London Photographers Take To The Streets To Test Photo Laws

July 21, 2011 @ 8:31PM

London Photographers Take To The Streets To Test Photo Laws

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A year after a European Court ruled that the United Kingdom was not allowed to harass photographers under an absurd anti-terrorism law, a group of London photographers took to the streets last month to see what would happen.

The experiment, called Stand Your Ground, consisted of six still photographers accompanied by six videographers.

The pairs went their separate ways with the still photographers photographing buildings from public sidewalks while the videographers stood by to capture any confrontations.

According to Amateur Photographer:

All the photographers were stopped on at least one occasion.

During the video, security guards are repeatedly reminded about the law regarding photographing in public places.

No one was arrested and, afterwards, the attitude of City of London police officers came in for praise.

The video is highly entertaining and shows London security guards are just as ignorant as many we encounter in the United States.

But the cops who were called to the scene proved to be knowledgeable about the current laws, even though it was just over a year ago they were instructed to arrest photographers under the controversial Section 44 anti-terrorism law - which could have landed photographers in prison for ten years.

While we’ve never had any such law in the United States, it sometimes seems as we do, judging by the reaction of some police officers we see on an almost daily basis.

Comments

Haje Jan Kamps

Pixiq Expert

9 months ago

"they were instructed to arrest photographers under the controversial Section 44 anti-terrorism law - which could have landed photographers in prison for ten years."

A police officer cannot be 'instructed' to arrest anybody by anybody else. They would have been able to choose to arrest someone, if they had grounds and a reason for arrest. Also, nobody, especially not photographers, ended up in prison on unsubstantiated terrorism suspicions.

Johnny Law

9 months ago

We've been having a problem with our local EMS and Fire Dept interpreting the HIPPA medical privacy law to mean it is illegal for patients to be videotaped while they are being treated anywhere or anytime.

This causes problems because I work in a busy downtown area with lots of drunks, bums, and crazy people who all seem to need EMS quite often. There is always someone who wants to videotape EMS with their iphone. My guys have had EMS come up to us and demand we make those people stop recording and to delete the images.

As far as I know, no officers have done this and I have made sure to let everyone know EMS doesn't have the correct interpretation of HIPPA. However I have been told of EMS/FD approaching individuals and grabbing their cameras. I've also told my officers EMS can't just assault someone for videotaping and to take appropriate action if that person wants to file charges.

I'm currently in the communication with their supervisors to find out what recent incorrect training has caused all this. HIPPA has been around for awhile but I have just recently seen this issue pop up.

xdamousex

9 months ago

Glad to know there are officers out there doing their part.

Elliott

9 months ago

I'd be interested to know who is disseminating this wrong information.

I am asking my brother who is an EMT what he has been told just to see if this idiocy has widely disseminated.

Misinformed people abound, from EMTs to cops to security guards. Its nice to see the cops on top of this one.

Mudplanet

9 months ago

Violation of HIPPA is a civil issue. HIPPA is a civil law, not a criminal law.

If someone has an issue with a person violating HIPPA they should contact an attorney. The police have ZERO involvement in HIPPA issues.The worst sanction one can get from violation of HIPPA is civil (a gigantic fine) no criminal.

EMS personnel who "grab someone's camera" are setting themselves up for an assault charge, theft, or a simple ass whipping. Those are criminal violations, unlike HIPPA which is a civil law.

As a social worker I appreciate the EMS people being informed about HIPPA but they should be FULLY informed.