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Author Topic: Photographer held for hours by police  (Read 7432 times)

paulbk

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Photographer held for hours by police
« on: March 26, 2006, 06:31:10 am »

Ben Hider, Photographer: “Three police officers ran at me, immediately, telling me to stop where I was.”
Ben Hider, Photographer: “Emptied my pockets, searched me, frisked me, started telling me about the recent terrorist threats in America over the past five years and ‘haven’t I been watching the news?’”
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Thirty years ago I spent six years as a reactor operator on a nuclear submarine to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. I did it mostly so when I got out I could walk around as I please and take pictures of birds, bees, and buildings. And so my children could do the same. Lately I’m having second thoughts. The United States is becoming a country not worth defending.

This stuff aggravates me to no end! I’ve been stopped a few times and was questioned by the police officer. After I showed my drivers license and explained that I enjoy photography and that I am not a terrorist, he let me go..., begrudgingly.

Read all about it here Photoshop News and here local ABC news.

PDF about rights?.. Your Rights As a Photographer
Bert P. Krages II, Attorney, web page
« Last Edit: March 26, 2006, 09:32:21 am by paulbk »
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paul b.k.
New England, USA

situgrrl

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2006, 06:57:41 am »

It's not only Americans who have it bad...I live in Cardiff (Wales which is left of England a bit) and was photographing the Assembly building, approached by 6 officers, 'stop n searched' and escorted from the vicinity on the basis of "security" and "terrorism."

Thankfully, I avoided arrest this time but the officers were operating well outside their remit....

katemann

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2006, 07:18:32 am »

This is not acceptable. Officers have to have probable cause in order to detain and search. At least they did before the Constitution was replaced with the Patriot Act in the States. I have not heard of any such incident in Canada - and have they changed the Constitution in Britain?
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situgrrl

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2006, 09:48:25 am »

Britain doesn't have a codified constitution and as such, every law, and every judge's interpretation of a law, defines the constitution as it stands on any given day.  

Fact is, cops ARE the law - in any country, no matter how "democratic."  They can - and will - arrest you at any given time in any given place for any given crime and if they choose to bust down your front door whilst you are watching telly - it's your tough shit.  

Sure you can complain, you can take legal action if you want, but 99% of the time, you'll fail to get an acceptable result.  Complaints get forgotten, letters lost and the independent complaints system of Scotland is not independent.  The IPCC in England and Wales is deeply flawed.  The police only investigate if it won't cost too much....appropriate to the alleged offence is there wording.

The bottom line is, I cross the street to avoid them and keep a solicitor's number in my purse.  If you are in a high risk area, I suggest you write one on your forarm with indelible marker - they can't take your arm from you quite so easily....

miamitom_inc

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2006, 01:32:45 pm »

Quote
Ben Hider, Photographer: “Three police officers ran at me, immediately, telling me to stop where I was.”
Ben Hider, Photographer: “Emptied my pockets, searched me, frisked me, started telling me about the recent terrorist threats in America over the past five years and ‘haven’t I been watching the news?’”
----------------
Thirty years ago I spent six years as a reactor operator on a nuclear submarine to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. I did it mostly so when I got out I could walk around as I please and take pictures of birds, bees, and buildings. And so my children could do the same. Lately I’m having second thoughts. The United States is becoming a country not worth defending.

This stuff aggravates me to no end! I’ve been stopped a few times and was questioned by the police officer. After I showed my drivers license and explained that I enjoy photography and that I am not a terrorist, he let me go..., begrudgingly.

Read all about it here Photoshop News and here local ABC news.

PDF about rights?.. Your Rights As a Photographer
Bert P. Krages II, Attorney, web page
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

( Agree - re: submarine service - I served about that same era, aboard
[a href=\"http://www.usspogy647.com/]http://www.usspogy647.com/[/url]  )

Re: Krages - Excellent reference and worth keeping handy in wallet. Used it!!

