Alan Lodge's Blog

The definition of a ‘Traveller’

A recent traveller publication says, “The definition of a ‘Traveller’ is so open to interpretation that probably the fairest suggestion is that of: someone who has the means of living a nomadic lifestyle.”.

It also goes on to warn against making assumptions and classifications based on appearance: “many squatters and high profile street people epitomized as ‘crusties’ or ‘smellies’ in the press, are written about as Travellers, yet the reality is that they live in a flat or house. Others who live nomadically, appear at work or college everyday, and because they do not advertise their lifestyle, are never classified as Travellers.”. It could be said that definitions are derived from subjective opinions and in 1992, British Prime Minister, John Major, left his audience in no doubts as to his opinion, when he said, “New age travellers. Not in this age. Not in any age.”

***

edited this later,

I can do this, because of this service, Wapblogger

web : http://www.ubique.ch/wapblogger/

wap : http://wap.ubique.ch/wapblogger/

Guilfin need a re-design

Hope you all enjoyed the ‘fluffy bunny’ card I sent! It came from a site, where I was spoiled for choice.

I was trying to show it as better example, than the crap photo, that otherwise represented fluffyness. Toby thinks I’m getting at his rabbit cos its ears where down and it was magenta and out of focus, contrast was lousy and the whole aspect, generally fucked up. It was very noble of him, to stick up for his fluffy friends.

Still, if you’d like to sign up for the ‘photographic and fluffy image making’ short course I’m hoping to get a grant to start up, then I’m sure we can improve you…..

gosh, have i started something? I think that if you are going for a re-design etc, you should start from who are we, and what are we trying to do! It really is such a spread of folks involved, and tash’s thoughts on the subject, are that the ‘scene’ has become much fragmented, lost direction, and needs a hand to remind itself, what the fuck it’s all for!

You have a fair sized internet space and ‘shop window’ for the ideas that were trying to punt out. Think a really simple one picture of nothing inparticular and little explanation is fine. If your just a gig listing. But your not. Think your database must be quite large now, can things from there, be ‘rotated’ to a front position every week. Same with thumbnails, have no idea how easy any of this is, but when you’ve finished your, you can do mine 

It’s only serious’ enthusiasts’ that get further back in websites I think, and sometimes things need pushing forward, rather than ‘on demand’. Have had the same debate myself, what is it I’m trying to show, and ended up with a list. Any stories, graphics, personal accounts, that enourages people to realise that there are others involved, outside of there own set.

Suppose we’re all doing it already but still don’t know what ‘good practice’ is with this lark!

This is as far as I’ve got I trying to say what I’m trying to ‘deal’ with. How much have I missed, do you think?

FEATURES OF EVENTS , , , , , Alternative Experiments, Animals, Arrest, Art, Backdrops, Banners, Barbed Wire with Ditches, Benders, Black & Rasta, Bogs, Bow Tops & Horses, Buses & Bus Living, Cafes, Campfires, Caravans, Ceremonies & Celebration, Chilums & Pipes, Chill Out, Climbing Things, Clowns, Clubs & Clubbing, Colour, Communications, Convoys, Craft & Industry, Cute Ancient Monuments, Dance & Dancing, Demonstration, DJ, Dodgy Wiring, Dress, Drugs, Emergencies, Environmental Direct Action, Eviction, Evidence, Exhibition, Families, Farmers & Local Opposition, Fin & Free Sheets, Fire & Ambulance, Fixing Motors, Flags, Fluffy, Fog, Food and its Cooking, Free Festivals, Free Parties, Free Party Persons, Free vs Commercial, Generators and Power, Giros & Shopping, Going to & from Events, Graffiti, Green Alternatives, Gypsies & Dids, Hells Angels, Hippies, Hitching, House Parties, Indymedia, Internet, Kids, Land Rights, Landscape, Law Road Signs , Lifestyles, Lighting On Stage & Audience, Locals & Local Authorities, Loonies & Strolling Idiots, Main Drag, Marquee, Media, Motorbikes, Mud, Multi-Media, Music, Musicians, Mutant, Policemen, Police Vehicles & Equipment, Political, Portraits, Positive Image, Press & TV Coverage, Protest, Punks, Ravers, Reclaim The Streets, Rink-y-Dink, Riot, Road Block, Rubbish & Shit – negative, School – Education, Security, Service Of Papers, Sex, Shit Pit Digging – positive, Signs, Silhouettes, Site Meetings, Smoking, Snow, Soft Drinks Or Alcohol?, Sound-System , Speakers, Squatting, Stages, Stand Up Performance, Stalls, Stonehenge Ceremonies, Stop & Search, Street Protest, Structures, Sunsets With Tipis, Surveillance, Sweat Lodge, Tattos, Tents, Tipis, Trade & Commerce, Travellers & Sites, Trespass, Tribes, Vehicles, Vehicle Artwork , Vehicle Damage, Video Activism, Violence, VJ & Lighting & Effects, Weather, Web-sites, Weekenders, Welfare, Windmill Generation, Wood,

