The idea
Many perfectly innocent photographers are being stopped by police officers, PCSO's or Security Personnel and challenged about their rights to be photographing in a public place. In some cases film or memory cards are confiscated.
The Head of Specialist Operations for the Metropolitan Police service has issued guidelines about this but many forces do not seem to have done so and people are still being challenged.
The reason given is that 'you may be photographing something so that a terrorist attack can be planned.
The nonsense behind this assertion and premise is:
a. in the majority of these cases the photographer is working overtly and in public view, a terrorist would surely work covertly.
b. in most instances a terrorist need only consult Google Earth or similar to obtain much more useful information.
c. the officersconcerned see these people as an 'easy target'.
These sections of the Terrorism Act need to be reviewed, clarified and updated to recognise the changed technological envirnoment and the police and security services need reminding that they are there to serve and portect the population, not harrass it.
Why is it important?
Because it will restore a basic right of people to pursue their occupation or pastime without intervention and stop police wasting time.