FITTED UP

From 16th February it will be punishable by up to ten years in the nick to “elicit or attempt to elicit information about members of the armed forces, intelligence services or policemen, where this information could be of use to a terrorist.” This rather vaguely worded term (in the Counter Terrorism Act) is another of the government’s and police’s rather sweeping authoritarian laws that is just one more attack on traditional civil liberties. "Information that could be of use to a terrorist" is a rather vague and catch-all term.

On being caught with any information involving police you need to show a reasonable excuse for holding the information, whatever reasonable is deemed to mean. For people who have been involved in social struggles and come up against the state it is perfectly reasonable to make notes of police misbehaviour and taking their photos and collar numbers - despite being a perfectly legal (and sensible) thing to do - could warrant arrest.

The Government and police make no apologies for hassling photo journalists. In a letter to the National Union of Journalists, the Minister for security and counter-terrorism Vernon Coaker, justified police harassment of anyone using a camera in public, saying that, “This may be on the grounds of national security or there may be situations in which the taking of photographs may cause or lead to public order situations or inflame an already tense situation or raise security considerations.” Yeah right – public order situation – police stopping and searching someone on a demo, you get your camera and observe the situation, police tell you to move you on, you say no, they get heavy handed and push you around... Hey Presto! Public Order Situation!A graphic example of the way police hassle photographers was seen at the anti-BBC Gaza demo on 24th January when a member of the police Forward Intelligence Team (U3037) grabbed journalist Justin Tallis who had taken a photo of him, tried to get the camera off him and said “You’re not allowed to take photos of police officers”. The only way to oppose this legislation is to resist any police repression of the right to publish information about police misbehaviour and the activities of the political police units: the National Extremism Tactical Coordination Unit and the Forward Intelligence Teams.

* “I’m a photographer... Not a terrorist” Media Event: 11am 16th February outside New Scotland Yard. Turn up with your camera and exercise your democratic right to take a photograph in a public place. see www.marcvallee.wordpress.com

* More info on resisting police intrusion: www.fitwatch.blogspot.com