Thursday 26 February 2009: At the London PhotoForum NUJ member and photographer Andrew Wiard spoke on the history of the UK Press Card.
In this NUJ-funded film - Wiard talked about the creation of the press card without state control and the long campaign to get it in place, the problems and benefits of the card, the future of the UK press card system and the need to hold on to the press card in increasingly difficult social and political times.
PhotoForum Film Part One: Know Your Rights
A short film on photography rights hosted by photographer Peter Macdiarmid and solicitor Anna Mazzola.
Thursday 26 February 2009: Following the arrival of the new 2008 Counter Terrorism law and the introduction of Section 76, the London PhotoForum held a meeting on photographers rights.
Section 76 allows for the arrest and imprisonment of anyone who takes pictures of police officers, and some other public servants, “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”. The maximum sentence is ten years.
This NUJ-funded film comprises of two speakers on the issue of photography rights, Anna Mazzola from Hickman and Rose solicitors and photographer Peter Macdiarmid. Experiences of working the streets of the UK, police guidelines, Section 76, stop and search powers and what to do if you detained by police are all covered in this vital reference film for photographers and other lens-based media, both amateur and professional.
PhotoForum Film Part Two: The UK Press Card - Past, Present and Future
A short film on the histroy of the UK Press Card, with speaker Andrew Wiard.
Monday 16 February 2009: Hundreds of photographers and journalists gathered outside New Scotland Yard in London in a media event to draw attention to the introduction of the new 2008 Counter Terrorism Act, specifically Section 76 that makes it a criminal offence to release information on armed service personnel and the police.
Concerns by journalists and amateur photographers are the use of existing terror laws, such as Section 44 stop-and-search, have been used to curb public photography and with the introduction of Section 76 things will only get worse, leading to further restrictions on the press covering political protest and public order incidents.
So far the Home Office has given no assurances that this law will not be used against journalists.
The new law comes as public order Supt David Hartshorn declared 2009 to be the "summer of rage" and ex-MI5 head Stella Rimington calling the UK a "police state".
