Alan Lodge's Blog

Cycled out to Trent Lock, past Attenborough nature reserve. Along the canal tow path, then along the River Trent. Nice day by the river. Lunch at Steamboat Inn. Vegi-burgger and chips, if you want to know. The pub Peacock and passing Swans ate a fair number of my chips……. Bastards.

Blast! puncture on the way back. Asked a passing cyclist if he had a pump. Invited me to drop in house in the village, for assistance. A really nice man. Such help doesn’t come for car drivers……

Multimap Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=450000&Y=332500&scale=50000&coordsys=gb

Course of the River Trent: Aerial Photo

http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=449000&y=336250&scale=100000

Posted by WAP phone.

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2002_10_13_tash_lodge_archive.html#83088570

Back to Nottingham shortly………

More news just in, an appeal for help from Peacewatch.

From: peacewatch

Subject: urgent ! Welford Peacewatchers needed !

A new Peacewatch is here, just next to the bridleway footbridge over the M4:

http://tinyurl.com/9df5

A military base near Welford north of Newbury in Berkshire is where the deadly bombs are made to supply the 16 B52s based at USAF Fairford in Gloucester. Every morning, lethal weapons convoys join the M4 between junctions 13 and 14 just north of Westbrook village and using ~public roads~ make their way via the motorway or the A417 and 419 to Gate 14 at USAF Fairford.

Two of the crew who started G10 Peacewatch at USAF Fairford (i’ve got the ‘flu ) have set up a Welford Peacewatch just next to the footbridge on the bridleway over the M4, within sight of the access road to the military base, where the convoys can be observed at a safe distance.

People, visitors and overnight campers are urgently needed. Please bring food, water and camping gear so that you are self sufficient. Visitors are very much needed, whether for an hour or two or a few days. Donations or loans of the following would be extremely useful:

 water, bottled or containers of tap

 tarpaulins

 gas in canisters for camping stoves and lamps

 torch

 wind up radio

 solar or wind up phone charger

 cooked food like cake or sarnies for the first few days

 flags and banners, esp ones which say Welford Peacewatch

There has been an upsurge in activity at USAF Fairford in recent days, with 10 b52s taking off over the past 24 hours, more than at any time since the bombing started. We urgently need to get this information out to the peace movement in general, so more watchers are always needed.

Peacewatch at Gate 10 was started on 2nd March 2003 by Kate, Nick and Brenda. The two reasons for keeping this round-the-clock watch opposite the centre of the runway at USAF Fairfield are to:

 peacefully protest by maintaining a continual presence

 inform the world about the build-up to and continuance of the bombing campaign.

Peacewatch at Welford will maintain the spirit and purpose of the G10 Peacewatch. The police have visited the site this morning, and to date reports are ‘all is cool’.

Do take care with parking in Westbrook village or surrounding area, and make sure you don’t block gates or drives, and stay quiet and respectful.

Phone 07932 628 269 for updates, directions and more information.

If you want your details added to the Fairford Peacewatch supporters list, please mail by return. Updates will be posted there.

See you at Welford Peacewatch !!

please pass this message on to anyone who you think can help

xxx

brenda

* * * * * *

Welford Watch – new peace camp started

In the early hours of 12th April 2003 the team that launched G10 Peace Camp at Fairford started Welford Watch. The watchers will stand vigil over the convoys of death that transport bombs bound for Fairford and onward to Iraq.

The camp needs support and more campers / visitors are invited. Parking can be found nearby but the final access is along the bridalway towards the footbridge. Please park carefully and try not to annoy the neighbours. At present they particularly need water and a solar charger for the mobile phones. Contact numbers are Nick 07736 964653 and Kate 07748 015601. Bright flags and peace banners are particulary welcome. The camp was found by police at around 9am this morning and no attempt has yet been made to move the camp or evict the campers.

Welford is the USAF munitions store where the daily bomb convoys start. These convoys bring the weapons, including cluster bombs, used to arm the B-52s.

The camp is situated near the pedestrian bridge over the M4 just north of Westbrook.

