Have YOU ever been stopped by the police for taking photos?

Have YOU ever been stopped by the police for taking photos?

  • Total voters
    281
I've voted No for many reasons ....

- I am assuming that this poll is for incidents in UK; as such my experiences from other countries(*) doesn't count.

- The question specifically asks about police stopping me, and that hasn't happened. I was, however, approached three times but never by police!

Once I was approached by a Marshal in down-town Swansea. It wasn't a very nice experience, but I knew my rights, he and I spoke for a good while about me shooting there. He was, initially, a bit intimidating, but that soon changed when he got to know me better :shrug:. We eventually walked away on agreeing terms, but I wasn't happy with the approach.

A couple of other incidents, one at Canary Warf, I was asked politely to stop shooting and that was in their right. The other was in Selfridge Oxford St. London; again I was asked to stop shooting and again it was in their right to do so.




(*)Just a simple note on this, in all my travels I've only been asked to stop shooting a handful of times in Saudi Arabia (which is negligible, considering how often I am out shooting here plus factoring in the state of the security we live in), and once when I was in Turkey (but I managed to talk my way into shooting again).
 
Forbiddenbiker said:
Nearly 25% voted yes! :eek:


Ive been stopped near twenty time by officers over the last 3 years. Shouldn't i get more than one vote. ;)

At least half of those on the main pavements of London, the other half in more obviously suspicious grounds like the empty car park at the end of City Airport or other less well trodden areas.

In almost all cases the police where excellent, in fact I have to say, it seems to me that they're far more knowledgeable about the rights of photographers during this last year.

Security guards is another matter and probably doubles that number.
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If I was a cop I'd stop you too Adam - he's a seriously shifty looking character :suspect::suspect::suspect:


:lol:

DD
 
I was stopped by a moronic PCSO/Traffic warden in Manchester, told me that I was breaking the law taking pictures of the Urbis centre because their were children in the forground.

I asked what Law and he said 'er the Law' so I told him my rights before sending him off with a flea in his ear , I also made a complaint and I return as often as I can to Mancester to take pictures.
 
Holden Caulfield said:
I asked what Law and he said 'er the Law' so I told him my rights before sending him off with a flea in his ear , I also made a complaint and I return as often as I can to Mancester to take pictures.
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Did you get any pictures of him? I think you should get some then post them here!


Steve.
 
Never been stopped by the police, but at Brands Hatch during the 90's I was advised by a race team member not to take photos of their car whilst being worked on in the pit garage as the team owner wouldn't be too happy if he caught me.
Happy with the photos I'd taken, I moved on quickly as I didn't want to lose my film with all the photos I'd taken out on track and elsewhere in the pitlane.
 
Yep, by the Military Police for taking photos of a garrison church at night, 2 minute chat and was left alone to get on with it. Just doing their job and polite about it as well.
 
nope....
but I'm normally at events, gigs, fight nights, sports/martial arts events so have all the permissions sorted out
rarely take my camera onto the streets
 
Been S44'ed twice, once when in my work uniform (Her Majestys Prison Service). Normally I just get a bored copper coming up to me and having a word about if I'm busy or the like, but I've not had a run in with security guards. Yet.
 
Item on BBC news this morning, Togger was questioned by two police taking pctures of the Houses of Parliament from the Sth of the river, a common view point. He was stopped under anti-terrorism laws and was subjected to a "Stop and account", details were taken and recorded. They had a senior transport police officer who agreed that the officers were out of line, they have a duty to be vigilent but not oppressive. According to the the Snr Transport Police officer you do not have to give your personal details on these occassions, but like life in general if the police asked you what you are doing (pretty obvious really) in an informal interested way then they would receive a pleasent enough answer.
 
Basically if you give any human any easy way of doing something then 9/10 times they will do it.

Cops are no different to any one else, secton 44 is an easy/ lazy way of detaining somoneto get information.

