"Peering" at children soon to a crime in Maine

[expat]

... harassment of pro and amateur photographers being stopped by plod when taking pictures in public places, for no good reason: -

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story....code=40875&c=1

Chilling reading. Man arrested and handcuffed for taking legal pictures from a public road.

[BrilloPad]

These people need to be reminded that most child abuse is commited within the family or by family friends. The wandering pedo stranger is largely a myth

Please don't bring facts into a good argument.

[bogeyman]

Indeed. Officer, could you just hold this reflector and angle the light towards that child, please? Great, ta.

Muppets.

I read somewhere (AP?) about some wet-behind-the-ears plod coming up to some guy shooting with a Leica M6 (film camera) and demanding to see the images he'd been shooting on Brighton Palace Pier on the camera's 'LCD'.

It might be apocryphal, but it's totally possible.

[realityhack]

As if terrorists and crims would use a discreet little 6x6 or a Nikon D3

BTW, watch out for hoards of paedos on the beach with 10x8 plate cameras.

Indeed. Officer, could you just hold this reflector and angle the light towards that child, please? Great, ta.

Muppets.

[bogeyman]

There's a petition.gov about this somewhere - I signed it long ago.

Yes there was, but the government denied any such intention.

However, the harassment of photographers by police, or in fact any officious person (CSOs, private security etc.) grows worse and worse.

It seems to be large, pro gear (esp. tripods) that attracts these twats. You can use your Nokia 'Happy Slapper' with impunity.

As if terrorists and crims would use a discreet little 6x6 or a Nikon D3

BTW, watch out for hoards of paedos on the beach with 10x8 plate cameras.

[Bagpuss]

These people need to be reminded that most child abuse is commited within the family or by family friends. The wandering pedo stranger is largely a myth

[realityhack]

I don't know if any of the congregation are keen photographers but Austin Mitchell is planning to lobby the Home Office re. harassment of pro and amateur photographers being stopped by plod when taking pictures in public places, for no good reason: -

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story....code=40875&c=1

Seems only the State is allowed to observe now (more surveillance cams per capita in the UK then anywhere else on Earth).

There's a petition.gov about this somewhere - I signed it long ago. As a photographer this would cause no end of havoc for me. I'd have to buy a licence to take photos, effectively another tax, along with a yearly CRB check. Please, please can't something be done about this set of morons infringing our basic civil rights? Surely we're not going to sleepwalk into a police state?

[bogeyman]

Those who peer at children in public could find themselves on the wrong side of the law in Maine soon.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/p...0343/-1/NEWS01

Coming to the UK soon, no doubt.

I don't know if any of the congregation are keen photographers but Austin Mitchell is planning to lobby the Home Office re. harassment of pro and amateur photographers being stopped by plod when taking pictures in public places, for no good reason: -

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story....code=40875&c=1

Seems only the State is allowed to observe now (more surveillance cams per capita in the UK then anywhere else on Earth).

It seems we should just shut up, and shuffle along looking at our shoes.