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=443000&Y=173000&scale=25000

The main entrance to USAF Welford munitions store is at junction 13.5 on the east bound carriageway of the M4. This is a couple of miles west of Chieveley services (at J13). The convoys usually come out the main entrance of USAF Welford onto the M4 and head east. They turn around at Chieveley and head west along the M4.

At J15 they turn north and follow the A419 to Cirencester or turn onto the A361 to Lechlade and then take the A417 to Fairford. Convoys typically leave Welford at 9-10am arriving at Fairford approximately one hour later. Times and routes vary.

A convoy usually comprises 6 trucks with two 20 foot containers each and around 20 police vehicle escort.

On Thursday 10th April, at 3 p.m., a military convoy carrying bombs for use in Iraq was stopped en route from RAF Welford to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Five anti –war activists from Bristol blocked the A417 near Cirencester with a car. Two of the group chained themselves underneath their vehicle with bike locks. Police escorting the convoy soon arrived on the scene. One officer was heard to say “Shit, we’ve been looking for this sort of thing all week, and now it happens on our own back doorstep!” It took them 45 minutes to remove the activists with hydraulic cutters and clear the blockade. Four activists were arrested for obstruction of the highway. All were later released, three without charge, but one still facing charges.

This action was carried out as part of continued widespread opposition to the bombing of the Iraqi people. Bombs dropped by B52 bombers flying from RAF Fairford do not discriminate between military targets and civilians. There is no such thing as precision bombing, as events of the past few weeks have proved. Most casualties in any war are civilians and thousands of normal Iraqi people have been killed. This is not “liberation” by the forces of freedom and democracy. This is mass murder.

Despite the apparent collapse of the regime in Iraq, two convoys containing bombs arrived at RAF Fairford yesterday. These weapons of mass destruction continue to be used in the unjustified and illegal attack on Iraq. War without end?

Millions of people have objected to this war but the US and UK governments have consistently ignored worldwide calls for peace. Widespread direct action can have a real impact on the war machine. The people involved in the blockade yesterday believe it is up to normal people to work towards a world without the destruction and terror caused by war.

FFI contact Kebele 0117 9399469

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/themessage.shtml

Critics say journalism on the left has become turgid and earnest so does it have to lighten up and be more entertaining?

And, whatever happened to the underground press? In the 60’s and 70’s it offered an alternative outlet, a more authentic voice for the concerns and mood of the youth movement than the mass media, and the range of publications was formidable.

But is today’s so-called alternative press – with its focus on music, fashion and design – a pale shadow of its underground forebears from the sixties and seventies?

You want to know what I think, the answer is YES!!!!

listen again [for next 7 days] http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/rams/themessage.ram

RELATED LINKS

Squall http://www.squall.co.uk

Schnews http://www.schnews.org.uk

IndyMedia http://www.indymedia.org

* * * * * *

http://www.nuj.org.uk/front/inner.php?docid=494&doctypeid=8

As the death toll of journalists and media workers in the Iraq war moves into double figures, the NUJ has condemned the targeting of journalists as “war crimes”.

A Reuters camera operator was killed when US tanks fired a shell at the Palestine Hotel in the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Four staffers were injured. The death of cameraman Taras Protsyuk brought to ten the number of western media workers confirmed as killed in Iraq, nearly all by so-called friendly fire. It is likely that there will be more not to mention Iraqi journalists killed too in the attacks on media sites.

The American military said today’s attack was in response to sniper fire, but journalists at the hotel said they were aware of no such firing.

Two of those killed have worked for the BBC a translator and a camera operator — and two journalists for ITN. Two more were American; one was Australian. Two more have yet to be identified.

In the last few days “coalition” forces have attacked the offices of Al Jazeera and Abu Dhabi Television, as well as several Iraqi state broadcasting sites and the Ministry of Information building where the Baghdad media are briefed.

“It seems certain that the media are being targeted,” said NUJ General Secretary Jeremy Dear. “There must be thorough and independent investigations of all these incidents, and those responsible brought to book.

“The Geneva Conventions require combatants to protect the lives of civilians, yet here we have American forces taking aim at them. These are war crimes.

“The Americans say they have the most precise weaponry in history. Not all of these attacks can be accidents.

