On Mon, 19 May 2008 14:12, Chris H <chris@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>
[cut]
>>http://www.clifford.ac/~alan/HomeOfficePhotographyLetter.jpg
>
> The problem is the last paragraph:
>
> "However, decisions may be made locally to restrict photography, for
> example to protect children. Any Questions on such local decisions
> should also be addressed to the force concerned"
Which simply says that English law may not say something is criminal,
but that doesn't stop it being criminal if there are cir***stances or
aspects of the something which a police officer thinks would amount to
a crime (or breach of the peace, or other public order situation).
> 1
> This suggests that the Police many make up their own laws as they go
> along.
Yup. Or their own interpretation of what they think they remember of
the briefing they had on some legislation some time. Police are
human, and those one encounters in the normal way of things in public
places are unlikely to have made a special study of the specific area
of law which interests the person they are about to arrest / harangue
/ move on.
> 2
> This specifically says " to protect children"
>
> This basically says the police can make local laws to stop you
> photographing anything and specifically children.
Yup. If there's a meaty matey who the officer thinks would take grave
exception to his little darling being snapped, the officer might be
right! (In a public order / breach of the peace sense.)
"paedo" is the meeja's favourite tag for generating instant mob anger,
and to do so they are happy to suggest that the public need protecting
from all sorts of things and people. The next day, the same rags will
have a violent attack on the "political correctness gone mad" which
are merely responses to their own campaign of fanning flames of
suspicion.
Some politicians - eg the departed double-act of Blunkett and Boateng
- take "Protect the Public" as a mantra, and cannot be persuaded that
it is nonsensical when used universally and simplistically.
Also, being right, and in the right, is not a great deal of
consolation if one has spent several hours being grilled (sorry,
"interviewed") at the police station, still less if suspicions led to
a "raid" with seizure of all cameras, computers, films, negatives,
prints, photo albums, books, magazines, etc, etc. Rare, but
definitely not unknown.
|
