SOUTHPORT, UNITED KINGDOM – 22.11.09. Marc Vallée addresses delegate at the National Union of Journalists Annual Delegate Meeting in Southport on Sunday 22 November 2009. Published here by kind permission of the Jane Hobson. (c) Jane Hobson, 2009.

For the last four days I have been at the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM) in Southport as a delegate from the London Freelance Branch. Yesterday I spoke in favour of Motion 152 on the 1984-85 miners’ strike and how industrial conflict and political dissent is reported.

The motion recognised how the Conservative government mobilised the resources of the state to defeat the strike and the role the media played in this.

I highlighted the stunning photographic account of the miners strike (PDF) by the veteran photojournalist John Harris. Coincidentally John was photographing ADM for the NUJ this year. I also spoke about the attacks by the state on frontline journalists who report and document political dissent and conflict today.

Motion 152 (below) from Leeds Branch was passed.

ADM notes that 2009 is the 25th anniversary of the great miners’ strike of 1984-85 and welcomes the publication by the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom of Shafted: The Media, the Miners’ Strike and the Aftermath.

ADM further recognises that the Conservative government mobilised all of the resources of the state to defeat the strike. With the exception of a few honourable journalists, the media was complicit in this, playing a significant role in the destruction of mining communities and the industry.

ADM recognises that the responsibility for this does not rest with individual journalists and reporters, but with senior editors and news controllers acting on the behest of their owners and controllers. The important exception was local and regional newspapers rooted in mining communities which did often report in a more balanced way.

ADM also notes that during the miners’ strike there were over 70 industrial correspondents and reporters. Now there are, at most, three with a specialist industrial brief.

As trades unionists confront the worst recession since the 1930s, the vital role of journalists on local and regional newspapers being able to report the impact of the economic crisis on jobs and local industry is being undermined by the savage cutbacks in jobs by the big regional newspaper groups.

ADM instructs the NEC to inform other trades unions and the TUC of this situation in order to gain wider trade union support for the campaign to defend jobs and standards in the local and regional media.

Link.

I will be taking part in a panel discussion at Signs of Revolt tomorrow as part of the “I’m a Photographer, not a Terrorist” campaign – do pop along if you can.

11am, Sunday 15 November 2009.
Shop 14, The Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL.

“This panel looks at the impact of digital photographic tools on reporting events, particularly post-G20 and how the State is trying to criminalise image taking and the ways photographers are getting organised to resist this. This will be interspersed with photo shows and film clips from the archives of some of the key movements photographers and filmmakers.”

The panel will also include photojournalist Jess Hurd, film and print journalist Jason N. Parkinson and filmmaker Shaun Day.

Here are some past workshops, conferences and panel discussions I have done this year.

Publication: Pages 50 and 51 of Huck Magazine, October 2009.

Out now – a feature length interview by Olly Zanetti with yours truly in HUCK – the international surf, skate and snowboarding magazine. Without doubt the most definitive interview about my work and life yet!

Make sure you pick up a copy or you can read it online here.

Publication: Pages 52 and 53 of Huck Magazine, October 2009.

Film footage of me being assaulted in 2006 by the police when working – the footage is from the BAFTA nominated feature film documentary “Taking Liberties” – a gripping exploration of New Labour’s Orwellian legacy. Published here by kind permission of S2S Post. (c) S2S Post, 2006.

Three years ago today – I was doing this and this – then I did this and then went on to do this.

KINGSNORTH, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM – 09.8.08. A press photographer files images on the move as environmental activists march from the Camp for Climate Action to Kingsnorth Power Station Hoo, Kent, England on Saturday 9th August 2008. 2,000 campaigners marched on the Power Station with the aim to shut it down for the day. (Photo Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

“Climate Camp – Media access policy” – climatecamp.org.uk

It’s that time of year again – Climate Camp is upon us – thousands of environmental activists are going to “take back the city of London in a massive public swoop” and “everyone is welcome” to “converge on the secret location where the camp will rise”.