“Our member Terry Lloyd was killed, and his crew injured, when their clearly-marked vehicle was wrecked by coalition tank fire. This was three weeks ago but there has still been no explanation.”

And, please see what happend to a photographer aquaintance of mine, Kaveh Golestan, an Iranian Photographer was blow up by a landmine.

Am so sad. He was a nice man, and his work was / still is, splendid. We had exchanged views of photography, and critted each others work. I learnt loads and will miss him.

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2003_03_30_tash_lodge_archive.html#91871743

It appears, that by proportion of the numbers of soldiers / combatants to journalist.

The war in Iraq has resulted in 15 times more journalist killed than soldiers.

Anyone else find this strange?

Called by the Stop the War Coalition, the Muslim Association of Britain and CND.

Assemble York Rd, Waterloo, 12pm.

Our national protests get coverage all over the globe – let’s show the world the anti-war movement hasn’t gone away.

I do think that it is important to protest, at the continuation of the war. However, speaking personally, I don’t know if yet another London demo is going to ‘do it’. The object of such a march, is to demonstrate to our political masters, the degree of public objection to their activities. However, it is a feature of the news, within the numbers game, to show waning numbers as an indicator of such support. And, I have no idea at all, why were doing it in London, again. What about some kind of ‘inclusion’ of the rest of the country. I hate the place.

It strikes me, that this method is not stopping anything! It is not working, and the indicators of the numbers involved, is not affecting the democratic equations. I think it apparent that we’re past all this, and quite agree with those, ‘standing in the way’ of the machine! Just my opinion, but I know plenty still think yet another protest is required. I wish them well, of course.

This is my work from the first Stop the War demo in London on 15th February.

Spectacular!

http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/stopthewar_feb03/index.htm

This happens to me from time to time. Folks say I shouldn’t be photographing people in a public place, without asking for their permission. On February 15, I photographed TWO MILLION people, that would have lead to an aweful lot of conversations! But really, it is only the police and a few nits, that seem to adopt this attitude.

Anyway, I’ve “put ’em straight”, and a few folks have stepped forward to help me out. I say thanks very much to them.

It is of course, such posts, that have lead to me being attacked in the past, and last time, having ALL my teeth knocked out!!!!!

* * * * * *

Postings on Nottingham ‘Stop thge War lists

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NottmStoptheWar

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NottmStoptheWar/message/666

Subject: Photographs

Regarding the posting/s by Alan Lodge.

Dear Mr.Lodge.

As you may or may not know, the extreme right-wing internet site Redwatch (covering the domain names .org/.net/.org.uk) is becoming increasingly professional in its coverage of ‘left-wing’ activities – now extended to include anti-war protestors.

When they have been successful in matching photographs and/or names and addresses the persons involved have usually been subject to physical attack, and in some cases have been forced to move address. These have by no means been isolated examples. The photographs taken by Redwatch at Nottingham Prison clearly identify several individuals.

Some of your photographs, for example the ones taken at Chetwynd barracks, clearly identify individuals. I hope that in future you will agree that it would be preferable to stick to general crowd scenes for the reasons mentioned above.

Sincerely.

Ted.

and ……

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NottmStoptheWar/message/708

Hi

I was just looking at Alan’s photos and wondering if the people he had taken pictures of knew that their image would be on the web? I think people should be aware that their picture is being taken and that they consent to the image being put on the web.

Aurora

* * * * * *

My response: photography in the street IS allowed!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NottmStoptheWar/message/711

Thank you all very much for your support. I have been contacted by many other anti-war groups, with respect to their own photography of local actions, no one else is ’embarrassed’ by their presence in standing up for the issues at hand.

Have photographed protest and actions for XXX years 🙂 it is interesting that this is the first time such objection has been noted. Just a few from Nottingham.

Oh, I forgot. and the police. So many officers who are also embarrassed by their activities in the street have also tried to actively prevent my photography. A thorough view of my website, might illustrate why.

http://tash.gn.apc.org/surv_10.htm

They have tried various ploys including their right of privacy (ie. stood there in a public place in uniform! ), and a mis-reading of the Human rights act.

