[Sussex] [OT] Photography petition

[Steve Dobson]

Hi John

On Fri, 2008-04-18 at 10:25 +0100, Jon Fautley wrote:
> On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 19:44:15 +0100
> Steve Dobson <steve at dobson.org> wrote:
> 
> > This kind of thing happened to another member of the Eastbourne
> > Photographic Society last summer.  He was taking pictures of the
> > tennis and was stopped by the police.  They confiscated his film (he
> > shots slides mostly) and processed it themselves (very badly) to see
> > that he wasn't a paedophile. 
> 
> Erm, I'm not too sure they can do that...

Yes that *can*, because they did.  One of my English teachers taught me 
the difference between can (having physically ability) and may (having
permission/authority).  I have a feeling you meant "should". 

> Not sure on the exact laws, but unless they had evidence he was
> actually a paedophile, they shouldn't have taken (and essentially,
> destroyed) his film. I suggest he file a complaint with the police
> complains commission.

I have to admit that I haven't checked out what the rules are with the
new Stop and Search and other laws introduced by Labour, but from what
I've been told they do give the police some pretty broad powers.
Remember the old man (in his 80s IIRC) that was forcefully ejected from
one of the Labour party conferences a year or two back because he
shouted "Rubbish!" at the speaker, Jack Straw I think.

There appears to be a general trend in this country, the USofA and
others I gather to turn them into Police States.  That terms isn't one
used by the politicos, but it is effectively what is happening.  Did you
know that you can hold a protest within a mile of the Houses of
Parliament without permission from the police first?  Where has my right
to object to the way my country is governed gone?

I see this, and other reports of photographers being stopped, as an
attack on our freedoms and ways of life.  We need to stand up, all of
us, to show that these freedoms are important to us, otherwise they will
get eroded away to nothing.

Sure some of these freedoms can be used for undesirable purposes.  But I
would rather live with the very small risk of these offences effecting
me and those I love than to have the freedoms that facilitate the
planing and execution of those activities to be revoked. 

Steve
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