A thread might develop from

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/guilfin/message/15754

this lot, followes on, from my critisism of Toby Rabbit. I really interested, you can follow the beginning of the tales, from

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_07_28_tash_lodge_archive.html#79637034

Why Video Activism?

Video Activism deters police violence.

Video Activism helps to document what occurs at actions, for legal follow-up purposes.

Video Activism doesn’t water-down, or alter the message of the people.

Video Activism gives the people themselves opportunities to voice their own concerns as cameras are getting cheaper and editing technology is becoming more available.

Video Activism enhances the capabality of the internet for spreading information accross borders by adding nontext content. Still images captured from video, downloadable audio and streaming video files can be made instantly available to interested people on the other side of the planet.

Video Activism is a big feature of the growing world of independent media. More and more concerned citizens, all over the world, are making their own media and by-passing the corporate-owned press with their own stories and their unique visions of a better world.

http://whisperedmedia.org/

Why Video Activism?

Video Activism deters police violence.

Video Activism helps to document what occurs at actions, for legal follow-up purposes.

Video Activism doesn’t water-down, or alter the message of the people.

Video Activism gives the people themselves opportunities to voice their own concerns as cameras are getting cheaper and editing technology is becoming more available.

Video Activism enhances the capabality of the internet for spreading information accross borders by adding nontext content. Still images captured from video, downloadable audio and streaming video files can be made instantly available to interested people on the other side of the planet.

Video Activism is a big feature of the growing world of independent media. More and more concerned citizens, all over the world, are making their own media and by-passing the corporate-owned press with their own stories and their unique visions of a better world.

http://whisperedmedia.org/

License to photograph coppers!

What about this?

A little while ago a staffer was photographing a ( peaceful ) demo. Police officer says ” If you either photograph me, or publish a photograph of me, I will consider it a breach of my human rights and take you all the way to the European Court. I am speaking to you both as a police officer, and as a private individual”.

Questions,

1) can he possibly stretch the new human rights legislation to prevent pictures?

2) Can he wear uniform & claim as a private individual?

Don’t know about 2, preliminary ( very off the cuff )

NUJ legal advice is:

“In respect of the police point – yes there is some truth in the privacy point but there is also the freedom of the press right which has to be balanced against this. If a picture of a police officer is taken in the context of a matter which is in the public interest then I cannot see how he could take a claim. Further point of course is that human rights actions can only be directly enforced against public authorities – not private companies or individuals. Any other claim would have to be piggy-backed onto another right – the policeman may therefore have difficulty in mounting a claim in the first place!”

I’m sure he won’t be the last to try & pull this one.

University to arm eco-warriors with legal sword and shield

Kirsty Scott

Guardian

Monday April 29, 2002

They have pursued polluters, challenged developers and chained themselves to trees. Now Britain’s eco-warriors have the chance to qualify in the art of environmental activism at university.