Gosh, don’t you hear it sometimes.

I am an anti-war protester, and am using my muscles, behind the issue as well as I am able. I think successfully, because of the positive feedback I have been getting, and people telling me that the work is ’empowering’ to folks involved. Except some people on this list.

To set the record straight. If you are in a public place, I have a ‘right’ to photograph exactly what I want, AND to use as I see fit. I am allowed to do anything I like, that is not against the law. Not into censorship, as I have also pointed out to the authorities, when they try to stop me.

Personally I’m proud to be involved in these issues and am surprised that some are not.

I also know that there is an issue with the right-wing, in the shape of redwatch and their sort. They are not only interested in protestors, the left etc, but also photographers. A friend had his own picture taken from his website and used to try and intimidate him by inclusion on the bastards site. It has also happened to me! I told him this had happened, I reported this to my union [NUJ], then I made a complaint to the police [ie. harassment, put in fear and distress etc] and employed solicitors to bring action against them for its removal.

My point is. I am allowed to photograph in a public place. However, if there was mis-use of my photography, but such folk, ie if they nick work of my site for intimidation reasons, I would stand up for it, and go after them. Perhaps some might find the legal threats page on redwatch, enlightening.

http://www.redwatch.org.uk/legal.html

I hope that clarifies the situation.

Thank you so much to those that see the value of what I’m trying to do.

* * * * * *

In support, jonny and others chimed in. Hopefully, this settles it 🙂

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NottmStoptheWar/message/718

Date: Wed Apr 9, 2003 3:59 am

Subject: Re:Press enquiry – RAF Cottesmore: LITTLE BRO

Dear N0012693,

the police,media & fash photograph all of us, tash is one of the only littlr brother dedicated activist photographers around. He has saved countless lives for nearly 40yrs in court cases etc & stopped police from attacking & abusing thousands of times with aid of intelligence & a camera.

I have never seen a photo published by tash that could be used to prosecute an activist, & fascists can get our photos from their mates in the police or from the media. We live in a state surveliance society, the way to survive is to turn it back on them & as Tash proves this tactic works!

He comes from a travelling community that has mostly been forced to flee this country due to state terror after beanfield & cja etc. He is one of only people to accurateley record our peace movement from the inside

are aia & N0012693 severley paranoid? or you coppers? real or sleeping?, if so kiss my bush!

Personally I am proud to be photographed by tash, I dont like to be photographed by fascists, policemen.

Tash needs our support, he does not get paid for his proffesional photography or for being an original organiser of events like glastonbury.

He has been attacked physically by thugs on “our side”, we only usually have to defend fellow activists from coppers on demos, but we will protect comrades from agent provacetuers & idiots if necessary too!

if you really dont want to be photographed by tash tell him, he will more than likely stop unless you are in a police uniform at the time.

respect the tash man!

for peace & love,

jonny m sparkeee1@hotmail.com

I think this, quite an endorsement. [if the 40 years is a little exagerated :-)]

Thanks for sticking up for us guys. Hope I’ve heard the last of it all, back to the bloody issues!

Martin Luther

[up against the Catholic Church]

Went to the gathering, outside the Nottingham Tax Office on budget morn. A mixed response from the workers arriving. Some in support, some not. Posters displayed and leaflets handed out.

http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/nottingham_tax/index.htm

Also, added another shed-load to the Nottingham graffiti and poster collection. Please check out at:

http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/nottingham_graffiti/index.htm

All other ‘stop the war’ work remains available from http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar.htm

The Activists’ Legal Project provides information about the law to people who are thinking of taking direct action, or who have taken direct action.

We provide briefing sheets and workshops by activists with first hand experience of the criminal and civil justice systems in Britain. We are not laywers or solicitors although we consult with them. The Activists’ Legal Project is run by volunteers.

http://www.activistslegalproject.org.uk

http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/cottesmore/index.htm

People gathered from Leicester, Nottingham, Loughborough, Grantham. They came together at the gates of RAF Cottesmore in Rutland, to protest at the continuation of the war in Iraq. It was a very peaceful gathering / event, displaying banners and placards with an anti-war message. There was a small ‘counter demonstration’ from some of the base families there, in pleading support for the troops, committed there on operations.

