times during Israeli goods protest”journalism.co.uk

“Journalists angry at ‘stop and search’ harassment”National Union of Journalists.

On Sunday I got a phone call from London Photographers’ Branch member Philip Caller. Philip told me he had just been stopped & searched 3 times in 45 minutes by the police on a job covering a protest in west London. Philip had been stopped and searched under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) and here are the pictures.

Yesterday the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a statement on this. This is what Roy Mincoff the NUJ legal officer had to say:

“This is an example of straightforward harassment which is totally unacceptable in a country which presumes to lecture other regimes on freedom of expression. While we receive assurances from senior police officers and politicians that reporters and photographers will not face interference when carrying out their legitimate work, it is clear that the instructions to junior ranks are still not getting through to all officers.


STOP & SEARCH TWO: Philip Caller being stopped & searched under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) at 8.15am on Sunday 7 February 2010 in London, England. Photo by Philip Caller. (c) Philip Caller, 2010. Published here by kind permission of Philip Caller.


STOP & SEARCH THREE: Philip Caller being stopped & searched under Section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) at 8.35am on Sunday 7 February 2010 in London, England. Photo by Philip Caller. (c) Philip Caller, 2010. Published here by kind permission of Philip Caller.


Can I have my lens hood back officer?
December 10th, 2008

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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.