Sixteen campaigners have been accepted for the UK’s first course in “environmental justice”, which starts in Edinburgh this week. The year-long course is run jointly by Friends of the Earth and Queen Margaret University College. Graduates will be awarded a certificate in environmental justice, the first qualification of its kind in Britain.

Most of the first intake of students are seasoned activists who are already campaigning on environmental issues, including fish farming, landfill sites and industrial pollution.

As well as learning the basics of environmental science and planning issues, the class will study the legality of direct action and look at successful environmental campaigns across the world. They will be schooled in media and communications skills and learn how to access and interpret official documents.

Kevin Dunion, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said they had been inundated with applications for the course, which has been funded with £300,000 of lottery money.

“We have been astonished by the response,” he said. “More than 60 people applied for the 16 places. It is about schooling them in successful activism, not in terms of chaining themselves to anything, but using the system and knowing what their entitlements are and what their rights are.

“Over the years we have worked with many fantastic community activists who never have their experiences acknowledged and who have had no formal training.

“There are some very feisty people on the course who want to equip themselves with the skills and the certificate that goes with it.”

Ann Coleman, 52, from the village of Greengairs in Lanarkshire, applied for the course to help her fight the landfill sites that encircle the community. She has been secretary of the Greengairs action group for five years.

“This is the only way for us to become truly effective at what we are trying to do,” she said. “There are a lot of great people who are volunteering but they have no training and we don’t have a level playing field with the developers and the local authorities. This is going to make us more efficient. It is going to be absolutely invaluable.”

A fellow student, Andy Robinson, 40, of the Clydesdale opencast action group, said a qualification in environmental activism would allow him to hold his own against the legal teams employed by big business.

“It will allow us to be as clever as some of the developers are in using legislation. I was part of a public inquiry and I was asked what experience I had in planning law to allow me to make my case. I had none, but if I’m in that position again I can refer to my qualification.”

If the course is successful FoE hopes to expand it next year with a view to introducing courses at other UK institutions.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4403322,00.html

Video shows LA police beating boy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/video/38126000/rm/_38126181_police_bryant22_vi.ram

An officer appears to hold the boy’s head against a car

A white Los Angeles police officer has been suspended after being caught on video beating a black teenager during an arrest. The 16-year-old boy, Donovan Jackson, became involved in a scuffle with officers after his father was stopped over a minor motoring offence.

The videotape, which was shot by a tourist at a nearby hotel, shows the handcuffed boy being punched by one of the officers, Jeremy Morse.

It has also been revealed that Officer Morse was named last month in a complaint by Neilson Williams, a 32-year old African-American man, who claims he too was beaten by the officer.

The Donovan Jackson arrest took place near a petrol station in the Inglewood district of Los Angeles – a mainly black and Hispanic area of the inner city – on Saturday night.

The police say the confrontation happened after they made a routine traffic stop.

The teenager, who denies he was resisting arrest, is alleged to have assaulted one of the officers.

The tape shows the handcuffed boy being picked up and slammed face-down against the back of a patrol car.

Mr Donovan was then punched in the jaw by police officer Jeremy Morse, who has since been suspended pending an inquiry into the incident.

Officer Morse and his colleagues say that before the video started rolling the boy had lunged at him, leaving him with cuts on his head, ear and elbow that required hospital treatment.

On the tape, Officer Morse can be seen bleeding from a cut above his ear.

‘Extremely disturbing’

Inglewood police lieutenant Eve Irvine described the circumstances of the arrest as “extremely disturbing”.

“The incident is being taken very seriously,” she said.

We intend to seek justice in the courts unless we get a call from the proper authorities saying: ‘We want to do the right thing without a jury

Joe Hopkins, family lawyer

She added that both the Inglewood police department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department had begun formal investigations into the incident.

Joe Hopkins, the lawyer for the teenager’s family, said the boy was seated on the ground before the officers started hitting him and that the attack was racially motivated.

He said one of the officers had called the boy “nigger” during the incident.

“We intend to seek justice in the courts unless we get a call from the proper authorities saying: ‘We want to do the right thing without a jury,'” Mr Hopkins said.