Sad thing is that the police are buying in to this zombie like paranoia like a lot of citizens who beleive that there is a terrorist on every corner ( with a camera)

If we join the dots it look more like this - we go to war illigally to get first dibs on oil- the war last 3 years longer than WWII and is costing Billions in an economy which is basically bankrupt- the powers that be need to justify this long war so they - make the public feel vunerable by default by giving the impression that this is a bin laden on every street corner and the cops need new powers Ie 44 to arrest them.

so.....

Cops go out looking for terrorist on every corner , however theire aint any so the powers that be decide that taking photographs may be 'hostile reconnaissance' and the cops who are as brainwashed as the rest of the public detain togs who are going around their legitimate business.

Togs complain- gets in the press - p[olice say but we are at war and we know there are terrorist threats Remember this

Woo terrorist everywhere....

However with not so much fanfare this was the outcome here

Yep no evidence however a nice little paranoia boost for the British citizens and of course a super justification for Anti terror legislation that makes everybody a suspect.:thumbs:
 
Voted no. Not actually been 'Stopped' as far as the law is concerned, just asked to move on
 
I've been stopped three times. The plod seemed to think that I might be in danger when I was taking a series of pictures that included this one:

IMG_1829low.jpg



They also go a bit grumpy with me when I got involved in a drugs bust. The car in front of me was the "target" car, the three cars behind me were coppers and there was a good few armed police cars and officers coming in the other direction. The road was all of a sudden blocked, two cars overttok me and the third one that was behind me blocked the road which meant I was in the middle of it all. I did the responsible thing though .... i got out my car and went to the boot. Got out the camera and started taking as many pictures as I could. One of the armed coppers told me to get back, I refused as they had no business with me and I was having a lovely time. Later, in the cheif inspectors office, I was informed that there were undercover officers involved and that my pictures could prove dangerous to those officers. He asked for any pictures with thos coppers in to be supplied to the plod only.

The third time was when I was on my way to work and saw a few coppers hanging around a container lorry, they were about to open the back of it up. It was pretty obvious that there were nefarious doings about so I grabbed my camera again, asked the driver of a nearby lorry if I could stand on top of it to take some pictures and clicked away. One of the coppers ordered me to stop taking pictures, I refused and he offered to arrest me. I told him he would have to come up and get me if he wanted me to stop as he was acting outside of his jurisdiction and beyond his authority. He left me to it. The lorry was opened and out jumped a dozen or so illegal immigrants. the local papers weren't interested in the pictures as they said it's a daily occurrence in this area and not newsworthy!
 
Yv said:
*raises hand* AYE - but I think it was Fabs fault, he always looks dodgy. ;)
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Actually, I'm going to be a pedant here. We weren't stopped for taking photos, we were stopped and briefly questions whilst walking along with cameras. We explained who we were and the officer took some details and then very kindly radio'd colleagues to let them know there was a group of lunatics photographers around so that we wouldn't be stopped again (and we weren't).

Anyway, it was Adams fault, he looks een dodgier than me. :p
 
I had to vote "no".
I've never been stopped for taking photos - I agree that there is a fair amount of "terrorist paranoia" about though. And it's NOT just photographers who are falling foul of it. I've been stopped by the police for taking a wrong turn in a tube station.

On my way to a meeting in London I needed to switch between the circle and central lines. Got off the tube and somehow managed to get caught up in the crowd heading up the escalator to head Eastbound from Notting Hill Gate. I suddenly realised that I'd made a mistake and should have taken the down escalator to head Westbound :bang:
Of course by this point I was already halfway up and the escalator was packed. Even if it hadn't been, high heels and a pencil skirt aren't the right attire to be running the wrong way against an escalator.

No choice but to ride up to the top, turn around and head back down again.

To my shock as soon as I'd headed back down I was bundled into a corner by two police officers and quizzed for about 15 minutes about what I was doing. Apparently my behaviour of changing direction was seen as "highly suspicious" :cuckoo:
I was absolutely fuming, but already running late I decided not to kick up a fuss and cause yet more delays to my journey. I did put in a complaint after the event but nothing ever came of it.
 
I haven't been doing this very long so mine was a no.