I got stopped by a security guard downtown a couple of years ago when I was standing in the middle of the street to get this photo:
http://miamiandthebeaches.com/gallery2/v/S...C03844.jpg.html
-t-
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paulbk

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2006, 02:45:04 pm »

re: submarines

Tom,
I was nuke (ELT) on the Patrick Henry SSBN 599, 1968-74. It was a hoot!
paul

« Last Edit: March 28, 2006, 02:48:28 pm by paulbk »
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paul b.k.
New England, USA

Anon E. Mouse

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2006, 06:56:39 pm »

Quote
Photographer held for hours by police, scary

You would think their arms would get tired.
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DarkPenguin

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2006, 07:16:24 pm »

Quote
I am not a terrorist

That had to be quite a relief for the police.
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Robert Roaldi

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2006, 09:27:03 pm »

This and similar stories in recent years baffle me. If I were a terrorist I'd buy all the pictures of buildings I needed from micropayment stock sites. The pics there are only a buck apiece. Or better still, I'd bribe somebody to get the blueprints.

I am the first to admit that I don't much about security, but I wish someone would explain to me what's so dangerous about taking pictures of buildings and flagpoles.
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--
Robert

Julian Love

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2006, 04:25:17 pm »

I have a friend who is a barrister (attorney to our Ameriucan cousins) here in London, who assures me that a police officer is not able to prevent you taking pictures anywhere in a public area unless they actually arrest you.

It might be a slightly high risk strategy, but you are completely within your rights in the UK to continue taking pictures of "building x" and tell the officer you will continue to do so unless they arrest you....which I imagine they are unlikey to do.

Julian

P.S. don't blame me if you do get arrested though!
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michael

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2006, 04:40:38 pm »

The problem with being right is that it often doesn't help avoid confrontation.

A few years ago I was flying from Boston to Rekjavick. I had 40 rolls of 120 roll film (ISO 100) and asked for a hand inspection. A Boston cop standing beside the security table said, "No hand inspections. It goes though the X-ray or it doesn't go".

I replied politely that I was a professional photographer, yadda yadda, and then took out a copy of the FAA regulations that showed that passagers had the right to a hand inspection of their carry-on.

He became angry, came up to my face and in a loud voice said to put the %^$& film on the X-ray belts or I'd be arrested.

Needless to say I complied, took his badge number, and spent the flight to Iceland composing a strongly worded letter to everyone and their dog. I never sent it though. Life's too short.

In my experience there are a handful of authorities that one just doesn't mess with, including Hwy Patrol, Customs Agents at border crossings, and angry Irish cops at security check points at Logan airport.

Michael
« Last Edit: April 02, 2006, 04:41:49 pm by michael »
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Ben Rubinstein

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2006, 07:33:18 pm »

If it's any consolation Heathrow airport is one of the strictest in the world, no hand checks, ever.

I love digital....
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Ronny Nilsen

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2006, 02:22:09 am »

Quote
The problem with being right is that it often doesn't help avoid confrontation.

A few years ago I was flying from Boston to Rekjavick. I had 40 rolls of 120 roll film (ISO 100) and asked for a hand inspection. A Boston cop standing beside the security table said, "No hand inspections. It goes though the X-ray or it doesn't go".

I replied politely that I was a professional photographer, yadda yadda, and then took out a copy of the FAA regulations that showed that passagers had the right to a hand inspection of their carry-on.

He became angry, came up to my face and in a loud voice said to put the %^$& film on the X-ray belts or I'd be arrested.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=61607\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I had similar problems each time I traveld from the old airport (Fornebu) her in Oslo. They would refuse to do  a hand inspection, but i never had any problems any other place in the world I travel, including Heathrow. I finally got a lead box to put my film in, that way they ended up having to do a hand inspection anyway.
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Ronny A. Nilsen
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kbolin

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Photographer held for hours by police
« Reply #13 on: April 03, 2006, 10:49:43 am »

In 2002 (my old film days) I travelled from Calgary Alberta Canada to Kuching on the Borneo Island of Maylasia... I went through security 8 times (with various stops) and had the film hand checked everytime.  I was shooting 35mm ISO 100 but threw in some 400, 800, and two rolls of 1600.  When they asked what speed I had I would say "I have some 1600" and they would kindly hand inspect.  

I had over 100 rolls of the other film but the fact that I had some 1600 they didn't question.  I also made the process as simple as possible... everything was clear so they could clearly see the film canisters.  I removed all film from the boxes, and put into plastic bags.

Anyway... as Pom said... I LOVE DIGITAL!
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