There was some discussion about the issues, the prime mis-conception being that anti-war protesters were ‘against the airman and troops’. In fact, it was pointed out that this was not the case, but were against their current application and deployments.

The protest at Cottesmore on Sunday and at RAF Stafford that I attended on Saturday, were part of the ‘Reclaim the Bases’ anti-war action.

Reclaim the Bases http://www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

All designed to highlight the concerns felt by many about these issues.

Stop the War – Main Page: http://tash.dns2go.com/stopwar.htm

On saturday, I had gone to Stafford. Meet in the market Square, where we formed up a march, with a Samba Band and everything. Arrived at RAF Stafford, a base concerned with the logistical support of current operations

http://tash.dns2go.com/xtra/stafford/index.htm

* * * * * *

Reclaim the Bases http://www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

Vigil (Bring banners, placards, etc.)

RAF Cottesmore is a key component of Joint Force Harrier, and is currently home to three squadrons of Harrier GR7 aircraft. A significant element of the Harrier force is now in the Gulf.

For more information see http://www.raf-cott.demon.co.uk

email zinazelter@yahoo.co.uk or phone 0116 220 3944

For those interested, and perhaps, coming to it. Here is the map and aerial photo of the village and base. RAF Cottesmore is in Rutland.

Map :: http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=492000&Y=315000&scale=25000&coordsys=gb

Aerial Photo :: http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?x=492000&y=315000&scale=25000

Isn’t some technology, wonderful ………

Just returned from Stafford.

This was part of the national demonstrations, drawing attention to the military bases, during the Iraq conflict.

Reclaim the Bases http://www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

Bit small, but worth doing! [couple of hundred] . Samba band from Stoke and everything. Took a few snaps of course, but can’t process till I’ve been out to Cottesmore, tomorrow.

I have not been to this event in years. I with thousands of others, help build this event. The history of it is very chequered and inter-twined with the troubles at Stonehenge.

In recent years, it is nothing like what I thought we were doing, now even less so, with the involvement [profit rake-off] of Mean Fiddler Corporate LTD.

So, now we have 112,000 tickets at £105 sold out in 24hrs. With no announcement as to who on yet!!

So, if you want a ticket to such an event, you’ll have to bid in auctions or go to ticket touts. 4 tickets recently went for £5100.

Think I’m joking?? well check out for yourself.

eBay Auctions – Search for Glastonbury Tickets

I’m a hippy, a traveller, a festival goer, an ‘alternative thinker and doer’

Why on earth would I be interested in this event? Except it was stolen from me.

As I have remarked before,

“With peoples past in-action on the law changes [CJA etc] and commercial insurgency :: You now have the events you deserve, discuss”

Really, I know it is not very helpful, but am going round, telling people “I told you so!”

Personally, I come from a free festivals and travelling background. New Age Travellers etc.

A number of sayings have helped guide my life over time. Like….

Bring what you expect to find?

If no you, who?

If not now, when?

If not here, where?

In sum, this means self-reliance. It means gigs are ALWAYS better, when people attending don’t just attend , but are a main part of the act. It is obvious to all those there, when this magic happens.

This is actually where I came in. 1972 Windsor, Stonehenge etc….. These were my motives then and remain so now.

Of course the authorities have difficulty with a system that means they are not in sole charge, hence all the law and violence since the Beanfield etc……

Over time, I have been involved I raising awareness about the law changes and their implications to us all.

 Public Order Act 1986

 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

 Noise Act

 Barry Legg MP: Places of Entertainments (Increased Penalty) Act

 Security Services Act

And now all the Acts that have been going through parliament – with the words

“conduct by a large number of persons in pursuit of a common purpose” being a new definition of serious crime!!!

With the new definition of serious crime, that enable the use of some ‘heavier’ police departments to be applied against us. And will be the end of all the RTS and similar gigs.

Shame eh?

Now, in ‘rave mode’, I have spent time with the Velvet Revolution and All Systems gigs, I had written ‘Sound Advice’ and the ‘Right to Party’ – to try and raise these matters in peoples minds.

