This happened to me back in May.
I decided to go up London and do some photography etc, and visit the butterfly house and science and history museum for some photos etc.
So I hop on a tube line to Westminster and there are these 3 Americans on there and I over here them talking. They say Is this the line that goes under the channel....... I can tell you right now everyone in the carriage gave them strange looks; they got off the next stop.
So I am walking around London by big Ben etc and taking a few photos of it and the London eye, when some guy comes up to me with a D300 (I have the D200) he is taking photos of things and we get talking etc and I find out he does photography work for the companies who do those London postcards etc and so on.
Anyway I leave and continue walking down towards embankment and hop on a train to London Bridge. I take a few photos there when I’m stopped by police.
There were like 3 of them and they all come to me and I am thinking what I have done. They were like Sir just stays there. They then say we are stopping you on suspicion of a robbery. I am like come again?!?! We have reason to believe you have committed a robbery. Your description fits. They then take my name and address etc, and make me sit in the back of the police car while this is going on. You have NO idea how embarrassing this is, as I had gathered a mini crowed. Around 20 mins later they say you’re free to go. So I continue on my way.
An hour later guess what? Some other police men come and guess what. Oh yes it happens again, I explain I have been pulled over once for this etc but they don’t appear to be listening to me. They then radio in the dispatcher checks my information, and then I hear the dreaded word. Bring him in. They were like you’re going to have to come to the station with us, I am like why, they were like for ID checks, and the fact your name is flagged up.
So I go to the police station they take my finger prints and check the database and no match, they were like we are sorry and I am like this is the 2nd time this has happened to me. They never even offered to drop me back to where I was, I had to ask for directions.
So anyway I get my way back to the London eye to finish some photos there, I’m just walking back from around the back end of the eye when a police man walks around the corner behind me, I think nothing of it, until another one walks in front of me, and they were like sir please stop. I am thinking to myself if you pull me over for that robbery thing I am going to go mad.
They were like what have you been taking photos off; I am like the London eye. They were like we are going to have to ask you show us, so I show them the pictures. Then they are like you can't take photos here I am like excuse me there are others around here doing the same. They then wanted to search my equipment, I am like no as its some expensive stuff and I don’t want it broken. They were like fine you’re going to have to come with us, and then out of the blue this other photographer comes over and says to the police what are you doing, they were like we don’t have to explain to you, and then comes the funny bit, yes you do and he pulls out a police id badge that says detective constable on it. He then went on to explain and argue it with the other officers. He then came over to me and said are you all right I said yes, and he said I will be speaking to their Commanding officer about this, as it's appalling the way some seem to think they can boss around photographers like this. He then said should this happen to you again just point them in my direction. (He gave me his card and name etc)
At this point I was so dam annoyed I just went home
What is it with police now days where they see a photographer and are like get him!!!! Yet people with point and shoots they ignore!!!
I decided to go up London and do some photography etc, and visit the butterfly house and science and history museum for some photos etc.
So I hop on a tube line to Westminster and there are these 3 Americans on there and I over here them talking. They say Is this the line that goes under the channel....... I can tell you right now everyone in the carriage gave them strange looks; they got off the next stop.
So I am walking around London by big Ben etc and taking a few photos of it and the London eye, when some guy comes up to me with a D300 (I have the D200) he is taking photos of things and we get talking etc and I find out he does photography work for the companies who do those London postcards etc and so on.
Anyway I leave and continue walking down towards embankment and hop on a train to London Bridge. I take a few photos there when I’m stopped by police.
There were like 3 of them and they all come to me and I am thinking what I have done. They were like Sir just stays there. They then say we are stopping you on suspicion of a robbery. I am like come again?!?! We have reason to believe you have committed a robbery. Your description fits. They then take my name and address etc, and make me sit in the back of the police car while this is going on. You have NO idea how embarrassing this is, as I had gathered a mini crowed. Around 20 mins later they say you’re free to go. So I continue on my way.
An hour later guess what? Some other police men come and guess what. Oh yes it happens again, I explain I have been pulled over once for this etc but they don’t appear to be listening to me. They then radio in the dispatcher checks my information, and then I hear the dreaded word. Bring him in. They were like you’re going to have to come to the station with us, I am like why, they were like for ID checks, and the fact your name is flagged up.
So I go to the police station they take my finger prints and check the database and no match, they were like we are sorry and I am like this is the 2nd time this has happened to me. They never even offered to drop me back to where I was, I had to ask for directions.
So anyway I get my way back to the London eye to finish some photos there, I’m just walking back from around the back end of the eye when a police man walks around the corner behind me, I think nothing of it, until another one walks in front of me, and they were like sir please stop. I am thinking to myself if you pull me over for that robbery thing I am going to go mad.
They were like what have you been taking photos off; I am like the London eye. They were like we are going to have to ask you show us, so I show them the pictures. Then they are like you can't take photos here I am like excuse me there are others around here doing the same. They then wanted to search my equipment, I am like no as its some expensive stuff and I don’t want it broken. They were like fine you’re going to have to come with us, and then out of the blue this other photographer comes over and says to the police what are you doing, they were like we don’t have to explain to you, and then comes the funny bit, yes you do and he pulls out a police id badge that says detective constable on it. He then went on to explain and argue it with the other officers. He then came over to me and said are you all right I said yes, and he said I will be speaking to their Commanding officer about this, as it's appalling the way some seem to think they can boss around photographers like this. He then said should this happen to you again just point them in my direction. (He gave me his card and name etc)
At this point I was so dam annoyed I just went home
What is it with police now days where they see a photographer and are like get him!!!! Yet people with point and shoots they ignore!!!
...like...
