Hanson: "No intention of Section 44 or Section 58A being used to stop ordinary people taking photos"

Section 44 of the UK Terrorism Act 2000, "allows the police to stop and search anyone in a specific area". Section 58A is just as broad, and thus easily misapplied. Photographers, professional and amateur, and even tourists, have suffered from overzealous enforcement from the Metropolitan Police Service.

And this is where David Hanson, UK's Policing and Crime Minister, steps in. From DPReview:

The UK Policing and Crime Minister has reasserted that anti-terrorism should not be used to stop photographers and photojournalists. In a meeting with a Parliamentary photography group and journalists, David Hanson MP said the Sections 44 and 58A of the 2000 Terrorist Act should not be 'used to stop ordinary people taking photos or to curtail legitimate journalistic activity'. He also said guidance to that effect has been provided to the UK police forces, advising that these powers should not be used to stop innocent members of the public, tourists and journalists.

While this is certainly reassuring, judgment should be withheld until UK photographers report compliance with the minister's guidelines.

Comments

[sony ericsson open Fan]

So what do the police do? Take people's cameras away? That has to be illegal.

[Callan Tham]

At a minimum, they've stopped people from taking pictures. Some have had their cameras taken away. The law is pretty broad, making it easy to misinterpret or misapply.