Italian student tells of arrest while filming for fun

Status
Not open for further replies.
For heavens sake people, just look at the PCSO in that video - he's an idiot. His mate hovering in the background looks like he was wishing he was somewhere else and he probably was. These guys have no idea WTF they're doing! If you want to get out of your prams about something just look at the armies of these people they're putting out on the streets in a variety of uniforms, and with the briefest of any training or instruction. They're just uniform carriers doing the service nothing but harm, and it's all about policing on the cheap... what do you really expect?
 
ding76uk said:
But not all cases are PCSO related, some are by the police. The PCSO in question had to get the police to arrest her, but they could have said stop being an idiot and let the whole thing drop.

To blame just PCSO's in this case is unfair.
Click to expand...

As it happens, the whole sorry incident doen't reflect any credit on the regular officers who attended either, but the fact of the matter is the whole thing was blown out of proportion by this PCSO in the first place.
 
ding76uk said:
Yes but someone who has been brought up in this country, is of the muslim faith, yet is a British citizen should surely not be thought of as the enemy simply because they have the same skin colour as someone as a terrorist.
Click to expand...

Whereas someone carrying a camera, whether they're white, black, brown, Muslim, Christian, Scientologist etc. is somehow different, despite there being no notable evidence that there have been terrorism convictions of people carrying cameras in the past.

What is true is that during the current climate, a majority of terrorist attacks (or plans of attack) have been carried out by a particular race/religion/skin colour. There's nothing racist about saying it, and I don't wish to offend anyone. It's just fact.

We're not pigeonholing, or placing the blame on, every person of a particular faith by admitting that. :bonk:

EDIT: I should also add that I don't agree with hassling every Muslim any more than I agree with hassling every photographer.
 
ding76uk said:
Agreed, but this is not the first incident, and police officers have been known to do similar to the PCSO in this clip.

What I want to know is what is the terrorist's weapon of choice? Canon or Nikon.

Just imagine the advertising, if it's good enough for Bin Laden, it's good enough for you!:lol:
Click to expand...

Must be Nikons. Cannons are soooo last century. ;)
 
titch124 said:
maybe its just the devil in me, but reading this story makes me want to dress up as bin larden and go running round london with a camera to see what happens :D
Click to expand...

I don't understand. Why would you want to dress up as my local Newsagent owner? :thinking:
 
Steve Smith said:
Muslim is a faith, not a race.


Steve.
Click to expand...

The term race or racial group usually refers to the categorization of humans into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of heritable characteristics.

Surely what is being said on here in regards to skin tone is regarded as racism?
 
ding76uk said:
The term race or racial group usually refers to the categorization of humans into populations or groups on the basis of various sets of heritable characteristics.

Surely what is being said on here in regards to skin tone is regarded as racism?
Click to expand...

AFAIK No-one has mentioned skin tone unless 'extremist' is a colour...

I took pains to point out that not all Moslems are extremist in their views, just as not all Irish Catholics were members of the PIRA or even supoorted thier stance against the British Government...
However it is human nature when faced with a threat from a reasonably identifiable segement of the general population to view all members of that sub-group with suspicion until they are proved not to present a threat.

At this moment in time it's only dark-skinned Asian Moslems that are trying to kill me...and you and those around you...

I would bet my life that Muhammed Ali doesn't wear Semtex... however, I can't say the same for anyone else with a similar name...until they prove otherwise...
 
I belive Martsman said "Islamic features" and that police should be free to investigate these. Thats implying stopping people on the looks of their race. Therefore that is a form of racism.
 
Arkady said:
At this moment in time it's only dark-skinned Asian Moslems that are trying to kill me...and you and those around you...
Click to expand...

I can see the point of being suspicious of people where you are Arkady but I dont like the idea of being suspicious of every Asian person in modern day britain. There are a high percentage of scottish born asians in my photography class and I would hate to see them singled out more than me for carrying a camera.
 
Vic said:
I belive Martsman said "Islamic features" and that police should be free to investigate these. Thats implying stopping people on the looks of their race. Therefore that is a form of racism.
Click to expand...

Which is frowned upon, but other forms of discrimination (such as between those carrying cameras and those that are not) appear to be fine.
 
