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What rights now for photographers under the Terrorism Act 2000?

Posted: 20/11/08 By: Marc Vallée

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Photojournalist Marc Vallée has been keeping track of the impact of UK terrorism legislation on the freedom of photographers. View the original posts and his photographs on his blog.

These are edited extracts from his original posts. He will be updating the situation for Journalism.co.uk when he finds additional information. His protest images can be viewed here. (Photographs here by Marc Vallée/marcvallee.co.uk: Trafalgar Square, London, UK, April 5 2008 (c) Marc Vallée, 2008)

Back in April of this year I came across a police stop and search in Trafalgar Square. This was the day before the Olympic Torch was due to arrive in London.

Pro-Tibet demonstrators were arriving in London, ahead of protests due to take place along the route of the torch the next day.

I took a few frames of what was going on and then I was stopped by a police officer who made it very clear he knew who I was, but he still wanted to take a look at my UK Press Card.

He said, 'I want your card number for my records', so he writes down my press card number in his notebook and I take a picture.

This was not a new experience for me. But is working on Britain's streets just about to get harder?

(c) Marc Vallée, 2008.

Vallee4 On Thursday November 20, today, the Home Office had scheduled to publish new operational guidance to the police on the use of stop and search powers under section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 of those taking photographs in public places.

I emailed the press office at the National Policing Improvement Agency today, November 20, as planned, to get a copy of the revised advice and this is what I got back:

"The revised Practice Advice for police officers in the use of stop and search to combat terrorism is nearing completion. However, it will not be published today as anticipated. A date for publication will be set in the near future."

I asked, why the delay?

They said: "Revised guidance for police officers in the use of stop and search to combat terrorism is nearing completion. However, we were not able to publish on 20 Nov as anticipated. A date for publication will be set in the near future.

"I want to reassure your readers that the Terrorism Act 2000 does allow people to take photographs or digital images in public places and the Practice Advice will reiterate this."

So the next time you are stopped by the police or stopped and searched under the Terrorism Act 2000 when taking a photograph just remember the National Policing Improvement Agency has said the Act 'does allow people to take photographs or digital images in public places and the Practice Advice will reiterate this.'

For details of the draft guidance, visit the Editors' Blog for Marc Vallee's thoughts.

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