I'm a photographer not a Terrorist

I've just come across the website I'm a photographer not a terrorist.

It features some really useful stuff for the Tog about town:

• A bust card - similar to my very own Photography in Public Places wallet card though much more detailed and authoritative on the new anti terror legislation.
• A useful map showing places where you can't take photos.
  
• A Shop where you can buy "I'm a Photographer not a Terrorist" T Shirts. I wonder if you would get stopped less if you were wearing an "I'm a terrorist not a photographer" T shirt.

As they say on the site:

We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it

Police delete tourists photos

Yes you have guessed it, it was "to prevent terrorism".

Dear, oh dear, oh dear.....

Photograpny ban on Downing Street ?

I was listening to an interview tonight with former Home Secretary David Blunkett, about the news that Britains most senior anti-terrorism officer was sacked for accidentally allowing photographers to get a shot of a confidential document he was carrying.

Amazingly David Blunkett thought that it raised questions about whether the photographers should be there (in a designated press area no less) and whether they should be authorised to be there. Even worse people were phoning up to agree that it was the photographers who were a security risk.

Whatever next? should we ban photography from any part of London because someone important might be carrying a document about? Should we ban people who aren't civil servants from using the trains because they might pick up a memory stick that some member of the government has left on the train (again)?

Sheesh!

The war on photography starts getting surreal

A Manchester man was arrested and held for two days for taking pictures of a drain cover - even though the police could find no pictures of the drain cover on his phone!

Photograph the Police and we will put you in jail

On the 16th of February, the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 becomes law.

The law is expected to increase the anti-terrorism powers used today by police officers to stop photographers, including press photographers, from taking pictures in public places.

Yet again the threat of terrorism is being used to head this country further in to Authoritarianism. Speaking of which Mike Johnson has a great article on that very subject.

It seems that barely a day goes by without "the war on terror" eroding the rights and freedoms we are supposed to be fighting for.

The war on photography gathers pace

This week sees two more examples of photographers being detained and searched under our wonderful anti-terror legislation.

First an MP gets stopped for photographing a cycle path in Croydon (a more unlikely terrorist target it is hard to imagine) and an Artist gets detained for taking some shots near a police station.

How long before new cameras come with a list of places you can use them?

Photographers - You should be ashamed of yourselves..

Is there no depth you weirdo photographers will sink to. It now seems some perverts (for want of a better word) have been out taking pictures of an empty swimming pool - they should be locked up!

Some of you have been assaulting defenceless young children with your cameras and even upsetting the mayor of London.

You aren't even safe with ducks these days:


www.whattheduck.net

Fun in the Park

Is there no depth you weirdo photographers will sink to. It now seems some perverts (for want of a better word) have been out taking pictures of an empty swimming pool - they should be locked up!

Even ducks arn't safe these days:


www.whattheduck.net

Photographing your own kids makes you a pervert

Yet again the "Big Camera = Big Pervert" meme hits town. This time a man taking shots of his own, fully clothed, children is accused of being a paedophile.

Oh dear.