Not looking to start a debate. Here's the link to the story for anyone interested.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/feb/21/photographer-films-anti-terror-arrest

Regards
Bob

Bob,
Without debating it I just had to say I really like your Lancashire accent, as well as your tone of voice. You come across as calm and rational in the video. That is certainly to your credit. As to the issue itself I have such a wide variety of thoughts and feelings I could not do it justice here. I will wish you the best of luck in resolving this issue in a way that feels right and just to you.
My best, Phyllis

Thanks Phyllis. That's much appreciated.

I always thought I sounded like a dumb ass northerner ;^)

B

I watched the video astonished, Bob, didn't know you got arrested and it's actually a great thing you managed to record all what happened. UK became bitterly famous lately in the Street Photography community for these facts. UK police looks really suspicious when it comes to streephers, people that are just taking pictures in the streets, and I was wondering, did they have any particular case in the past to get so worried about street photographers?

Fabio, photographers are all terrorists, didn't you know? ;-)

Jon

Looks like Cory Doctorow at boingboing noticed the story as well - http://www.boingboing.net/2010/02/22/video-english-cops-t.html

I wonder whether the police is auditing how effective in the fight against terrorism is this way to apply Section 44 of the Terrorism Act.

I suspect that by randomly stopping photographers they are more likely to leave room for offenders to perpetrate their crimes undisturbed.

I do have to wonder about the line about 50 seconds into the video where it says, "to protect his privacy, the photographer has asked us not to identify him" and yet your name is flashed up at the beginning of the video and throughout the write up underneath... :)

As it's me in the video I can tell you Kim.

It was going to be anonymous to protect the identity of my friend (by association)

I was convinced at the last minute to put my name to it for credibility reasons, with the consent of my friend.

Perhaps as well as I have the perfect face for radio.

Sorry it's nothing more sinister than that. ;^)

Cheers
B

http://www.in-public.com/news/2010/1/protest

(I know, January, but think it might be of interest nonetheless)

there Bob, you're a topic on ephotozine now as well :-)
http://www.ephotozine.com/forums/topic/photographing-in-public-places-and-the-police-80139