Well, we have lost each of the matters I’m on about here. Whoever you vote for, the government gets in!

What I am absolutely positive about though, is that people involved in the scene,

DID NOT DO ENOUGH ABOUT ANY OF IT AS IT HAPPENED AND NOW IS STILL GOING ON.

People have to realise that self-interest and their own immediate happiness ( hedonism?), is not enough to make a festival, party rave, traveller site, gathering.

Important, but not enough.

Some folks on reading this will have been too young, to have had any objection to these changes as they have happened over recent years. But many others of you will have been.

The way parties are now organised, between those trying to conform with some pretty onerous conditions, (ie half to 2/3 of a ticket price to ‘self-police’ and pay for your own public order management and drug search.!) and those involved with the ‘free’ end of things but at continued ‘personal’ rather than ‘sheared’ risks.

This division is of course orchestrated by the other side.

This old hippy / raver? Is now of the opinion that folk have now got the party they deserve. Discuss……..

Love

Tash

http://www.reclaimthebases.org.uk

Reclaim the bases is an event – aiming at stopping/disrupting the war machine across the UK. If you want to organise something for the weekend at your local military base (going in, blockade, vigil, symbolic weapon’s inspection, or anything else) on an autonomous basis, and would like to coordinate with other groups (press work, mobilisation material, etc.), get in touch with us and/or join the mailing list.

Reclaim the bases actions should not harm or dehumanise other people

contact: email@reclaimthebases.org.uk

Telephone: 07887 585721

Yahoo Group: reclaimthebases-discuss-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

These are some of the planned event, though I imagine your allowed to think up your own.

http://www.reclaimthebases.gzzzt.net/listing.html

Anyway, this is what I think I’m doing:

Saturday April 5th. Assemble at 12:45 at Stafford market square for the march, or at 14:00 at the base.

RAF Stafford (Stafford, Staffordshire) March, Reflective ceremony at RAF. Bring objects, poems, etc. to share and attach to the fence.

The Tactical Supply Wing is at RAF Stafford. Over 100 men and women have gone to the Gulf to maintain the battlefield helicopter force, including fuel resupply, storage and delivery. It will be an integral part of the deployments being made by all 3 forces. Stafford is also the major Equipment Supply Depot, and provides transport assistance for unit moves, and the handling of large or abnormal loads.

Phone : 0845 3303877 / 07960 030038 (Alsion Crane) The event also includes a Vigil at Stafford market square (12:00 to 13:00) and a nonviolence workshop (10:30 to 12:00 Friend meeting house, Foregate street)

* * * * * *

Sunday 6th of April, 2pm to 4pm.

RAF Cottesmore Vigil (Bring banners, placards, etc.)

RAF Cottesmore is a key component of Joint Force Harrier, and is currently home to three squadrons of Harrier GR7 aircraft. A significant element of the Harrier force is now in the Gulf.

For more information see http://www.raf-cott.demon.co.uk

email zinazelter@yahoo.co.uk or phone 0116 220 3944

Home Office have announced a guns amnesty. Folks are invited to hand in weapons between 31st March and 30th April.

I wish the project well, but most locally, wonder at its effectiveness. There has been a vast increase in gun crime, here in Nottingham. Find it pretty scary. Not just the gangsters, but the police responce. Too many young lives lost. You have to wonder, why most are black.

http://www.getgunsoffthestreets.co.uk

Earlier entry on guns, gangters, and police

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2003_02_02_tash_lodge_archive.html#88756662

http://tash_lodge.blogspot.com/2003_01_26_tash_lodge_archive.html#88374768

Mothers Against Guns

http://www.mothersagainstguns.net

I photographed the event when the mother of murdered Nottingham teenager Brendon Lawrence, lead a march through Nottingham on Saturday, 1 February in the latest stage of a national community-led fight to end the devastation that gun crime causes to families.

This is awful! it is lying. I know the photos, described here, were only taken a few seconds apart. BUT, I and any other serious photographer, likes to be believed, when you are trying to tell a tale. To accurately describe how it is! Integrity is so important with these matters, we are not just talking about ‘art’ were anything goes to produce ‘interesting work’. Documentary Photography and News are supposed to function to different / higher rules.