That is if you are not a professional photographer or broadcaster – you will only be welcome between the hours 10am to 6pm. But don’t worry – you do get your very own climate camper – minder – to take care of you when you visit the camp. Who will make sure you do not photograph or film anything or anyone you should not – so no Cartier-Bresson decisive moments then.

We have been here before – in 2007 John Vidal – the Guardian’s environment editor – wrote after the Heathrow Climate Camp,

“I refused to go on the absurd camp tour. On a personal level, every journalist and photographer I talked to felt insulted. Why is a journalist – good or bad – not classed as a citizen? Why could not journalists inform themselves by going to the lectures and debates? Why should they not enjoy the same rights as anyone else? Why was my partner allowed into the camp but not me? Why could I only talk to people I had known for years only in the company of a minder?”

If you are a print or radio journalist you can pitch up your tent and stay on the camp for as long as you want – but you will have to ‘register upon arrival’ and sign up to a ‘code of conduct’ – I have asked the camps media team for a copy of the code of conduct – as I do write now and then – but they have yet to respond. You will also have to wear a “media badge” at all times so folks know who you are. Maybe my “I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist!” badge will do?

As the National Union of Journalists said in a letter to the camp in 2007,

“I am sure your organisation believes in openness and transparency, and that you would criticise public bodies who fall short of those aspirations. Your stated intention to avoid openness imitates the behaviour of those organisations you criticise.”

To be fair to the climate camp folks – the extra hours on the camp site for the media is an improvement on the years before – one hour a day at Heathrow in 2007 and two hours a day last year at Kingsnorth – which was cut short by the police from time to time.

The camp is trying to write its own narrative – pretty much in the same way that New Scotland Yard is spinning its media strategy as fact. As Vidal wrote in 2007, “It’s an easy step from trying to manipulate the press to manipulate information.”

The camps media access policy was “…agreed upon by consensus during the national climate camp planning meetings and the media team is given the mandate to work within those restrictions” – “restrictions” – how true.

Link.

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

Link.

“I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! – A new campaign for photographers rights” – photolegal.com

If you are in London this Saturday (08.08.09) and care about photography – and press freedom – this is the event for you! Why? Read on:

“Photography is under attack. Across the country anyone with a camera is targeted as a potential terrorist. This campaign is for everyone who values visual imagery and press freedom.

“This campaign will co-ordinate a collective response to the restrictions on photography across the country. We will be organising events where photography is restricted to show how pointless these restrictions are. It will also be an information resource for photographers’ rights and will map areas where photography is restricted.”

photographernotaterrorist.org

And much, much more.

Link.

“The Met see sense on the media” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.

For The Guardian toady I have written about new guidelines from the Metropolitan police which reinforce the rights of press photographers working in public.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 16.02.09. Photographers stage a mass photo taking event outside New Scotland Yard on Monday 16 February 2009 in London, England. The event, called by the National Union of Journalists, marked the enforcement date of section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 which could prevent the media and public from taking pictures of the police . (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Watching the Detectives: the media and anti terrorism laws” – Frontline Club.

I will be at the Frontline Club on Tuesday 7 July 2009 – I’m on the panel for a media discussion on “how concerned should photographers and journalists be about anti-terrorism legislation”.

Fellow panel members are – Peter Clarke, former head of counter terrorism for Scotland Yard, Turi Munthe, CEO of Demotix, a citizen-journalism website and freelance photo agency. The moderator of the event is Margaret Gilmore, former senior home affairs correspondent for BBC Television who has just written a book with Andy Hayman, a former senior counter-terrorism officer.

Frontline Club: “How concerned should photographers and journalists be about anti-terrorism legislation that came into force earlier this year making people taking pictures of the police potentially subject to fines or even arrest?

“How much of a challenge to the freedom of the press photographers, freelances of citizen journalists – to bear witness during protests could Section 76 become?”

Click here to book your ticket.

Link.

“The police even follow me into the loo” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.

I have written about police surveillance of journalists for The Guardian today.