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- Name
- tom
- Edit My Images
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Yesterday day (12/12/11) I was in Mansfield documenting the town I grew up in as part of a personally photography project and came across some trouble from two local PCSO's.
I was walking along and took a photograph where the were in frame, nothing was said until I was roughly 50 meters or so away when I heard someone shout "oi mate" I ignored it thinking it wasn't for me and it happened twice more so turned round, they called me over, wasn't sure what was the issue tho had a sneaky suspicion it may be due to my photography. In Nottingham the police know the law and know you can take street shots, this seems not to be the case in Mansfield Nottinghamshire.
The male PCSO then asked me what I was doing, so explained, politely. They bluntly said I can't take photographs in the street of any one, I need their consent. So explained that wasn't the case, I don't hassle people, I take a shot say thank you if close enough and move on. Often I engage in long conversations with my subjects, recently undertaking a project on street portraiture for the Guardian. The officer then went on to demand I delete the images and he could apparently sue me for taking his photograph. Bear in mind at no point was I on private lad, and in a public space whereas a photographer or a member of the public I am well in my right to do so. I then refused to delete the images I had captured. After being told it was illegal to take photographs in a public place, I tried to explain the laws on such matters, though was spoken over very rudely by the female officer. Even when calmly explaining I had studied the laws in University and was not plucking them out of thin air, I was again shot down and told I was in the wrong. I was told by the female officer I should get permission of everyone I photograph in a public space, again trying to explain this was impassible and would take me all day for each shot. I gave an example of how when I covered the recent protests in Nottingham if I was to do what she's suggested I would need to ask over 10,000 people before taking a photograph as would the news filming the events. Again this did not wash with her.
I then asked what i was being stopped for and the male officer left and walked 50 or so meters away to radio the station. during this time i was constantly being told that i was harassing the officer as she did not want her photo taken, again tried talking to her, explaining about cctv etc, tho she was having none of it, i again asked what i was being stopped or arrested for and she admitted not knowing, and that she "will find out once I've arrested you"! Simply I was shocked.
She then got radioed and again said that if I was seen taking photographs or any member of public spoke to them about myself I would be as she put it "nicked" for harassment. In my years of professional photography, I have never had one member of the public complain, the complete opposite would be true, positive feed back. "Harassment is defined as a 'course of conduct' [so it has to happen at least twice) that causes another person 'alarm or distress', but we have to say that the bullying and aggressive antics of the paparazzi would suggest that prosecutions are few and far between."
The PCSO's attitudes were terrible, sadly I only managed to record the last couple of minutes on my SLR, once threats of harassment were dished out. It is a shame that in todays society people being given slight powers as a PCSO are both making up laws from thin air and rather than building relations between the public and police, ads like this just make us question their role in the community eve more.
As a son of two ex police officers I am fully aware of the great things the force does, but its simple thing such as not educating the officers they are putting on the streets that concerns me and many other photographers.
The video of the last couple of minutes with the PCSO's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQT-SZ3U4h8&feature=player_embedded
I was walking along and took a photograph where the were in frame, nothing was said until I was roughly 50 meters or so away when I heard someone shout "oi mate" I ignored it thinking it wasn't for me and it happened twice more so turned round, they called me over, wasn't sure what was the issue tho had a sneaky suspicion it may be due to my photography. In Nottingham the police know the law and know you can take street shots, this seems not to be the case in Mansfield Nottinghamshire.
The male PCSO then asked me what I was doing, so explained, politely. They bluntly said I can't take photographs in the street of any one, I need their consent. So explained that wasn't the case, I don't hassle people, I take a shot say thank you if close enough and move on. Often I engage in long conversations with my subjects, recently undertaking a project on street portraiture for the Guardian. The officer then went on to demand I delete the images and he could apparently sue me for taking his photograph. Bear in mind at no point was I on private lad, and in a public space whereas a photographer or a member of the public I am well in my right to do so. I then refused to delete the images I had captured. After being told it was illegal to take photographs in a public place, I tried to explain the laws on such matters, though was spoken over very rudely by the female officer. Even when calmly explaining I had studied the laws in University and was not plucking them out of thin air, I was again shot down and told I was in the wrong. I was told by the female officer I should get permission of everyone I photograph in a public space, again trying to explain this was impassible and would take me all day for each shot. I gave an example of how when I covered the recent protests in Nottingham if I was to do what she's suggested I would need to ask over 10,000 people before taking a photograph as would the news filming the events. Again this did not wash with her.
I then asked what i was being stopped for and the male officer left and walked 50 or so meters away to radio the station. during this time i was constantly being told that i was harassing the officer as she did not want her photo taken, again tried talking to her, explaining about cctv etc, tho she was having none of it, i again asked what i was being stopped or arrested for and she admitted not knowing, and that she "will find out once I've arrested you"! Simply I was shocked.
She then got radioed and again said that if I was seen taking photographs or any member of public spoke to them about myself I would be as she put it "nicked" for harassment. In my years of professional photography, I have never had one member of the public complain, the complete opposite would be true, positive feed back. "Harassment is defined as a 'course of conduct' [so it has to happen at least twice) that causes another person 'alarm or distress', but we have to say that the bullying and aggressive antics of the paparazzi would suggest that prosecutions are few and far between."
The PCSO's attitudes were terrible, sadly I only managed to record the last couple of minutes on my SLR, once threats of harassment were dished out. It is a shame that in todays society people being given slight powers as a PCSO are both making up laws from thin air and rather than building relations between the public and police, ads like this just make us question their role in the community eve more.
As a son of two ex police officers I am fully aware of the great things the force does, but its simple thing such as not educating the officers they are putting on the streets that concerns me and many other photographers.
The video of the last couple of minutes with the PCSO's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQT-SZ3U4h8&feature=player_embedded
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