Posted on 02/17/2009 7:19:50 AM PST by BGHater
From today, anyone taking a photograph of a police officer could be deemed to have committed a criminal offence.
That is because of a new law - Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act - which has come into force.
It permits the arrest of anyone found "eliciting, publishing or communicating information" relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is "likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism".
That means anyone taking a picture of one of those people could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, if a link to terrorism is proved.
The law has angered photographers, both professional and amateur, who fear it could exacerbate the harassment they already sometimes face.
On Monday, a group is gathering outside New Scotland Yard for a "mass picture-taking session" in protest.
The event is organised by the National Union of Journalists. It insists the right to take pictures in public places is "a precious freedom" that must be safeguarded.
NUJ organiser John Toner said: "Police officers are in news pictures at all sorts of events - football matches, carnivals, state processions - so the union wants to make it clear that taking their pictures is not the act of a criminal."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
It permits the arrest of anyone found “eliciting, publishing or communicating information” relating to members of the armed forces, intelligence services and police officers, which is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
So during the next BBC news braodcast when the cameras show police cars and police officers at the scene of an accident they are going to arrest the cameraman and news crew?
If they do not then how can they arrest anyone?
LOL....this is in the UK where there are public surveillance cameras on every lamp post.
and the police run from muslims.
Not good form. Can’t show that, eh what?
But the government controls those, so if the police are misbehaving the delete button is only one click away. Well, I guess we misplaced that file.
Photos of cops asleep in their cruisers, taking kickbacks and running from criminals are especially unwanted .... LOL.
No pictures at the next family reunion.
- Ayn Rand, ‘Atlas Shrugged’ 1957
We need to have Camera Control! /s/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.