Amateur Photographer Magazine

Photographers not threatened, say police

Wednesday 3rd December 2008

Chris Cheesman

Police insist that newly published anti-terrorism guidance does not threaten press photographers right to do their job.

Drawn up by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA), the guidance instructs police on their Stop and Search powers under the Terrorism Act 2000.

However, some have expressed concern that the guidance, published yesterday, will be used by officers to override laws that protect journalists' and press photographers' right not to hand over material.

But a spokesman for the NPIA told Amateur Photographer: 'There has been no change in the law. The Practice Advice reminds officers that they can only stop and search photographers in exceptional cases where they are involved in some kind of terrorist informational gathering activity.'

The document – which contains a section on dealing with photographers - followed public concern that the Terrorism Act 2000 was being abused.

It was published on the NPIA website yesterday.

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