The video, shot by tourist Mitchell Crooks from his motel room, has been shown on television throughout America, prompting an angry reaction.

Human rights groups and activists from the black community have been swift to compare the incident to the 1991 beating of black motorist Rodney King.

When the white officers involved in that case were acquitted it led to some of the worst riots ever seen in Los Angeles.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_2117000/2117161.stm

===================

The Duncan Campbell, in the Guardian at said :>

The amateur videotape of the incident has already prompted four separate investigations and the suspension of the policeman concerned. ……

A young white DJ staying at a nearby hotel ran outside with his video camera after hearing screams. What he filmed has now been broadcast countless times on local television.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,752370,00.html

>>>>>>>>>>>



I am in the proceess of trying find this chap [ Mitchell Crooks ], and send him a mail from us video -photo activist types, here in the UK. To tell him of our appreciation, and a jolly well done. We also know a thing or two about police beating and photographic evidence, from the beanfield, before and bloody onwards ………………..!!

Interestingly, however, after this situation, he is the only one in jail! It appears he has some previous matter outstanding! Oh god! it’s not fair. but we know that ……..

Gay stuff

Have just submitted the personal blog, to the listing at: Hit or miss.

List of weblogs and journals written by gay, lesbian, bisexual folks. Huge directory listing.

http://hit-or-miss.org/glbt/

hereinside http://hereinside.blogspot.com/

Johnman’s ID http://www.geocities.com/johnman27_98/index2.html

My Gay Events photography http://tash.gn.apc.org/gayintro1.htm

Some experiments in using microsoft MSN pictures

MSN pictures

http://photos.msn.co.uk/

Tash Picture ‘MSN Group’

http://groups.msn.com/TashPictures

http://groups.msn.com/TashPictures/shoebox.msnw

example of link, to individual picture

http://groups.msn.com/TashPictures/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=34

Blogs Guardian competition and progress

Weblog guide

Your weblogs [from Guardian Weblog]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weblog

For the past month, readers have been sending us the URLs of their weblogs. We aim to publish a comprehensive guide – but until then, here is a list of some of the blogs we liked. So if you have a blog, please mail us at weblog@guardianunlimited.co.uk.

Sent them an email, this evening, to introduce this, my personal blog, telling them about my work.

The competition will close on Friday September 6, 2002.

Guardian WebLog Guide

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weblog/special/0,10627,744914,00.html

UK WebLogs

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weblog/special/0,10627,752813,00.html

Best of Britsih Blog Competition

http://www.guardian.co.uk/weblog/bestbritishblog/

previous post on 20th july 02

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_07_14_tash_lodge_archive.html#79186741

Members of Mayday Video

Website at http://www.mayday.de/flash/intro.html Although i did the download, of a selection of their work, via Kaza.

One of the best of their pieces is called Culture Shock. All about ‘morphing’. But the strength of purpose, is amazing. A valuable techniqe.

Quick note to me on saturday evening, check out the photos and frame, back from Manchester, might try and make another arangement, rather the just put them in folio as before.

Cannabis Debate

Just listened to Radio 4 Straw Poll pogram, Cannabis Debate again.

Oh dear, progression theory defeated 30 years ago. still used as though it true! Otherwide, quite enjoyable!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/ram/anyqs.ram

Real Media

SchNews on Bristol Party Progress

People are considering legal action against Avon and Somerset Constabulary after 50 officers in full riot gear broke up a free dance party at Cumberland Basin, near Bristol a couple of weekends back, seriously injuring at least nine people. Cops made no attempt to negotiate with party-goers, telling them “If you’re down there, you’re going to get hurt.” The police had even thoughtfully brought an ambulance with them just in case they kicked anyone’s head in – which they did. Police blamed party-goers for the injuries commenting “It was clear a rave at this location would put a risk of harm to those attending.” The ‘location’ was under a motorway flyover, far away from residential housing, which had been used as a party site on numerous occasions before. Avon and Somerset Police seriously got their fingers burnt over the massive Steart beach party over the Jubilee weekend (SchNEWS 363) and local media have been busy whipping up a frenzy as “hooligan ravers” descend on the countryside to have fun. One party organiser told SchNEWS “We reckon the cops decided it was payback time.”

