An investigation is under way after police seized a photographer's camera and images were later deleted from it.OK, it's not as outrageous as the case of the 16 year old detained for taking pictures of a public parade, but it's wrong nonetheless, and considering the police promptly returned the pictures, I reckon they've come to the same conclusion.
"The officer came after me in a police car, grabbed hold of me and told me he was going to arrest me," he said. "He took my equipment but when it was brought back I had a look at the images and they were not there. [...] My role is to photograph news so the general public can see what's going on."
Thames Valley Police confirmed the camera had been seized and a complaint had been made. "A roads policing inspector immediately called the photographer and his camera and images were returned to his home address," they said.
So how does one solve this?
Well, suspending policemen who invent non-existent laws to persecute photographers - or anyone else for that matter - without pay pending investigation, should see this particular problem vanish pretty sharpish, I reckon. The unions might have something to say about that, but surely it's not too outlandish to classify making laws up on the fly as 'bringing the police force into disrepute'.
Of course, the above solution relies on the government exhibiting some kind of will to do the right thing. Their apparent reticence to treat this as a matter of urgency (the last lot even went to court to extend their right to harass) suggests they don't give too much of a shit, or perhaps even quite like things the way they are.
H/T My friend in the north
