Pete Jenkins' blog

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Pete Jenkins is the Vice Chair of the Photographers' Sub Committee of the National Union of Journalists and is an active campaigner for photographers' rights.

Photographers and Terrorists

Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 12:36am

There has been a lot of hysteria over the past year concerning photographers. There have been a number of high profile incidences of Police and Private security guards and community police attempting to stop and in some cases with Plod actually arresting people and confiscating kit, the only crime appearing to be taking photographs in a public place.

Austin Mitchell the Amateur Photographer MP has been raising the issue in the House of Commons. AP have the latest on this here

There have been numerous reports of the terrorism act being cited in an attempt to stop photographers going about their lawful hobby or profession, but actually how common is this? My own experience, and the stories I have managed to investigate on behalf of the National Union of Journalists suggest that yes, a variety of officialdom does indeed try and stop photographers taking photographs in public places, but in reality it is rarely the Terrorism Act which is invoked. Usually it is ignorance, and officiousness, that (a small number of) people in uniform sometimes have, which they believe allows them to make up the law as they go along, so they do!

Interestingly enough, photography is not mentioned in the Terrorism Act 2006. Not once

UK Police seize amateur photographer's film (1/12/07)
Birmingham police officer 'forced press photographer to delete images' (2/3/08)

There are plenty more examples.

So what is the law?

I wrote to my MP John Heppell, and he wrote to 'Home Secretary' Jacqui Smith. Indeed Ms Smith confirmed that there was no restriction on photography in public places, but did add that local Chief Constables had the authority to restrict photography under certain circumstances!

Certain circumstances? What does that mean? So a month ago I wrote to my own Chief Constable here in Nottingham, Mr Green, and asked him what those circumstances might be and how would these restrictions be imposed and how would the public (and press) be advised?

I have had an acknowledgement and the 20 days is up on Monday, so I will let you know…

© Pete Jenkins
www.petejenkins.co.uk
www.photographerspro.eu/pete_jenkins/

US Orphan Works again.

Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:33pm

I have talked about the US Orphans works legislation back in May. Here we are with a month to go, there is still the whole of July for the US Senate and House of Representatives to decide what they ...

Oh Alamy!

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:12pm

Oh Alamy! It’s been a very busy week for me; I have been at a union conference since Sunday. Very intense photographing speakers from nine in the morning to six at night, with barely a break at ...

Technology, isn’t it wonderful

Posted: Fri Jun 20, 2008 4:47pm

Technology, isn’t it wonderful It all seemed so much simpler in the good old days. Photojournalism was such a gentlemanly art. One got paid good money, (and one worked hard), but it was just ...

Another day, another 60p…

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:26pm

Another day, another 60p… Less than 24 hours after the first contributor commented on the Launch of ...

And so it begins...

Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 9:50am

Having been busy all morning answering e-mails, printing out contact sheets and editing pics from a childrens' show, I skipped away from work for a few moments to see how Alamy was doing for me this ...

Trent Keegan

Posted: Mon Jun 02, 2008 9:14am

It was a shock yesterday to find out that New Zealand photographer and NUJ member Trent Keegan was found dead in a ditch in Nairobi. It is never good to hear that a photographer or journalist has ...

US Orphan Works

Posted: Tue May 27, 2008 9:56am

There has been a huge amount of talk recently about the Orphan works bill(s) going through the Senate and the House of Representatives in the US. Even the NUJ has taken an interest and we discussed ...