Londoners: rally today at Scotland Yard 11AM to preserve the right to photograph!

Posted by Cory Doctorow, February 15, 2009 10:07 PM |
Just a reminder for you Londoners: the National Union of Journalists and the British Journal of Photographers are having a photo-in today at Scotland Yard, a demonstration against the outrageous new law that can put you in jail for ten years for taking a photo of a police officer "a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism"

We'll be gathering at Scotland Yard today at 11AM, cameras in hand, to make the point: Nineteen Eighty-Four was not a manual for statecraft.


Tomorrow, [Ed: today] Monday 16 February 2009, the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 will come into force, potentially making it a crime to take a picture of members of Her Majesty's armed forces, including constables.

The Act amends the Terrorism Act 2000 regarding offences relating to information about members of armed forces, a member of the intelligence services, or a police officer. The new set of rules, under section 76 of the 2008 Act and section 58A of the 2000 Act, will target anyone who 'elicits or attempts to elicit information about (members of armed forces) ... which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism'.

The penalty could be of up to 10 years in prison. While BJP does not believe the Act will result in the imprisonment of photographers and photojournalists, we believe the Act could be abused by some police officers who are already loosely using Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 to prevent photographers from taking pictures in public places.

So, we have joined the National Union of Journalists' call for photographers to make their voices heard at a media event on 16 February in front of New Scotland Yard. The plan is simple, turn up with your camera and exercise your democratic right to take a photograph in a public place.

Photographers to make their voices heard against Terrorism Act abuses
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posted in: Civlib ,  Photo
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Discussion

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#1 posted by echonomist , February 15, 2009 10:27 PM

Preventing someone from photographing stuff can't prevent someone from using their eyes or thinking or writing something down in a private setting. These laws are absurd and MPs that voted for them are, if not unpatriotic, stupid.

I encourage you all to attend tomorrow.

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#2 posted by Brainspore , February 15, 2009 10:53 PM

America is far from perfect, but it's times like this that I'm glad I have a Constitution with a Bill of Rights instead of a legislative body that can just pass any damn law it pleases on a whim.

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#3 posted by TheRedMax , February 15, 2009 11:08 PM

I'll be there. See any of you there!

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#4 posted by Jarvik7 , February 16, 2009 12:13 AM

It'll be interesting to see the turnout for this. I hope someone takes vids (or some pics, harhar)

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#5 posted by Beanolini , February 16, 2009 1:07 AM

#2, Brainspore:

America is far from perfect, but it's times like this that I'm glad I have a Constitution with a Bill of Rights instead of a legislative body that can just pass any damn law it pleases on a whim.

Well, the Patriot Act was passed in the US despite being plainly against the Constitution.

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#6 posted by kiltreiser , February 16, 2009 1:21 AM

Anyone in Edinburgh going to join in the fun and if so does anyone have a place to upload photos? I'm taking my bike out on a cop photo spree for my lunch hour...

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#7 posted by UstinJay , February 16, 2009 2:38 AM

Feb. 16th, 2009-
2+16=18 1+8=9 2+0+0+9=11
Simply practicing my arithmetic.

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#8 posted by harpdevil , February 16, 2009 3:19 AM

First it will be that you cant take photos of them, then they will start wearing masks so we cant see their faces, and with that separation from taking responsibility for your actions come truly terrible things.

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#9 posted by AlexG55 , February 16, 2009 3:35 AM

I'm currently outside London. I might take a picture of some police here, except I lost my phone (which is also my camera). Bugger.

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#10 posted by Roger Stanton , February 16, 2009 3:50 AM
Well, the Patriot Act was passed in the US despite being plainly against the Constitution.

Interesting that Supreme Court justices are posting blog comments to boingboing now.

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#11 posted by Antony Bennison , February 16, 2009 4:13 AM

Just got back from this. Lots of fun. Lots of photographers taking photos of each other. Left with a smile on my face and slight camera envy.

Saw Cory there (said hello) and Mark Thomas gave a few words. Going to put my photos up on Flickr soon. I don't know if there's a Group for this event on there yet.

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#12 posted by Beanolini , February 16, 2009 4:59 AM

#10, Roger Stanton:

Federal judges have ruled on more than one occasion that several parts of the Patriot act are unconstitutional.

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#13 posted by Sean Craven , February 16, 2009 5:06 AM

This seems like such an important story -- and I'm not reading about it anywhere else. It's giving me flashbacks to the eighties when the only reason I found out about the poll tax was because I read comic books...

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#15 posted by M , February 16, 2009 5:33 AM

It's goo that they'll be there, because I won't. Britain is off my travel list--has been for the last couple of years, since terrorists took over the government and have been terrorizing the population with cameras and jerk fake-cops.

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#16 posted by MRKiscaden , February 16, 2009 6:11 AM

This is really too bad, because I always wanted to visit England. Now I simply won't go. Considering how much I get harassed by the TSA, this sound much worse. The last thing I want to do is find myself locked up in the UK for being a tourist and taking photos.

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#17 posted by Bugs , February 16, 2009 6:14 AM

Why are these things always scheduled for when most people will be in work? I'm less than 20 minutes away and would've come if it was scheduled before work, during lunchtime, after work or on a Saturday.

I know that not everyone has to work "office hours", but in the City of London and in Westminster the vast majority of the daytime population do. Surely they'd get more participants and a bigger audience if they chose a time when most of the locals aren't trapped inside?

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#18 posted by Anonymous , February 16, 2009 6:32 AM

Why do only police and military get special protection? Obviously this protection should be granted to all UK citizens. Stop playing favorites, and give me the right to take that guy's film or memory card if he just as much as points his camera at me.

Does this law cover private security cameras? "Since I came onto your property the film could be used for terrorist purposes, you're under arrest."

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#20 posted by Digilante , February 16, 2009 8:15 AM

Both the UK and the US are on my no-travel list for a couple of years already. I refuse to support oppressive regimes. Also for practical reasons, as both require my Asian wife to undergo major anal probes, complete biometric measurements, all at our cost and inconvenience. Thanks, we'll spend our money elsewhere.

China has been a fantastic travel destination though. It's really tame in comparison.

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#21 posted by Teller , February 16, 2009 9:36 AM

It's outrageous that the US does not pay for anal probes.

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#22 posted by C0nt1nu1ty , February 16, 2009 11:02 AM

Gah! This was hinted at but I diddnt get the e-mail
I so would have skipped out of lectures for this, threat of no TOGAF acreditation be dammned

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#23 posted by gd23 , February 16, 2009 11:55 AM

@19 Uhmmm... China eh?

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