Amateurs are invited to join a mass picture taking session outside Scotland Yard aimed at highlighting photographers’ right to take pictures in public.
Though aimed primarily at press photographers, organisers have told Amateur Photographer that enthusiasts ‘are welcome to come along’ on Monday 16 February.
The event is being organised by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) amid fears that the Terrorism Act 2008 will heighten police abuse of anti-terrorism legislation.
As we reported last week, photographers fear they face a greater risk of being stopped in a public place under the Terrorism Act 2008, which is due to come into force on 16 February.
The NUJ urges photographers to turn up with their camera and exercise their ‘democratic right to take a photograph in a public place’.
The event is mainly a protest against the introduction of a new, UK-wide, clause in the Terrorism Act 2008 which photographers fear will heighten police powers.
The government denies the new Act will hand officers more power than they already have under existing anti-terrorism legislation.
An NUJ spokesman said amateurs are welcome to attend in support of the wider issue regarding photography in public places.
The NUJ protest takes place at 11am on 16 February (the day the new Act comes into force), outside New Scotland Yard, Broadway, London.
