Photographers & Video activists and the law

From Nick Cobbing:

Legal question and answer session at Doughty Street Chambers, 27th of November

It’s a legal briefing/ discussion about the implications of photographing in ‘public order’ situations in the UK. Earlier this year I was awarded damages against Thames Valley Police. Phillipa Kaufman and Keir Starmer QC were the two barristers who advised us, following that case I’ve persuaded them both to share their knowledge and take some (hopefully hard) questions from photographers.

I’ve given the Barristers these eight scenarios:

* Hand over the lens – obstruction of view by police or security

* Threat of arrest for obstruction

* Being asked to leave property under threat of trespass

* Being dragged or pulled from the job by police or security

* Forced to work from a designated area (press pen)

* Being detained with protestors surrounded by polic

* Confiscation of film/tapes -no arrest

· arrest but no charge

· arrest and charged

* Accompanying activists onto property with and without prior knowledge.

Please DO recommend working photographers cameramen/women and journalists that would benefit from this and offer personal experiences. I’m especially interested in those who work for Beeb, ITN, Channel Four, Reuters -please forward any contacts to me if you have them.

The date is now set for the 27th of November, hope you can make it.

Cheers

Nick Cobbing

nick@cobb-photo.com

http://www.cobb-web.org

also, check out:

Journo_hassle:

http://tash.gn.apc.org/journo_hassle.htm

Photo-difficulty:

http://tash.gn.apc.org/photo_difficult.htm

Legal assortment:

http://tash.gn.apc.org/legal_assortment.htm

Dealings With The Police And Arrests At Demonstrations

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_09_22_tash_lodge_archive.html#82114259

Breaking News: Police launch plan to control news

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_11_03_tash_lodge_archive.html#84116617