I'm always in two minds about this stuff. On one hand it annoys me to high heaven to think that our police force don't seem to understand the laws they are trying to enforce. Civil liberties have to be protected at all costs in this country, you give an inch and they'll take a mile. However on the other hand I wouldn't go out of my way to be aggressive with a police officer for stopping me and asking what I was doing. If he told me I was breaking the law or couldn't take photos then I'd probably get a little more verbal.


..
 
I fell foul of S44 in London a couple of months ago whilst being a tourist and takign photos on the south bank. Apparently certain buildings and all railway stations are covered as they are deemed terrorist targets but they won't tell you where these S44 zones are as that might identify them to terrorists.

Catch 22?
 
fabs said:
Actually, I'm going to be a pedant here. We weren't stopped for taking photos, we were stopped and briefly questions whilst walking along with cameras. We explained who we were and the officer took some details and then very kindly radio'd colleagues to let them know there was a group of lunatics photographers around so that we wouldn't be stopped again (and we weren't).

Anyway, it was Adams fault, he looks een dodgier than me. :p
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Same thing happened when we did the sunrise meet last year. I informed them of our mass easly wander and we didn't see them at all ....'cctvs working then' I thought, lol.

...Oh and Oi!
I'll have you know someone asked me is I was French the other day, cos I looked so stylish... :woot: :D :p
 
right then , lets play spot the dodgy geezer with a camera



:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
i was thinking ( like everyone else ) the one on the errrrrr rrrright looks a bit ,,yaknow ,,,,sorta ,,,,,well ...
 
donutagain said:
right then , lets play spot the dodgy geezer with a camera
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Hmmm... :suspect: ... anyone who can wear white trainers with white pop sox (even if they are both matching and Nike) over white legs topped with white shorts, in the Winter, has got to be a bit of a "dodgy geezer with a camera"... :shrug: ... if not bordering :cuckoo: ... :lol:


;)




:p
 
Yes....a few times, but in general once it's been explained to them what is going on they tend to be pretty reasonable...
 
Holden Caulfield said:
I was stopped by a moronic PCSO/Traffic warden in Manchester, told me that I was breaking the law taking pictures of the Urbis centre because their were children in the forground.

I asked what Law and he said 'er the Law' so I told him my rights before sending him off with a flea in his ear , I also made a complaint and I return as often as I can to Mancester to take pictures.
Click to expand...

My first post on here, i have been reading everyones experiences from beeing approached by the police etc.
I have come accross an article from the independent whith the headline Police U Turn on photographers the link is below: hopefully the interference of photographers by the police will be a thing of the past.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...hotographers-and-antiterror-laws-1834626.html
 
I was in a shop taking photos when our local PCSO stopped me..he was very nice but in ahurry and wanted me to serve him..well i was at work so i think he was right.

But i have been stopped by the RMP's a few times
 
Yes I have , and I was told that I was acting like a peeping Tom just because there were houses in the area. Irrational I know, but that's tarnished my reputation of police forever now, and I get nervous whenever I see them.
 
I work for a construction company and quite often have to take pictures of sites in and around london. Once in Exchange Square (right above Liverpool Street Station) I did the decent thing and introduced myself, showed ID and asked permission from the Security Guards to take the pictures. I also offered to show them my shots afterwards and delete any they disagreed with. The guy was very obliging and said no problem just don't take any of security installations. Twenty minutes later I found myself talking into a grill in the wall to a Superior Security Guard in his ivory tower. He had seen me in his CCTV camera and even though his compatriot, who had previously given permission, explained the situation he wasn't having any of it; nor would he come down from his tower to discuss the matter further.
It was quite funny really because the guy on the ground was stood next to me, extracting the urine out of his superior and calling him a "jobsworth".
Thing was though, there were plenty of tourists wandering around photgraphing happily away unchallenged.
 
I've always just smiled and nodded when clocked by police, they do the same and never have a problem.

I did get stopped outside my local council civic centre, a couple of days after a controversial incident, so I was happy to stop and continue across the road rather than argue the toss.
 
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