Duncan Campbell in Los Angeles

Thursday April 3, 2003

The Guardian

The Los Angeles Times has sacked a battlefront photographer for altering a photograph which showed a British soldier telling Iraqi civilians to take cover from Iraqi fire. The photo appeared on the front page of the newspaper on Monday.

Brian Walski, an experienced news photographer who had been on the LA Times staff since 1998, was contacted by telephone in Iraq by the paper after questions were raised about the photo.

It was noticed that a number of the Iraqi civilians in the background of the picture appeared twice.

According to a statement on the front page of yesterday’s LA Times, Walski “acknowledged that he had used his computer to combine elements of two photographs, taken moments apart, in order to improve the composition”.

The dramatic photo shows a British soldier manning the Zubayr bridge and cautioning Iraqis to take cover by stretching out his arm. An Iraqi man can be seen in a crouching position clutching his child. The headline beneath the photo read: “In Basra, Panic as a Tactic of War.”

Yesterday the LA Times published the two photos that Walski had used to make his single image.

In the original photo where the British soldier is making his gesture, the Iraqi man is looking the other way and is in the background.

In the image that appeared on the front page, the Iraqi man and child have been brought forward to create a more dramatic composition. It is only on close study that it is possible to see that some of the people in the background appear twice.

Walski, an award winning photographer, has covered international stories including the Gulf war, the famine in Somalia, the funeral of Princess Diana and the conflicts in Northern Ireland and Kashmir. An LA Times spokeswoman could not say whether he had left Iraq.

The LA Times, like most big American newspapers, has a policy which forbids the alteration of news photos.

The Guardian has a similar policy. “All the desks are under instructions from the editor not to alter news photos,” said Roger Tooth, head of photography at the Guardian.

He said that it was now easier than ever for photographers to alter photos.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,928392,00.html

Editor’s Note – Los Angeles Times

On Monday, March 31, the Los Angeles Times published a front-page photograph that had been altered in violation of Times policy.

The primary subject of the photo was a British soldier directing Iraqi civilians to take cover from Iraqi fire on the outskirts of Basra. After publication, it was noticed that several civilians in the background appear twice. The photographer, Brian Walski, reached by telephone in southern Iraq, acknowledged that he had used his computer to combine elements of two photographs, taken moments apart, in order to improve the composition.

Times policy forbids altering the content of news photographs. Because of the violation, Walski, a Times photographer since 1998, has been dismissed from the staff. The altered photo, along with the two photos that were used to produce it, are below:

The actual photographs

. .

The Altered Photo

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-ednote_blurb.blurb

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The National Union of Journalist [NUJ] in this country, also has an attitude about these matters, and the guidelines are laid-out here. I am a member and I follow them!!

Marking manipulated photographs – NUJ

http://www.gn.apc.org/media/manip.html

http://media.gn.apc.org/manipsym.html

My ‘news / doc photographs’ and PhotoShop work, are in entirely different pages within my site. No confusion.

I feel so strongly about this sort of thing, that I have laid out out a page, dealing with these and associated issues. You see it matters so much. Say if I was to go to court of someones behalf, with a digital image, will a jury trust me? Policeman are having to deal with these issues also. Perhaps I should compare notes 🙂

Digital Imaging & Evidence

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

A cameraman working for the BBC in northern Iraq has been killed after stepping on a landmine. Kaveh Golestan was a Pulitzer-prize winning freelance cameraman who worked for the BBC’s Tehran bureau. He was an outstanding photojournalist who had worked in support of freedom of expression in his native Iran and elsewhere and was well known to many western news organisations.

I was first introduced to his work, while studying photography at Nottingham Trent University and had a number of exchanges with him by email. He to, liked black and white, and a little humanity. I felt his influence wash over me, and make me better. He said he liked my work also.

I cried tonight! Just another, of the many, casualties of war.

