Well you maybe wondering what the scan of the following document is all about, it's a copy of my detainment form, where I was searched and questioned by three non-uniformed undercover police officers for the suspicious act of taking photos in a public place, this falls under section 44 of the anti terrorism act. I've blurred out the lower part of the form as it contains the names of the undercover officers. Needless to say it was an eventful little stay in England, thank god I don't live there.
As you can see from the form the reason for more search and also they photographed my face for there records was this.
"Stopped and searched due to behavour within groups of People at guard change. Seen walking in and out of crowds aimlessly without purpose taking photographs."
I was attending a photographic convention and trade show in London, as my day job involves Family portraits and Weddings, but as you know my personal work is street photography and vintage cameras.
On Thursday the 14th, my first morning for my stay I decided to go to Buckingham palace to see the changing of the guards. It was a overcast dull morning and when I arrived, there was already a hundred or so tourists gathered each one taking photos of anything that moved. I of course do the opposite of what everyone else is snapping and go and document the crowd and look for humorous juxapositions. I don't take a single frame of buckingham palace or the guards marching.
When I go to leave a man in plain clothes approaches me and asks do I speak English, I say yes, are from here? I reply no I'm from Ireland. He then makes a hand gesture, and two men then stand beside him where they then show me their police badges and inform me I'm to be searched. They said that I was not taking photos other tourists were doing, and why was I not staying in the one spot, why was constantly moving in and out of the crowd. Buckingham palace is a prime target for terrorists and people who want to rob tourists. When I inform them that photography in public places is perfectly legal and they cant search me for that, they say that my behaviour was that of a pick pocket, and they can search me for suspicion of that, also under the anti terrorism act they can search me and take my details to prevent terrorism as I had a camera.
They did speak to me in a polite and courteous manner the whole time.
Last year at Canary Wharf I was approached by two uniformed officers for similiar reasons, but in that case I showed them a bussiness card and said that I was a proffessional and off they went. But this time when I explained that I make my living from photography and showed them my credentails, they said that a pro would not use an old film camera like I have (please bear in mind the camera they are refering to, is a Leica m6). Also why is my camera covered in black tape, why do I want it to blend in. I inform them that this camera is worth more second hand then a new Nikon D700. As for digital cameras I'm the proud owner of a Nikon D3, D700, and D2x, the policeman with the camera did know what I was talking about. He then writes the name leica m6 into a notebook. They said it was nothing against me personally, but they have orders to search people with unusual and unique looking camera equipment.
When they repeated the whole I could be a pickpocket thing, I put my arms out and allowed them to search me, I couldn't waste any more time as I had an expensive seminar to get to. After my pockets were emptied they took my photo with a Nikon D40, both of my face and full lenght of my body. When I said what will those images be used for, they said not to worry, that once they clear that I'm ok, I should be fine. Although he didn't really say yes or no if they will be deleted.
The back of the search form says the record will be deleted in a year?
On Sunday at Hyde Park corner I met a Polish man who was detained and handcuffed by the police for taking photos, his wrists are still marked from where they cuffed him back in December, how is that in the interest of public safety, the article can be found on the Amateur Photographer website here
In the Police's defense, any that I talked to over the next days, say they are trying to save life's, that photography in public is still legal and I have every right to do it, but according to them, they have caught terrorists videotaping targets. Although I have not heard of any such instances in the media.
I could write so much more on this matter but I will leave it there. But after this incident I had a strange feeling that this is only the start, simlar instances will start to occur in Ireland next then the rest of europe.
5 comments:
I have never heard of such disrespect for the M6. Its heartbreaking.
that's really amazing. did you see that video of the guy detained in los angeles for shooting?
That's terrible Seamus. Sorry you had such an experience.
Of course, the real question is - did you get any good photos?
Wonderful. One more reason not to go to the UK.
This is really bad. Gives the police the possibility to randomly harass people.
Btw your comment font here on blogger is black on black (in the post view, not in the comment view), also the word "behaviour" wasn't visible in the post since it was black too. You might have to fix the colors.
Post a Comment