Slashdot Mirror
UK Police Threaten Teenage Photojournalist
IonOtter writes "In what seems to be a common occurrence, and now a costly one, Metropolitan Police in the UK still don't seem to be getting the message that assaulting photographers is a bad idea. UK press photographer Jules Matteson details the event in his blog, titled The Romford Incident. The incident has already been picked up by The Register, The Independent, and the British Journal of Photography, which contains an official statement from the Metropolitan Police."
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The (free) press has already been asaulted by the bankruptcy laws. I don't mean to be overly 'Rupert Murdoch owns everything and is using it for Faux News' but more of a practical argument that the idea of a healthy and effective press has long since been an ideal not based in reality.
Even discounting the TMZ effect of publishing trash instead of news, the financial realities of the traditional media and the practicalities of the new media have simply diluted the ability of people to hear a message and organize change. The press corps of one have caused so much fragmentation that stories aren't able to gain the critical mass to affect change. This (public photography) has been a big internet WAAAAAAAMBULANCE issue since about 2002, yet it seems from the discussion here that even the generally liberal crowd on here hasn't even heard about this yet.
If you think TFA was bad, take your camera to a public park and take pictures of kids playing in that public place. Bonus points if you do it with a trench coat and a big white Canon 300mm F/2.8L
Don't forget to close out your list item, but thanks. Will have to keep that in mind.
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
Yes, and those consequences are laid out in the constitution of the United States of America. That is to say, the consequences for saying whatever the hell you want are non existent from a legal point of view. Sure, people might say other nasty things to you, but the constitution guarantees that there will be no legal repercussions for you saying something.
For police to enforce consequences onto speech is absurd and, as far as I'm concerned, treason. It's such a blatant affront to the constitution that it's basically working to dismantle it and thus provide aid and comfort to our enemies.
-1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.