Police State
Jul 23rd, 2009 by Intermanaut
Police officers across the country are wankers. That’s plain and simple fact. It’s rare for a day to pass where one doesn’t hear of another incident where a photographer is stopped, search, and even arrested for taking photographs on public land.
It’s becoming clear that police “services” across the country are now becoming police “forces”, staffed by morons with piss-poor training and an innate ability to make up the law on the spot. It’s not helped by having poorly trained PseudoCops (PCSOs) on the team, either - for Christ’s sake - those people aren’t clever enough to be real police officers, so they’re nothing more than regular Joe Schmoes with uniforms. They’re usually fat, too.
The usual reason given cites the Prevention of Terrorism Act (2005). It was recently amended to make it illegal for anyone to solicit information from a current, past, or future member of particular services that may be used in terrorist acts. The problem here is that a lot of these idiots that we pay to protect us think that the legislation prohibits photographers from taking photos buildings, people, etc. in public places. It doesn’t. The law is simple. Just like the police officers who are apparently there to enforce it.
Even “official” advice from The Metropolitan Police says, “There is, however, nothing preventing officers asking questions of an individual who appears to be taking photographs of someone who is or has been a member of Her Majesty’s Forces, Intelligence Services or a constable.” To an extent, that’s true. There’s nothing to stop me from asking the same questions of people. Whether I get an answer or not is a different matter.
If this shit happens to you, stand-to. Don’t give in to any prick in a uniform who claims “It’s for the country’s safety”. Get as much information as you can - names, ranks, badge numbers and, of course, photographic, video or audio evidence of the encounter. Why? Because as soon as you get home you’ll be wanting to make a formal complaint to the IPCC about it.
These links give extensive and, frankly, disturbing accounts of what’s happening across the UK.