The Free Party Defence Collective is now appealing for witnesses to

mount legal action 07810 601703 www.guilfin.net

· Four Brighton based sound systems have finally been charged after having rigs seized from a Shoreham warehouse during Easter bank holiday. Despite never getting to turn on sound systems, attract a crowd or actually disturb anyone other than local plod, party organisers have been charged with ‘Conspiracy to cause public nuisance’ – and all for not quite getting to throw a free party.

· Thanks to the cops and the local council this year’s Welsh Green Gathering was cancelled

nATo show in manchester,

Just got back in. Flood and destruction, over the mountains in the Peak District. But I coped! Weathers Aweful!

Well, it is only July…..

Left Nottingham this morning, to go and collect pictures and frames from Jai’s studio, near the old Hacienda Club in Manchester.

they only broke just one frame!

It was a complete miricle that the show happend. He said we had at least 3000 through the doors, and further more, they ‘dithered’ and spent a longer time than you would have expected.

The space owners, tried to pull out of the contract, when they realised they had been hoodwinked on the content. HeHo!!

Jai seems quite up for doing something arain, and his little face lite up, when i sited the ‘Velvet Revolution Tour’. All about the CJA etc and the protest leading up to the law changes ….

this is the link to details about the show ……..

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_07_07_tash_lodge_archive.html#78897980

Representation

There was some discussion, at the last Lacket Video meeting, back in April, around issues concerning ‘representation’ of subjects by our images.

It does matter greatly, since the way people are represented, frequently has an effect on the depicted subjects’ lives…

It is with this in mind, that the Save the Children Fund, had produced a set of guidlines for image-makers, who supply them with work. I discussed some of this in my Paper for My Photography Degree in Nottingham. I thought it helpful, if I offer the chapter, dealing with this.

* * * * *

Presenting a Positive Image

I don’t suppose that I can consider my work as `objective’. It is the product of a view on the world that not many outsiders get to see.

When they do, it is sometimes through the pages of the tabloid press, in a less than complimentary way. Hardly objective either. Positive stories could be covered more frequently, but this would often conflict with a publications `house style’, which sells it.

There is plenty to say at other times, even when there isn’t fighting with the police. If there was a genuine interest in portraying this community, then features could be included say on how children are successfully bought up “on the road”. How three unemployed youths repaired, renovated and made a mobile home from a 1947 vintage London double-decker bus. Or how a number of new travellers had formed travelling shows and circuses that now do fayres all over Britain, Europe and beyond. Supporting themselves and not being on the dole any more.

These are positive stories. They are true; perhaps interesting. Negative aspects of life can include for example, poor access to health care provision for thousands, being “vigied” (beaten-up and vehicles damaged by local – vigilantes). Having your home wrecked during evictions. These are serious matters that if applied to house dwellers, I think would make a `splash’. There is however, only the odd feature in the `qualities’.

Because of this then, a few of us got together and started a magazine called Festival Eye to promote alternative ideas. Something I still get in trouble for now! More of this latter.

Shelter, the housing aid agency recently produced an issue of their magazine `Roof’ devoted largely to travelling issues, homelessness and access to land.

I helped research some of the material and supplied a number of pictures.

In a project for college earlier this year, I produced a leaflet designed to promote the Travellers Aid Trust, when I have tried to put into practice, some of the principles learnt.

It is obvious then that some thought be given to representation and analysis of what can be considered as `good practice’.

* * * * *

Save the Children Fund: Guidelines

The Save the Children Fund have a Gypsy Liaison office, that is concerned with provision of help and services to travellers in this country.

A representative of the S.C.F. sits as an advisor on the committees of Festival Welfare Services, the Travellers Aid Trust and the Travellers School. Their work is concerned with New-Age Travellers as well as more traditional gypsies. They also feel that children can very often best be helped by enabling their parents.

