Photographers rights and the law
Increasingly we read in the newspapers, in magazines such as AP and the BJP, and on the internet, of photographers, both professional and amateur, being harassed or arrested by the police or by Community Support Officers and private security guards.
Recently two club membersv wrote to our MP to seek clarification on this matter and received assurances that apart from a few, well signposted, areas that fell under the Official Secrets Act, and private commercial properties such as shopping Malls there are no restrictions on amateur photography in this country.
One of these members was personally challenged by a private security guard in a public place in Salisbury recently. After a short discussion, when It became clear to the gentleman that our member was well aware of his rights, he was left in peace.
Why was he singled out? Probably because he was using a large f2.8 telephoto lens on a big pro-looking body. Lets face it Salisbury is a mecca for tourists and there must be many millions of photos taken every year.
In times of crisis, such as the July Bombings in London the Police ask for the public to provide them with as many photos as possible, on the other hand they try to restrict our hobby by saying that it is a security risk!!! You can't have it both ways.
Attached below are a few links that you might find useful. However, even when you might be in the right, It would seem only sensible to comply with any police request to stop filming. Better to complain after the event rather than to be wrongly arrested.
http://www.photographersrights.org.uk/
http://www.urban75.org/photos/photographers-rights-and-the-law.html#children
Extract of an article by Linda Macpherson dated March 2009