Vic said:
I belive Martsman said "Islamic features" and that police should be free to investigate these. Thats implying stopping people on the looks of their race. Therefore that is a form of racism.
Click to expand...

Islamic features is indeed an unfortunate turn of phrase and quite incorrect, as there are many white skinned-short haired and clean-shaven Moslems all around the world...

However, my earlier point still stands...if we accept the 'enemy' (for want of a better word) is identifiable, then it would be negligent not to be suspicious of 'them' until it could be proved they presented no threat.

If on the other hand we accept that our terrorist cadres are far more sophisticated than The Sun would have us believe and that any would-be assassins will of course be dressed like anyone else in the UK and look like everyone else in the UK then we're stuffed...lol

Only in the movies do they dress in traditional Pashtu clothing from the Northwest Frontier and say "Durka-Durka Mohammed Jihad" (which unsurprisingly from the makers of South Park roughly translates as "Penis-Penis Mohammed Holy-War"...)

If only it were so easy...
 
MatBin said:
I will vote and advise every one else also to vote, isnt that why we had WW2?
Click to expand...

Nope, that would be the mutual defence treaty Britain and France had with Poland.

:nuts:
 
I do think some of you are being rather naive in playing down the terrorist threat here on our streets. The Taliban and others would dearly love to bring the war right here among us and make no mistake about it - they're trying to do just that. Lots of young Asian men born and bred in this country are being trained in terrorist techniques and are forming cells here in the UK. They hate and despise us and would kill you or I without a second thought. They hold no alliegance whatsoever to this country, which has housed, educated and employed them.

One thing the intelligence agencies deserve a lot of credit it for is they have their fingers on the pulse with who these people are and they've largely foiled their efforts so far, but sooner or later they will succeed, it's not a case of if - just how long.

Personally I'd have smiled sweetly at Mr PCSO, told him what he wanted to know and got on with taking photos.
 
Ahhh CT (and others), see how someone smiled sweetly and did as was asked and yet...

http://www.bindmans.com/index.php?id=672

(cross posted from one of the other police hassle threads on here)

Now that truly is taking the biscuit and I'd look upon anyone who doesn't think thats OTT with extreme scorn.
 
"...The officer concluded the matter confirming to Ms Hurd that if she did want to use the footage then she would have to go through the Metropolitan Police press office, as it was ‘his copyright’, and, although the officers were not undercover at that point, they might be at some point in the future..." (my italics)

This was the paragraph that really made me laugh...what a bunch of idiots!
 
LOL. Well that beggars belief quite frankly.
 
CT said:
LOL. Well that beggars belief quite frankly.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

So lets drop all the nonsense and just roundly condemn these "actions" as illegal and over-intrusive.
 
CT said:
I do think some of you are being rather naive in playing down the terrorist threat here on our streets. The Taliban and others would dearly love to bring the war right here among us and make no mistake about it - they're trying to do just that. Lots of young Asian men born and bred in this country are being trained in terrorist techniques and are forming cells here in the UK. They hate and despise us and would kill you or I without a second thought. They hold no alliegance whatsoever to this country, which has housed, educated and employed them.

One thing the intelligence agencies deserve a lot of credit it for is they have their fingers on the pulse with who these people are and they've largely foiled their efforts so far, but sooner or later they will succeed, it's not a case of if - just how long.

Personally I'd have smiled sweetly at Mr PCSO, told him what he wanted to know and got on with taking photos.
Click to expand...

How did we manage to live through the IRA attacking us for 30 years without photographers being hassled the way they are now?

Notice how the PCSO asked if she was carrying ID ... this is England, not Nazi Germany. I don't have to carry ID in the UK to simply be able to walk the streets and take photographs.

First it is photographers, next it will be anyone with a camera, then it will be something else, and then something.

There is a great quote from a German Pastor about WW2 (and I realise by mentioning the Nazis I have therefore invoked Godwin's Law)

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

We have to put a stop to this nonsense and us, as photographers, should not resist quietly. We should resist this oppression to our freedoms as loudly as possible knowing we have the law on our side. Remember the police merely uphold the law, they are not the law themselves.
 
Arkady said:
If on the other hand we accept that our terrorist cadres are far more sophisticated than The Sun would have us believe and that any would-be assassins will of course be dressed like anyone else in the UK and look like everyone else in the UK then we're stuffed...lol
Click to expand...

