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Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK - the law and photography
Photographers Rights And The Law In The UK



PHOTO RIGHTS
People, privacy & children
Photographing Buildings
Tube and railway stations
Trespass/Obstruction etc
Deleting images
'Anti Terrorism' measures
Photographing the police (Sect. 76)

RESOURCES
Your rights on arrest
News, case studies & links
Photographing protests
Police statements on photography
Discuss this on our forum!

« Photo rights homepage


Photographers Rights - news report and media
Case studies, reports and resources.
(© urban75, updated June 2010)


Sadly, the reports of the police abusing their powers and harassing or arresting photographers continue to grow, so we've complied a lost of some of the more notable press reports, and included some useful links. Drop us a line if you have a story, or post it on our bulletin board.

QUICK LINKS
external link Latest news, case studies, incidents and related articles
external link Useful resources, campaign groups and more information
external link USA related articles
external link Australia PHOTO RIGHTS
external link UK police pages


Latest news, case studies, incidents and related articles:

2017
external link Professional photographer detained under anti terror laws after taking pictures of Hove Town Hall.

2013
external link Photographers' rights in the UK – Act of Terror animation details the law (April 2013)

2012
external link Santa bans photography at Christmas Lights event (Amateur Photographer, Dec 2012)
external link Police Threaten Press Photographer (PT&T, Aug 2012)

2011
external link Arrested for taking a photo of an ambulance (urban75 boards, Nov 2011)
external link 'Security guards have no right to prevent street photography,' says Home Office (BJP, Nov 2011)
external link Man takes picture of daughter in shopping centre. Police called (BBC, Sept 2011)
external link Terrorism police pounce on tourist photographers (Amateur Photographer, July 2011)

2010
external link Photographer threatened with arrest and forced to delete images (NUJ, Aug 2010)
external link Officers claim they don't need law to stop photographer taking pictures (Independent, June 2010)
external link Police pays damages and apologises to photojournalists (Press Gazette, June 2010)
external link Photojournalist detained for army cadet pics (BJP, June 2010)
external link Abuse of Terror laws continues (NUJ, May 2010)
external link Photography under threat: The shooting party’s over (Times, March 2010)
external link Police used terror legislation to stop ex-RAF engineer in Kidlington (Oxford Mail, Feb 2010)
external link Mall security guard accuses shopper of being a paedophile for photographing his own son (BBoing Feb 2010)
external link Man held in police station for eight hours after taking pictures of Christmas celebrations (Guardian Feb 2010)
external link Can I ignore a section 44 stop and search? (Guardian Feb 2010)
external link I'm a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! (Photo protest Jan 2010)
external link Stop-and-search powers ruled illegal by European court (BBC Jan 2010)
external link Home Office advises Police to break the law (Register Jan 2010)
external link Discuss Section 44 on our boards (urban75)
external link Police say it was wrong to hold royal-watchers' cameras (BBC, Jan 2010)

2009
external link Police harass bloke filming a station/"planning an al Qaeda attack" (urban75, Dec 2009)
external link Italian student tells of arrest while filming for fun (Guardian, Dec 2009)
external link Police U-turn on photographers and anti-terror laws (Independent, Dec 2009)
external link The picture that could land you in jail: How police in Big Brother Britain treat you like a terrorist for taking holiday snaps (Daily Mail, Dec 2009)
external link NUJ slams photographer’s arrest (NUJ, Dec 2009)
external link Award-winning photographer stopped after photographing a bank's building (BJP, Dec 2009)
external link Warning: Do not take this picture (Independent, Dec 2009)
external link BBC man in terror quiz for photographing St Paul's sunset. (This Is London, Nov 2009). Also: BBC clip
external link Kent Police exceeded powers in too-tall photographer case. (The Register, Nov 2009)
external link Woman 'detained' for filming police search launches high court challenge. (Guardian, July 2009)
external link Photographer arrested under Section 44 in Chatham High Street. (July 2009)
external link PhotoBlog Editor Stopped and Searched (June 2009)
external link The architectural photographer as terrorist (openDemocracy April 2009)
external link Police officer tells man he's not allowed to photograph children (ePhotoZine April 2009)
external link Police delete London tourists' photos 'to prevent terrorism' (Guardian April 2009)
external link Photographers protest against Section 76 (Feb 2009)
external link Taking photos of police officers could be considered a crime (BJP Jan 2009)
external link Tory MP stopped and searched by police for taking photos of cycle path (Telegraph Jan 2009)

2008
external link Petition to clarify the laws surrounding photography in public (Sept 2008)
external link Home Secretary green lights restrictions on photography (BJP July 2008)
external link Are photographers really a threat? (Guardian June 2008)
external link "Street photography is illegal in the town" (Apr 2008)
external link Innocent photographer or terrorist? (BBC, Apr 2008)
external link Photographers being arrested to seize evidence: NUJ (Mar 2008)
external link Birmingham police 'forced press photographer to delete images' (Mar 2008)
external link Street photographers fear for their art amid climate of suspicion (Times, Mar 2008)
external link Police order photographer to 'delete' pictures (AP, Feb 2008)
external link Anger at police statement on 'covert' photography (AP, Jan 2008)

2007
external link Police admit being 'overzealous' in Christmas lights fiasco (AP, Nov 2007)
external link Police 'stop and quiz' press snapper under Terrorism Act (AP, Nov 2007)

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Useful resources, campaign groups and more information:
external link Photographer, Not a Terrorist
external link UK Photographers Rights - sirimo.co.uk (downloadable PDF file)
external link I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist! Stop and Search Bust Card (downloadable PDF file)

external link Association of Chief Police Officers national police-press guidelines
external link UK Govt petition to clarify the laws surrounding photography in public (deadline closed 13 Sept 2008).
external link Photographers' Rights in the US, the UK and Australia

USA
external link Taking Photos In Public Places Is Not A Crime: Analysis (Popular mechanics, July 2010)
external link The Photographer's Right (US guide)
external link New digital camera? Know how, where you can use it? (US guide)
external link War on Photography (US blog)
external link Union Station: photographers hassled

AUSTRALIA
external link Photographer Rights (PDF file)


POLICE PHOTOGRAPHY-RELATED WEBSITES
external linkFilm Unit web site
external linkMet Police photography page


Further discussion:
You are welcome to discuss the issues on our bulletin boards external link Photographers rights in the UK: discussion. Please note that you will have to register to post comments (it is free).

Also: Photographing protests in the UK - advice on backing up images, streaming video and keeping your photos safe

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Note: This article attempts to be a brief educational guide to the sometimes-complex matter of your rights as a photographer. It is not legal advice and we recommend seeking out proper legal advice if you encounter problems or contributing to our bulletin boards. Some material in this article has been sourced from the UK Photographers Rights website.

Photo rights homepage



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