To be truthful, I should imagine that a policeman will never come anywhere near you. The problem in Britain is usually the other way around: you can never find a policeman. Of course, if you insist on taking pictures in obviously sensitive zones like airports, stations, shopping malls etc, can you really be surprised? If you have a legitimate need, such as commercial photography, you have no problem if you seek proper authority.
Not spent much time in UK of late have you?
Getting hassled for taking photographs is sadly becoming the norm, by aggresive security guards looking for a fight, ignorant PCSOs, numpties objecting to you photographing your own children or even a landscape is becoming the norm. And a fish and chip shop or a christmas parade are hardly sensitive areas, which idiot policemen have objected to of late. Professional photographers get lots of hassle whilst working too.
Whether a terrorist will be using a phone camera or some other less obvious device instead isn't the point:....
It is very much the point actually.
As it is so, so very easy to do this covertly, why stop someone who has a large and obvious camera?
......the point is that the fuzz has an obligation to do what it can to protect the public.....
by upholding the law, not by breaking it.
..... and it will get its ass kicked for each and every failure. Just as it does when it is thought to be trying too hard. It is a non-win situation for the authorities and, for my money, I'd rather a few or even thousands of happy snappers were disappointed than I or mine (or you and yours) get blow to bits.
But the problem is that with limited resources, wasting them on alienating large numbers of the public in order to achieve absolutely nothing is a complete waste of time. It's more pathetic and useless security theatre. It's not disappointing happy snappers, it's preventing people going about their lawful business by illegal means and intimidation. It's police state nonsense which is of zero benefit and considering the existence of Google Street View, cameras in nearly every mobile phone and a popualtion where mobiles are carried by nearly everyone, it is even more ludicrous.
The terrorists aim is to ruin or disrupt our lives. Now the authorities are doing it for them.
When I read these glib bits of advice on how to speak to the strong arm of the law I suppress a smile, remembering very clearly how speaking like that sometimes pays off. Not.
Knowing your rights when some ignorant fool tries to breaks the law/intimidate you is actually a useful thing. Not standing up is the worst thing you can do.
The current situation we our now in brings to mind this
"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
THEN THEY CAME for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
THEN THEY CAME for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up."
it feels like we are on a very slippery slope with our increasing right wing government.
I'm beginning to be very ashamed of the country I live in.
