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Audio: Police seize protesters film

On Monday I covered a protest in Brighton. I saw the police seize an anti-fascist protesters film cassette. The police used Section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984. What I found out is of great concern for photographers, journalists, media activists and especially New York fund managers.

Below is part of Section 19 of PACE:

(3) The constable may seize anything which is on the premises if he has reasonable grounds for believing —

(b) that it is necessary to seize it in order to prevent the evidence being concealed, lost, altered or destroyed.

So is it lawful for the police to seize media content from a member of the public on the street? It all comes down to the PACE definition of premises.

You can find that definition in Section 23.

The definition includes two very chilling words, “any place”.

I asked human rights lawyer Anna Mazzola from Hickman & Rose for her view on the use of Section 19 in a public order context.

“This episode reveals a worrying policy. Sussex police clearly think that Section 19 entitles them to remove film and footage from people where they suspect they have evidence of a crime and they can say that they have reason to believe the person may destroy that evidence. That is disturbing news for journalists and amateur photographers, particularly those covering public order events. While the police obviously have a duty to prevent and detect crime, they also have to provide some assurance that they will not use Section 19 to seize journalistic material.”

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

Link: Click here to view more pictures.

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

Link: Click here to view more pictures.

Clients: Pictures are available for rights managed editorial licensing. High resolution images are available on request. More pictures will be available soon.

“NUJ joins the calls to stop the EDL” – National Union of Journalists.

On Tuesday the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a media release on its position on the planned demonstration in Bradford later this month called by the far-right English Defence League (EDL).

I was quoted in the release on the attacks on photographers and journalists who have documented EDL protests across the country.

The NUJ opened the statement with,

“The NUJ believes allowing the English Defence League (EDL) to march through Bradford runs a serious risk that local communities will be attacked, threatened and subjected to racist abuse and supports calls on the Home Secretary not to allow the demonstration to go ahead.”

It is a mistake for the NUJ to call on the the Home Secretary to ban this demonstration. I believe it is a dangerous and counterproductive move for a freedom of expression organisation like the NUJ to call on the state to ban a demonstration.

Trade unions should be campaigning against draconian laws that ban political dissent. Not calling on a Tory Home Secretary to use them and effect giving such laws legitimacy.

These laws are more likely to be used against the labour and trade union movement and other progressive groups – especially in a period austerity.

The way to combat the EDL is to fight the social, economic and political conditions that give rise to them. For trade union members to support and join counter protests and for journalists to expose the true nature and character of such groups.

Update (21.08.10): Here is the Home Office letter to Bradford Council on the use of Section 13 of the Public Order Act 1986 that bans all demonstrations – both the EDL and UAF -in Bradford from Saturday 28 August to Monday 30 August 2010.

“From budget cuts to riots in the street: How will Britain react to government spending cuts?” – frontlineclub.com

“Coalition has no interest in protecting the right to strike” – Marc Vallée, The Guardian.

Just to let you know next week I will be back at the Frontline Club to take part in this event along with Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the PCS:

“After the recession, now come the cuts. The UK is facing some of the most stringent public sector budget cuts since the Second World War. The Tory-Liberal coalition says budget slashing is inevitable, but already public service unions are threatening strike action that could cripple the country and threaten a fragile post-recession recovery.

“Join us at the Frontline Club with an expert panel to investigate if seeds for civil unrest are being sowed that might happen in the months and years ahead.”

Update: This event has been postponed.

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LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – 30.07.10. Local skateboarder Danny at Harrow Skatepark in North West London on Friday 30 July 2010. Harrow skatepark is one of the few remaining public working seventies parks with handmade concrete ramps and bowls in the UK. The local authority has recently spent £50,000 on two new spine ramps and a mini ramp. (Photo by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk) (c) Marc Vallée, 2010. All rights reserved.

“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.”