EC Container 4
Photographers Rights 2
There are now several high-profile campaings being run concerning the current legislation that is abusing photographers rights.
These draconian laws and misinterpretation of the laws are causing anyone with a camera to be targeted, including foreign tourists; as was reported recently concerning an Austrian Father and Son, who were stopped from taking a photograph of Walthamstow Bus Station!
The Metropolitan Police have issues new guidelines to their officers; http://www.met.police.uk/about/photography.htm but over-zealous officers may still interpret these in anyway they see fit.
The British Journal of Photography has its own campaign running presently, which has the backing of many other photographic organisations (such as the Bureau of Freelance Photgraphers and UKlandscape), and uses the "Not A Crime" slogan. They are encouraging photographers, both amateur and professional to take self-portraits of themselves with a "Not A Crime" or "I Am Not A Terrorist" caption and post them to their campaign website; http://www.not-a-crime.com
There is also an independent campaign http://www.PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org which is also encouraging photographers to take self-portraits with "I'm a Photographer Not a Terrorist" captions, and to post via their website.
They organised a flash-mob campaign on Saturday 12th September 2009 at Canary Wharf in London - a spot notorious for photographers to be stopped by the Canary Wharf Security services. Approx. 60 photographers turned up with cameras in hand, and all took some interesting photographs, whilst the Security who were outnumbered, looked on in dismay.
There's more information on: http://www.PhotographerNotaTerrorist.org/events
They have also created a very handy "Stop and Search Bust Card" that any photographer should print out, and carry with them, which cleary states what rights you have as a photographer in a public place, and also what Police Powers may be used against you.
I have added my own picture to show my support, to both of the above campaigns.
"How Photographers Are Perceived In The Eyes Of The Police and Government"
Please give these campaigns your support, before Britain becomes a complete no-photography zone!
EC Container 5