UK Police try to stop man filming them, they lose and walk away

This video might be old but I haven't seen it round here, at least not so far as I can tell.

I though it was quite interesting as it shows how ill-informed our police are and how they try to use the assumed ignorance of what the everyday citizen actually knows to push their ill-informed laws onto us. They had no reason to try and bully this man into putting his camera down and he damn well knew it.

I really like how the filmer keeps a level head, stays calm and avoids resorting to any derogatory or harsh words -- he keeps it professional but stands his ground and affirms his rights.

I was sure it wasn't illegal to film the (UK) police at the moment, though I know there are motions to make this the case.

reply to post by noonebutme


I just thought it would be worth mentioning this.

It is now illegal to photograph or video police in the UK.

www.guardian.co.uk...

From February 2009 it became law.

Lets hope their families remember that one at times such as christmas eh

"Timmy, stand in the picture dear"

"Your under arrest mother for taking a picture of an officer!"



The UK is in the pits.



[edit on 15-4-2009 by XXXN3O]

reply to post by XXXN3O


Is it? I figured as much - I couldnt recall if/when it actually went into effect.

It's madness, really - the idea that you cannot 'watch' the watchmen really does show the erroding of one's freedoms and ability to be protected from unjust incarceration.

Ta for the update, XXXN30

reply to post by noonebutme


While I can understand them not wanting to be filmed for safety reasons, doesn't the UK have more survielance cameras than anywhere else on earth?

This seems like a double standard to me.

reply to post by Blanca Rose


In central London it certainly does. There are organisations which try to monitor those who watch us (by trying watching those who watch us) [spyblog.org.uk...], but at the end of the day, it's still going to be far out of reach of the common person to 'argue' against what is actually recorded.

What is kind of worrying is that as a good deal of the CCTV moves to automated/computer controlled, how much more likely of hacks and attacks and being used by nefarious people for other means? S'pose you could argue the entire govt could come under that example

[edit on 15-4-2009 by noonebutme]

This is really old. I've seen this more than a year ago, well before the new law banning photographing the police. If this video were recent the guy would be tazed, beaten and jailed. The video evidence would then be conviniently 'misplaced'.