For some time now, I have been taking pictures that these charities have found useful in their promotion.

It is an easy trap to fall in, when taking photographs of people at disadvantage, to reinforce stereotypes. With poverty, race or disability, images which reinforce dependency contribute to discrimination that can deprive people of their rights and identity.

The main thrust of their work is to be involved with projects that help people to help themselves, rather than to be dependent on continual hand-outs.

Because of a shift in attitudes, it is now felt to be `good practice’ to be positive in approach when dealing with their promotion. To show what can be done by people for themselves with assistance, rather than negative images of doom that are supposed the `pluck the heart-strings’.

The S.C.F. then, have recently published a set of guidelines, intended for use throughout the organisation and by contributing freelances. I summarise them briefly here:

(1) The dignity of the people with whom Save the Children works, should be preserved. People SCF work with may be seen as helpless recipients of hand-outs. Poverty and dependence are not characteristic of communities.

(2) Images and text used must be accurate and should avoid stereotypes and cliches. Material selected for its shock value, can trivialise, distort and misrepresent its work.

(3) People should be represented as active partners in development. Not just recipients of aid.

(4) Disability takes many forms. Disabled people are an integral part of the community and should be seen this way.

(5) Ethnic groups, women and disabled people should not be excluded from photos and text that involve them.

(6) Patronising, sentimental or demeaning material should not be used. Not only factual accuracy is important, but also tone.

(7) People should be identified as individuals wherever possible. Except if they wish to remain anonymous.

(8) Elements within text and images should strengthen each other in the proper context.

(9) Images which caricature or diminish the subject through bad photographic process can cause offence. Images should not be cropped or edited in a way that distorts an accurate situation.

(10) Where possible, material should accurately convey the diversity of S.C.F’s work. Elements of self-help and long-term development should be emphasised.

* * * * *

My own, and other examples

I show you a few examples of my attempts at creating a positive image of some of the travelling people and their children. Bearing in mind the Save the Children guidelines, and other advice, I have been able to place some of these images in articles, information packs, and Annual Reports. Many different types of applications (slides 18 – 53).

I believe on the whole that they do present a positive image but I know that some can find it quite threatening. Care, should of course, be exercised in making pictures, in having a regard for the intended audience. For we all bring a certain amount of “intellectual baggage” to any interpretation of an image or some writing.

In his paper, “Questioning Documentary” in Aperture, Brian Wallis points out that:

“Although documentary photographs insist on their direct relationship to material forms in the real world,they are in fact cultural constructions that “create” reality according to a conventionalized language. Further, that this creation of meaning and reality does not stop with the taking of a photograph, but continues as it cropped, captioned, ordered, classified, categorized or filed. Each new context reframes its meaning”.
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Summary of the discussions held on filming or photography at protests in Conway Hall, London.

Here is the feedback from the Legal Observer Group that discussed the role and possibility of video activism within Legal Observing and the protest movement. Please do not hesitate to give me any feedback on this as the debate is in no way closed. With apologies for the delay.

Please note that you have not been added to the general Legal Observer Group meeting mailings. This group will continue to meet until around June in order to discuss the issues necessary to drafting a formal proposal to set up a permanent funded legal observer group for England and Wales. This proposal will then be put to a wider meeting sometime in June or July at which any final decision as to whether to film as part of legal observing will be taken. If it is taken then, in addition to the Legal Observer Project, it is also hoped that a Video Activism parallel project will also be set up. I will let you know when this meeting will take place nearer the time. However, you will not receive any further details of the other issues. If you wish to do so, then please drop me a line.

Summary of the discussions held on filming or photography at protests

Utility of filming/photography

The utility of filming and photography in the context of legal observing was not in dispute. To recap on what was said in the discussion piece and reiterated at the meeting:

Filming, and to a lesser extent photography, provides one of the best sources of evidence to be used in the defence of protesters charged with criminal offences. More importantly, perhaps, film is also one of the best sources of evidence for use in complaints or litigation brought by protesters, where the burden of proof is then on the protesters. The presence of cameras therefore also has a deterrent effect on the Police. Equally important, exposure of the abusive use of power or of the law through the media, the Internet or more selective channels of communication can be effective in discrediting the Police and countering some of the anti-protest propaganda.

