Photographers in the UK are under suspicion everywhere. I have been stopped by over zealous security guards twice, while going about my lawful business, photographing from public land. It seems that the Police and other ‘security personel’ have got it into their minds that carrying a camera is connected with gathering intelligence for illegal use.
Not only is it corrosive of press freedom but creation of the collective visual history of our country is extinguished by anti-terrorist legislation designed to protect the heritage it prevents us recording.
This campaign is for everyone who values visual imagery, not just photographers.
We must work together now to stop this before photography becomes a part of history rather than a way of recording it.
http://photographernotaterrorist.org/ aims to publicise the situation by organising flashmobs of photographers in places which discourage legal photography. They also have a very handy bust card, which explains photographers rights under the law, and is in a handy format to print out and carry with you.
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