Either way we're screwed then ;)

And yes I agree with you that there is a common link between the enemy and intelligence in this country would be stupid to ignore that. But acting on a suspicion of every asian person (and indeed every person with a camera) would be a step towards "1984". Actually not that you were implying that anyway Arkady :)
 
inkiboo said:
How did we manage to live through the IRA attacking us for 30 years without photographers being hassled the way they are now?

Notice how the PCSO asked if she was carrying ID ... this is England, not Nazi Germany. I don't have to carry ID in the UK to simply be able to walk the streets and take photographs.

First it is photographers, next it will be anyone with a camera, then it will be something else, and then something.

There is a great quote from a German Pastor about WW2 (and I realise by mentioning the Nazis I have therefore invoked Godwin's Law)

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

We have to put a stop to this nonsense and us, as photographers, should not resist quietly. We should resist this oppression to our freedoms as loudly as possible knowing we have the law on our side. Remember the police merely uphold the law, they are not the law themselves.
Click to expand...



Bladdy Hell, it`s Citizen Smith.
 
Arkady said:
This was the paragraph that really made me laugh...what a bunch of idiots!
Click to expand...


Not like the military then Rob, they never get it wrong do they? Like the Commandos doing an excercise on Gib and ending up invading Spain or the marines on a pleasure cruise near Iran with the fingers up their backside and there brains in neutral.No, never......;)
 
fracster said:
Not like the military then Rob, they never get it wrong do they? Like the Commandos doing an excercise on Gib and ending up invading Spain or the marines on a pleasure cruise near Iran with the fingers up their backside and there brains in neutral.No, never......;)
Click to expand...

I don't think this is the same sort of 'getting it wrong' though...if you get what I mean...:thinking:

...from what we can tell, the PCSO left his common sense in the bath room cupboard that morning...:shrug:
 
No I don`t get what you mean?

Everyone makes mistakes, that is the point i`m making.
 
Gary said:
isnt there a rule about politics on TPF?
Click to expand...

I think this hardly comes under the broad umbrella of politics Gary - it's photographers rights being discussed on a photographic forum.
 
CT said:
I think this hardly comes under the broad umbrella of politics Gary - it's photographers rights being discussed on a photographic forum.
Click to expand...

And it's an important debate that's taking place in a remarkably adult and frank way.
 
fracster said:
Not like the military then Rob, they never get it wrong do they? Like the Commandos doing an excercise on Gib and ending up invading Spain or the marines on a pleasure cruise near Iran with the fingers up their backside and there brains in neutral.No, never......;)
Click to expand...

Maybe that's why I'm in Afghanistan with a rifle and you're at home in the UK looking forward to Christmas with your family...

Some of us have to make 'mistakes' so others can go about their lives in relative comfort...
 
Arkady said:
Maybe that's why I'm in Afghanistan with a rifle and you're at home in the UK looking forward to Christmas with your family...

Some of us have to make 'mistakes' so others can go about their lives in relative comfort...
Click to expand...

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

-- George Orwell
:thumbs:
 
Arkady said:
Maybe that's why I'm in Afghanistan with a rifle and you're at home in the UK looking forward to Christmas with your family...

Some of us have to make 'mistakes' so others can go about their lives in relative comfort...
Click to expand...

And a great job you are all doing over there in very challenging circumstances. Mistakes happen in all walks of life, but most go unnoticed, you guys make a mistake, and it can be costly.

Be safe and thank you.
 
Kemble3 said:
And a great job you are all doing over there in very challenging circumstances. Mistakes happen in all walks of life, but most go unnoticed, you guys make a mistake, and it can be costly.

Be safe and thank you.
Click to expand...

Regardless of who sent you in, why or when you will hopefully all be coming home, I'd like to think you all have all our support for what you are doing.

Matt
 
These ongong events of stopping and serching photographers are really putting me off of going to London . I know that all around the country people are been stopped ,but non more so than in the capital . I have never visisted London but was planning to in the near future . I'm actually now too scared to go, not for fear of terrorist attack, but for fear of been arrested for enjoying (The freedom of ????.) my home country . If it is scaring our fellow citizens away what is it doing for the tourist economy ?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top