Proposal

To set up a group with the aim of acquiring footage from protests to assist in the defence of protesters, in civil claims against the police or similar actions and in exposing the abusive use of power and the law in the repression of protest and protesters through the media, mainstream or otherwise.

The group could both act as a liason between and central contact point for the legal observer group and those with footage of protests, as well as trying to obtain footage of its own. Given the risks of the project, it would operate independently of the legal observer group but would work closely with it.

Problems & Suggested Solutions

Police Harassment

The police have various powers to stop, search and confiscate items, both under the existing Stop & Search Laws and under the proposed Terrorism Bill. The experience of many journalists however is that they will arrest people and confiscate equipment or film regardless of their actual powers. The perceived intention is to prevent journalists meeting their copy deadlines and to discourage and prevent potentially unfriendly coverage. This poses the added problem for those filming in order to assist with Legal Observing that any incriminating footage seized could then be used by the police.

There are a number of ways in which camera operators can minimise the risks of police harassment or the consequences of it:

1. Using a look-out, such as a legal observer, both to look out for incidents to film and to look out for possible trouble from the police. Such an individual could also act as an independent observer in case of any harassment. An alternative is for camera operators to cover each other. One camera operator goes in close whilst another one stands further back away from the police in order to gather any evidence of any harassment of the first operator by the police. Both techniques can be effective but are of limited value since they rely entirely on their deterrent potential. Although they also enable subsequent legal actions to be brought for wrongful arrest, criminal damage and trespass to goods this does little to address the problem outlined above.

2. Concentrating on filming the police rather than protesters. Legal Observers, and therefore those that film in that capacity, effectively act as evidence gatherers for protesters. Their attention is consequently focussed on the Police. However, it would be naïve to think that they would therefore be able to avoid catching action that incriminates protesters altogether. In addition, the context of any arrest or illegal action by the police is important material evidence for use in civil claims or criminal defence. Consequently, although legal observers can, to a limited extent, provide the required contextual evidence, for video evidence to be effective in Court it ideally needs to record the actions of protesters as well.

3. Using runners or bikers to get film away or, better still, micro-waving film immediately off-site. With the use of digital cameras & mobile phones, micro-waving isn¹t particularly technologically challenging though it is somewhat expensive. The advent of GSM2 phones, capable of sending digital data as micro-waves over a number of Œlines¹ will significantly bring down the cost and ease with which this can be done. For getting film away from the Police this is by far the best technique though even micro-waving still carries some potential risk of interception. Data encryption using strong encryption would make the process secure but it may not be legally possible to use it for much longer. Nevertheless, since the primary aim of the Police is not so much to use the footage as to prevent others using it the actual risk of micro-waving may be incredibly small.

4. Filming covertly or from a sufficiently inaccessible vantage point overcomes some of the problems of police harassment but is subject to problems of its own. Filming from an inaccessible vantage point can only be effective in certain rare circumstances: where the protest is more or less static, where a vantage point gives good views of the action, where the camera operator has a sufficiently powerful zoom and where the footage can be got away safely. The main disadvantage with covert filming is that it loses its deterrent effect. In addition, it is not something to be undertaken without the complete trust of the protesters.

It may be that these techniques used in combination according to the circumstances provides the best response to police harassment.

Use of Incriminating Material in Court

Whether it be as a result of disclosure in a Court case or as a result of a Court Order it may be difficult to prevent incriminating footage falling into the hands of the Crown Prosecution Service.

However, there currently exists a mechanism for putting material at risk out of the jurisdiction of the UK Courts and it is suggested that any problematic footage be dealt with in that way:

All rights to the footage should be assigned to the International Federation of Journalists in Brussels and sent there.