More Big Brother

This type of illegal behaviour from gaurds and police makes my blood boil!!! Good article, now i'm off to watch Corrie .


 

Someone told me the UK are becoming like that. I haven't been there for 5 years, so I don't know. If it's true it's evry sad.

In all the days I spent street shooting in London last year at the lypse, I had only one encounter with security guards at Canary Wharf where I faced any kindof attitude. Obviously the guards in this story were in the wrong, but it's really not a major issue and I would say that the police in London seemed more clued up than those in other uk cities, regarding photographer's rights.

That's good. In my experience outside the UK, but I assume it wouldn't be different in the UK, if I explain myself calmly and clearly I avoid most problems.

Yes. If you make it clear what you are doing, conduct yourself like a reasonable person and act like a professional, then people do tend to reciprocate. Due to the Olympic events, I'm sure there will be a glut of badly trained, poorly paid, newly employed security guards, but I've found that if you're friendly and communicative, they are generally very reasonable and sometimes even helpful.

(Edited on 2012-04-17 06:17:40 by kelvinjay)

Two things:  He didn't offer to show his reporter's permit/license/ID, and, when asked to see the footage he had taken he replied with, "I'd really rather not".  Now, I'm not AT ALL taking up for the "rent a cops" who were far too important in their own minds.... but the reporter did sort of start off on a rather confrontational level right off the bat - you're not going to get anyone on your side the second you resist any requests and don't offer ID without being asked.


Again - not taking up for the Big Brother stuff... I've had my own run-in with a rent-a-cop who was only a few weeks out from flipping burgers somewhere, and then gets a badge and thinks they are a police officer.  But I was just so sickening sweet rosey nice to them, I gave them NO wood for the fire regarding anything they could say about me.  Was just as sweet with the manager later... then when I called the owners of the property - HELL broke loose on them.  The security guard was seeking new employment by the end of the week.


Don't hesitate to raise hell - but picked to whom and when you do it.

An Olympic event is a large event and you need to offer increased security for a limited amount of time. Many of the people you hire don't know themselves what to do in some cases, and if you explain things calmly and politely you would be doing them a favor too. Because you can't give those people a complete police training, they will have to improvise in some situations. It doesn't mean they feel like police officers. Be calm and make sure you know your rights.