Please check out some of his work. It’s prize-winning.

http://www.kargah.com/golestan/index.htm

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BBC cameraman killed in Iraq The Guardian

Claire Cozens: Wednesday April 2, 2003

Kaveh Golestan: Pulitzer prize-winning journalist

The BBC cameraman Kaveh Golestan has died while covering the war in Iraq after stepping on a mine.

Golestan, an Iranian national who had worked for the BBC in a freelance capacity for the past three years, was killed instantly when he stepped out of his car onto a mine.

He was travelling with the BBC producer Stuart Hughes, who has been taken by ambulance to the American military hospital in Sulaymaniya for treatment to a foot injury.

BBC correspondent Jim Muir and the team’s local translator, who were also travelling in the car, were unhurt.

“Kaveh Golestan was an outstanding photojournalist who had worked in support of freedom of expression in his native Iran and elsewhere and was well known to many western news organisations,” said Richard Sambrook, the director of BBC News.

“He had worked with the BBC for many years. Our deepest sympathy goes to his family and friends. This once again underlines the dangers faced by news teams covering the war in Iraq.”

The incident occurred at lunchtime today in Kifri, a town in the southern part of the Kurdish area of Iraq.

Golestan, 52, became the BBC’s contract cameraman in the Iranian capital Tehran in September 2000, and had worked for many western news organisations.

He was also a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer, acclaimed for his work during the Iranian revolution and of the gassing of the Kurds during the Iran-Iraq War in 1988.

He is the third journalist to be killed as a direct result of the conflict.

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,928257,00.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2911419.stm

News just in. Have been sent the following recently. Not really news, just the latest example of folks being horrid to my kind.

Look, there are some criminals amongst us! I bet you have some criminals in your circle [if you know it, or not!]. BUT I’m fed up to the back teeth of a WHOLE COMMUNITY BEING CRIMINALISED. Entirely labelled for following a lifestyle, outside of the norm.

Talk about ethnic minorities, race etc, in these terms and you’ll get plenty of obrium.

Hippies / Travellers, well that’s allowed, isn’t it !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Builder’s Merchant’s Attack Police Inaction Over Travellers

Britain’s builders’ merchants have been asked by the Home Office to compile a dossier of police inaction over the menace of travellers – which costs the industry millions of pounds a year in theft, damage, intimidation and loss of business.

The bosses of the country’s largest chains of builders merchants have met with the Home Office, angry that police refuse to intervene, leaving merchants spending millions of pounds on civil actions. One major chain – which doesn’t want to be identified for fear of reprisals – told the Home Office that last year it spent £500,000 on evicting gypsies and a further £1 million on putting right the damage they caused.

Another major chain said gypsies from a nearby encampment caused £90,000 worth of damage to a new branch only days before it was due to open. “These people seem to be above the law,” said Jeremy Hawksley, the director of the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF), which represents 3,200 branches throughout the UK with a combined annual turnover of £7.2 billion.

Mr Hawksley, who initiated the Home Office meeting, said: “They get onto land owned by builders merchants and intimate staff, steal stock and fuel and generally leave a terrible mess behind. In the meantime, our members lose trade and run up hefty costs in obtaining court orders, which take from seven to ten days to be issued. Then there are the additional costs of enforcing evictions and court orders, followed by the cost of removing rubbish and human and animal waste from the site. “And yet, despite the damage, trespass, theft and intimidation of customers and staff, the police are not interested because the crimes are taking place on private land,” he said.

Mr Hawksley said there was a lack of will by police to enforce the law, even though existing legislation allowed for eviction. At the Home Office meeting, a BMF member said that in 12 years of his reporting theft and other crimes involving travellers, the police had never taken action.

“Home Office minister John Denham is sympathetic to the complaints and his office has asked us to prepare detailed evidence concerning the lack of police co-operation – which we are in the process of doing. Builders’ merchants are entitled to the same police protection as any other citizen,” said Mr Hawksley.

Mr Hawksley said the Home Office told BMF members that the post bags of ministers and MPs were full of complaints about travellers and that a consultation document issued in the summer was aimed at strengthening the law, adding that there was no reason for travellers to be excused from legal action.

Melanie Wiggins

Marketing and PR Executive

Builders Merchants Federation

http://www.bmf.org.uk