As i hear last week a Greek father was arrested and spent 3 days behind bars for practising his hobby while on vacations....

He was only taking general artistic or sightseeing photos without a specific theme....

Where is the world coming to?

Besides that single exception we are truly free and everything is perfect, so do not complain...

How on Earth will they police this?

I live in Londinium and I know the percentage of bobbies (police) on the beat in comparison to the people taking photo's.

It simply cannot be managed on an effective level.

EDIT:

OK I have now listened to the video ... it is only designated transport hubs and the CSO's (fake police) basically got their wires crossed no doubt and made a mistake thinking Walthamslow was one of these designated hubs.

No doubt they are not allowed to make mistakes, no?

Also, if he was forced to delete all the photo's then why did they show some at the start? (Unless these were from a previous trip)

[edit on 27-5-2009 by george_gaz]

Hopefully this doesn't happened in Canada anytime soon unless it hasn't already started.

Besides when was it photography that became dangerous? I can't recall a single incident where photography was somehow a signicant factor in a terrorist plot. If you do please post.
This kind of paranoia was going on before 9/11 but ever since that it's been off the scales. Pretty much every account of a US photographer who gets harrassed get's the "911 card" thrown at them. It's been getting so bad that ACLU is getting involved.
UK has gone to hell by actually making it a law not to be able to photograph certain things, while in US the constitution protects the right to photograph. That seems to be under attack at the moment so it might not last long

[Edit] Like Jeremy Clarkson said it, the government should only make sure there are benches in parks

[edit on 30/5/2009 by PsykoOps]

Just as a little extra, i just spoke to the anti-terrorist hotline regarding this. I am planning a trip to London with my young daughters, and just thought it would be interesting to see what the score is about photography in London.

I have to say, they were more than helpfull.

I know it's just one officer speaking, but he said that officers use their discretion in the individual cases. If i'm taking pictures around the Westminster sites with my girls, he said no-one will bat an eyelid.

If i'm up there on my own taking pics of things like the cctv on specific buildings, and that kind of thing, you may find someone could question what you are doing.

The officer on the phone said obviously you get some officers that are a little "over zealous" in their duties, but on the whole there will be absoloutely no problem with taking pictures in London.

He also referred to the odd media report and said they blow it way out of proportion most of the time. As he stated, it's London....thousands of people go there every week to take pictures. Not much you can do about that.

I feel sorry for the trainspotters and architecture buffs, it's the likes of them who are going to have a rough time with this.

I know many here will take the above info with a pinch of salt, but i just thought i'd add that it might not be all doom and gloom.

CX.

Originally posted by CX
Just as a little extra, i just spoke to the anti-terrorist hotline regarding this. I am planning a trip to London with my young daughters, and just thought it would be interesting to see what the score is about photography in London.

I have to say, they were more than helpfull.

I know it's just one officer speaking, but he said that officers use their discretion in the individual cases. If i'm taking pictures around the Westminster sites with my girls, he said no-one will bat an eyelid.

If i'm up there on my own taking pics of things like the cctv on specific buildings, and that kind of thing, you may find someone could question what you are doing.

The officer on the phone said obviously you get some officers that are a little "over zealous" in their duties, but on the whole there will be absoloutely no problem with taking pictures in London.

He also referred to the odd media report and said they blow it way out of proportion most of the time. As he stated, it's London....thousands of people go there every week to take pictures. Not much you can do about that.

I feel sorry for the trainspotters and architecture buffs, it's the likes of them who are going to have a rough time with this.

I know many here will take the above info with a pinch of salt, but i just thought i'd add that it might not be all doom and gloom.

CX.

Whoever gave you that advice was just a public relations officer , it does not translate well to how the events would come to pass in actuality . You would do well not to chance a child's welfare on his somewhat biased interpretations.

I would have laughed at the cops.

Freaking bobbies, don't even have a gun, how the hell are you gonna tell me what not to do?

I mean really? What are they gonna do, blow a whistle?