let''s support the powers that be?

Members of the public have the same human rights - freedom of expression etc. - as professional photographers. The only difference regarding a professional photographer is that they may be granted privileged access to restricted areas (e.g. beyond police barriers at major events). Rights are not something that one has to gain - they are automatic.

Thanks, pedantry is always always welcome.

from the Met guidelines: "However, where it is clear that the person being searched is a journalist, officers should exercise caution before viewing images as images acquired or created for the purposes of journalism may constitute journalistic material and should not be viewed without a Court Order."

Seems like Journalists have more rights to me.

I think it's more to do with the fact that if they hassle a press photographer the reaction will be swift, merciless, and seriously damaging to their PR. The rest of us don't have an editor willing to print "Our Photographer Obstructed By Police" or "Police Abuse Counter Terror Laws" if we get hassled, which must make a difference.

What puzzles me is that many of the small minority of Police who behave in this way would probably point to Life on Mars, Ashes to Ashes, The Professionals and/or The Sweeney as "how Policing should be". I don't recall any of those fictional characters hassling people just for taking photos, in fact Cowley went out of his way to demolish a senior officer who was abusing Police powers and ignoring the law.

They were too busy harassing black people to worry about photographers back then!

Do some members here have a press-pass or something like that and does it grand you more freedom?

I'm hopefully going to do a professional photo course over 2 months and I believe I can require an official press-pass with a student licenses so it only cost me €60 or so a year. I'm however unable then to get a riod-pass but I don't have interst for that.

I have no idea how it applies in the Netherlands - here in the UK its just a form of ID, it doesn't grant you any special freedom - it might assist in getting you past various checkpoints into certain buildings but it won't stop you getting arrested if the plod taking a dislike to you...

As Flossie says, a press card is just a form of identification to prove you're associated with a legitimate news-gathering organisation or are an accredited freelance.

There is no "official" press card, as far as I am aware, but organisations such as the National Union of Journalists in the UK, news organisations and various freelance bodies provide them. A "student" press card is a contradiction in terms. I would be very wary of paying anyone €60 a year or any other significant sum for one. Sounds like a scam. You'd be as well designing and printing one yourself.

Outside of the major population centres, the police generally take you at your word if you tell them you're with a specific newspaper, TV station or whatever and are carrying more than a point-and-shoot. The amount of access you get can depend on your employer's relationship with the police, fire service etc. If your newspaper consistently portrays the police in a bad light, you're unlikely to get much co-operation, even with a press card.

Al

There may be a student rate for whatever the Netherlands version of the National Union of Journalists is. I get a discount on my Institute of Physics fees for being a student, it seems analogous to me (although alas my IOP card wont help much if the cops want to stop me taking photos, they're more likely to haul me away as a mad scientist!)

Yes off course and I know it's not an all access pass, far from it but it can give you some freedom to move around I hope not much but every little gain helps.

Here you need to sign up with the Nederlandse Vereniging van Journalisten (Dutch Union of journalists) the press card they give is confirm with the International Federation of Journalists and for a small fee you can get the full IFJ card which is needed in some countries.
You can also get a police card and with that you can go to riots and go past some police barricades for example.

Like Mongoose says there is a student rate to sign up.
Just looked up the price and it's €5,50 a month and you get legal help with that if needed and I can take the fee off of my income for tax related things.

Does that sound better?

The UK doesn't ahve a democratic political system

NO, he's part of the non democratic system. LibLabCon is all one big monopoly in practise.

Generally the higher up the press career ladder you go, i.e the bigger the media outlet you work for, the less freedom you have in what you can report.

Just watched the video - as the father of a Met Police Officer I am disgusted by the heavy handed attitude and ignorance of the law shown by the officer/s in the piece.
I have emailed the link to my little girl and await her comments - which I will pass on to you in good time.

Well done to the teenager involved - I was brought up to touch my forelock and not argue !!

Funny how "anti-terrorist" is the fashionable excuse for just about everything,followed by "anti child porn" and then "Health & Safety".
Meanwhile a bunch of *&^%^%$£$%^ muslim protesters can be allowed to demonstrate and shout death threats to the soldiers and their families at a parade without hindrance because it is "their human right"

Last one out turn the lights off please !!!!!!!!!!!

Tony

Tony,

The government is riding in on a blue tinted white charger. The tories defenders of liberty and freedom??? Write to Nick Clegg, he's all ears for your suggestions. (do it quick lest the coalition collapses)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10470071.stm


Also stop and search is becoming untenable.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10471005.stm