Another step towards a Police State ?
 

I hope the protests are successful. Freedom is being eroded at an ever increasing pace.

So, I guess if I retake this photo on monday I could potentially in theory get 10 years.

Joe is the shot deliberately blurred to protect the innocent ? :rolleyes:

Technically speaking anybody could be done for photographing MOD property such as aircraft.

Interesting to see what difference a day makes to your crimes against the state.

Exactly Rob... could be used as a get out clause? It saves blurring faces using software!....just do it in camera LOL :) ;)

This and shooting Brazilian electricians seems to be another way of putting the police above the law. Oh and I forgot to mention Hillsboro and the 96.

By the nway this is nothing new, check out my thread "Photography and the terrorism law". I was threatened with arrest 18 months ago on Lime street station in Liverpool. The only difference then was that they could only hold you for 28 days without charging you.

I've been approached several times, but mainly by inquizitive/nosey general public. The weirdest time was outside a woolworths, by the manager who didn't want the front of his shop photographed?!!... My experience of the police has always been perfectly reasonable, but have heard some horror stories.
When you were threatened with arrest, what was the reason they gave? (just out of interest)

I remember many years ago when I was in the Special Branch, approaching a photographer from the Daily Telegraph. He was photographing, a Bomb Disposal unit, dealing with a device in Manchester that had been left by the IRA. It was a time when members of the security service were targeted personally by the IRA, both in the UK and Northern Ireland. He had a great Nikon F2AS setup with a 400mm lens - I said to him, "great camera mate - you realise that if those pictures get into the wrong hands, one of those chaps could get his head blown off?" His reply was "yes, your right." He stripped the film out of his camera and we spent the next 20 minutes, while the device was defused, chatting about Nikon gear. Later the Disposal lads gave him exclusive pictures of the device.

Following the release of 5 muslim guys last year and the dropping of the charges on appeal of that muslim girl with the poems, they have to prove that your taking of the photos was intended for terrorist purposes. A general 'Well it could be!" is NOT sufficient.

Cheers Andy...
Good to hear perspective from the other side. I bet that photographer couldn't believe their luck getting exclusives of the device. Just goes to show that being reasonable normally works.

Joe try looking at a thread of mine called photography and the terrorism law. It was about 18 months ago on Lime Street station Liverpool. I was quizzed but it was ok for someone to use a camera phone.

A bit from todays BJP.
The Metropolitan Police Federation backs photographers ...........
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/sho...ml?page=841682

Don

I suggest you all have a look at todays Manchester Evening News (Thurs 19th March), front page headlineis "Terrorist I'm a trainspotter!" Tells the story of Edmund Chan at Macclesfield station who was told to stop taking pictures by a Virgin Trains employee. Just goes to show how much our civil liberties are being eroded.