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Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
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Author:  ProfessorF [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/15 ... ographers/

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Kent Police clamp down on tall photographers
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New heights of absurdity (about 5'11")
By John Ozimek • Get more from this author

Posted in Policing, 15th July 2009 12:45 GMT

Updated Kent Police set a new legal precedent last week, as they arrested a photographer on the unusual grounds of "being too tall".

This follows a year of increasingly unhappy incidents, in which continued reassurances from on high appear to have had little impact on how Police Forces deal with photographers – and reinforces a growing concern that the breakdown in trust and cooperation with the Police warned of in respect of demonstrations could soon transfer to photography too.

According to his blog, our over-tall photographer Alex Turner was taking snaps in Chatham High St last Thursday, when he was approached by two unidentified men. They did not identify themselves, but demanded that he show them some ID and warned that if he failed to comply, they would summon police officers to deal with him.

This they did, and a PCSO and WPC quickly joined the fray. Turner took a photo of the pair, and was promptly arrested. It is unclear from his own account precisely what he was being arrested for. However, he does record that the WPC stated she had felt threatened by him when he took her picture, referring to his size - 5' 11" and about 12 stone - and implying that she found it intimidating.
Author:  Linux_User [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 5:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
W..T..F

I hope a complaint is making its way to the IPCC and his MP. 5'11" isn't exactly what I'd consider "too tall" either, but then I am 6'.
Author:  brataccas [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
ProfessorF wrote:
approached by two unidentified men. They did not identify themselves, but demanded that he show them some ID


Illuminati :(
Author:  ProfessorF [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
Undercover cops, more than likely bratty.
Author:  veato [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
brataccas wrote:
ProfessorF wrote:
approached by two unidentified men. They did not identify themselves, but demanded that he show them some ID


Illuminati :(


I bet they had pyramids surrounding their all seeing eyes ;)

On a serious note there seem to be more and more stories of this nature where innocent photographers are being harassed. Its not on.
Author:  Linux_User [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
ProfessorF wrote:
Undercover cops, more than likely bratty.


They should have identified themselves, there's no excuse for not pulling out your warrant card and introducing yourself.

The BTP managed it on the only occasion I've been asked a question by an plain-clothed Police Constable.
Author:  brataccas [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 7:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
damn cops/pigs, are they the ones to blame for the swine flu? :evil:
Author:  Nick [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
ProfessorF wrote:
Undercover cops, more than likely bratty.


Probably doing surveillance on a normal member of public. ;)
Author:  paulzolo [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
You do have to wonder if there are underlying circumstances that provoked the situation to worsen.

To whit:
Quote:
a PCSO and WPC quickly joined the fray. Turner took a photo of the pair, and was promptly arrested.


Now, common sense would tell you that this could make a bad situation worse.
Author:  HeatherKay [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 8:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
I've read his blog entry (being a local girl and all, it was of interest if I decided to stroll down Chatham High Street wielding my camera and partaking of my choice of creative hobby).

I understand normally, when asked by officers of the constabulary, to move on, this chap has done so without question. This time, when prompted to move on by the two plain clothes "officers", and not actually doing anything illegal by all that's right, he decided to question the request.

It snowballed from there. What followed is a worrying indictment of bad law, badly implemented. It's very worrying.
Author:  paulzolo [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
HeatherKay wrote:
I've read his blog entry (being a local girl and all, it was of interest if I decided to stroll down Chatham High Street wielding my camera and partaking of my choice of creative hobby).

I understand normally, when asked by officers of the constabulary, to move on, this chap has done so without question. This time, when prompted to move on by the two plain clothes "officers", and not actually doing anything illegal by all that's right, he decided to question the request.

It snowballed from there. What followed is a worrying indictment of bad law, badly implemented. It's very worrying.


I don’t know Chatham, but if he was in a shopping centre, it could be that he was on private land, and the people he initially spoke to were privately employed - they should identify themselves though.
Author:  pcernie [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
I had two cops ask me my details once, they thought they'd try to 'ambush' me but it just wasn't happening at the speed I walk - the first one had to run to catch up with me, the second nearly collapsed of a heart attack :lol: :twisted:

They told me they were CID officers, and when I asked if I could see their IDs they didn't look too impressed, but showed me them anyway. I basically thought 'Screw you, this is Belfast'...

Since they seemed legit I started answering their questions, and it turned out somebody fitting my description had robbed the local shop. Now, I'm 6'3, wearing a gray baseball cap, white fleece, tatty blue jeans and white trainers. I was coming back from the dole office at the time so it hardly mattered what I wore that morning, but what are the chances of someone who could be mistaken for me dressed like that, robbing a shop? :lol:
Author:  mars-bar-man [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 10:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
My God!! I'm screwed! 6ft 5in!!!

*note to self, don't take photographs, ever*
Author:  Linux_User [ Wed Jul 15, 2009 11:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
mars-bar-man wrote:
My God!! I'm screwed! 6ft 5in!!!

*note to self, don't take photographs, ever*


Piss off, giant. We don't want your kind round 'ere. :lol:
Author:  Amnesia10 [ Thu Jul 16, 2009 3:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent Police clamp down on 'too tall' photographers
Linux_User wrote:
ProfessorF wrote:
Undercover cops, more than likely bratty.


They should have identified themselves, there's no excuse for not pulling out your warrant card and introducing yourself.

The BTP managed it on the only occasion I've been asked a question by an plain-clothed Police Constable.


Unless the government curtail such abuses they will be the ones that suffer. We cant vote out the police chief but we can vote out governments who allow the police to abuse their powers.
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