Met Police apologises and pays damages to journalists over Greek Embassy protest incident

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The Metropolitan Police has apologised and agreed to pay damages to two journalists , after an incident in which the force 'failed to respect press freedom'. In December 2008, video footage showed a police officer grabbing a photojournalist's camera and blocking the video camera of another journalist who was attempting to film his actions at a political protest outside the Greek Embassy in London.

Last week National Union of Journalists members Marc Vallée, a photojournalist, and Jason Parkinson, a videographer, received an apology and damages from the Metropolitan Police.

Chez Cotton, associate at Bindmans LLP, who represented the two journalists, said: "It is of grave concern that an armed, diplomatic officer of the Metropolitan Police Force felt it was appropriate to call these journalists 'scum' and stop them from working and was happy to do so in full knowledge that he was being filmed.

"My clients were physically prevented from reporting on protest and political unrest of international importance. Just before he was frog marched by officers away from events, [Jason] Parkinson filmed an officer punching a protester in the side of the head, although the protester appears to be already under the control of several officers. The police appeared not to want these journalists to film what appeared to be extremely brutal arrests using force is a cause for further alarm."

A spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police told Journalism.co.uk: "The MPS has apologised and accepted liability for a breach of freedom of expression (Article 10 of the European Court of Human Rights) when an officer attempted to prevent two journalists from taking photographs outside the Greek Embassy on 8 December 2008. The MPS recognises the vital importance of journalists being able to report freely on all occasions, including at public order events.

"The officer wanted the journalists to move to the designated media cordon for their own safety and in order not to hinder the policing of the protest. It is however completely accepted that the officer should not have attempted to prevent them from filming whilst doing this."

The police accepted liability for breaching Article 10 and made a payment of £3,500 compensation to each journalist and paid their legal costs, the NUJ reported last week.

"Professional journalists and photographers have detailed numerous attempts by police officers to stifle the reporting of protests," said general secretary Jeremy Dear.

"[W]e have achieved a significant victory - it is right that the police admit liability, apologise and compensate those whose basic human rights were breached in such a blatant and aggressive manner.

"The police need to quickly learn the lessons of these shameful events, recognise the importance of media freedom and take the necessary steps to recognise the press card during police training to ensure it doesn't happen again. The result is a huge boost for media freedom and the rights of photographers".

Chez Cotton, who is head of the police misconduct department at Bindmans LLP, said she hoped that the Met Police commissioner "will take immediate steps to ensure his officers act properly and support rather than obstruct the press in the important role they play in keeping the public informed, including of police wrong doing".

Today the Met Police told Journalism.co.uk that Met police officers had been reminded last December that "people taking photographs in public should not be stopped and searched unless there is a valid reason".

John Yates, assistant commissioner specialist operations, circulated a memo to all Borough Commanders in a bid to 'reinforce' guidance previously issued around powers relating to stop and search under the Terrorism Act 2000 .

Photograph: Greek Embassy protest 2008. Fil Kaler © 2010, filkaler.com