LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 13.12.09. A CCTV camera in front of Harrow Centre Mosque before a protest organized by the far right ‘Stop the Islamisation of Europe’ group is held on Sunday 13 December 2009 London, England. Hundreds of police officers surrounded Harrow Civic Centre, Harrow Central Mosque and Harrow and Wealdstone Station to prevent clashes between members of the English Defence League and anti-fascist campaigners. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

Link: Click here and here to view more pictures.

Clients: Pictures are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 13.12.09. Members of the English Defence League (EDL) speak to the media on a demonstration organised by a group called ‘Stop the Islamisation of Europe’ in Harrow on Sunday 13 December 2009 in north-west London, England. Hundreds of police officers surrounded the Harrow Civic Centre car park, Harrow Central Mosque and Harrow and Wealdstone Station to prevent clashes between the EDL and around 250 anti-fascist campaigners. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 03.07.09. Journalists and human rights activists protest outside the Gambian High Commission in London on Friday 3 July 2009 in London, England. Seven journalists and members of the Gambia Press Union were arrested by the Gambian National Intelligence Agency on 15 June 2009 and charged with publishing, and conspiracy to publish, seditious material contrary to Gambia’s Criminal Code. The London protest – organised by National Union of Journalists, Amnesty International and the TUC – marked the start of the hearings and were part of a series of demonstrations organised by the International Federation of Journalists from across the world. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2009.

“Protest over trial of African journalists’ leaders” – National Union of Journalists.

“TUC urges Gambian Government to stop journalists’ trial” – TUC.

“UK-Gambia: UK trade unions and Amnesty International call for halt to journalists’ trial” – Amnesty International.

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Clients : Images are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

Publication: Front cover of Stage Screen & Radio magazine (Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union – BECTU), April 2009.

Here are two tear sheets of images of mine on police surveillance. Above is the front cover of the April issue of the BECTU Stage Screen & Radio magazine and below is one from The Guardian from last month. As most of you will know I also co-wrote The Guardian investigation.

Publication: Pages 14 & 15 of The Guardian, 7 March 2009.

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.

Link: Click here to view more pictures.

Clients: Pictures are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

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.

“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 – 19.12.08. Protesters congregate outside the American Embassy in support of the Iraqi journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi in London, England on Friday 19th December 2008. The media and anti-war campaign group, Media Workers against the War and the Stop the War Coalition, held a joint protest to call for the release of Muntadar al-Zaidi who threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush on an official visit to Iraq. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

“Iraqi shoe thrower badly beaten in custody, claims brother” – The Guardian.

Link: Click here to view more pictures.

Clients: Pictures are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

KINGSNORTH, KENT, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.8.08. Police stop and search an ITV (Meridian) Broadcast Crew outside the main gate of the Camp for Climate Action Hoo, Kent, England on Friday 8th August 2008. The broadcasters had just left the climate camp when member of west Yorkshire police stopped and searched them under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act. (Photo Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

Link: Click here to view more protest pictures.

Clients: Pictures are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 05.07.08. A Metropolitan Police Inspector grabs hold of a working journalists as police clash with a group of anti-G8 activists in Croydon, south London, England on Saturday 5th July 2008. Protesters congregated to protest against the UK Border Agency in Croydon as part of a world wide day of action against the G8 Summit in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

“Government offers no relief” – The British Journal of Photography.

An interesting article by Olivier Laurent in this weeks British Journal of Photography on police restrictions of photography and police surveillance of journalists.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 08.10.07. – LFB Vice-chair Phil Sutcliffe wearing the official NUJ/IFJ (International Federation of Journalists) tabard to monitor police-press relations on the October 8 Stop the War protest. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2007.

The Freelance – bulletin of London Freelance Branch of the National Union of Journalists – has an interesting article on police-press relations in the context of working on protests.