The Guardian reports on yet more counterterrorism idiocy, regarding a woman who was merely trying to document what the police were doing:
Lawyers for Gemma Atkinson, a 27-year-old who was detained after filming police officers conduct a routine stop and search on her boyfriend, believe her case is the latest example of how police are misusing counterterrorism powers to restrict photography.
The article goes on to detail the incident and the High Court case resulting from same.
This is yet another example of law–and law enforcement–run amok. There is really no legitimate need to censor the recording of police activities; in fact one would think that honest cops would not mind at all. I know of a case where a deputy would intentionally take inmates of a jail to one hallway not monitored by a security camera just so what he said and did was “off the record.” That is just one example of what dishonest cops can do.
Also of note:
The Met’s guidance is different to that issued by the National Policing Improvement Agency, which specifically advises that “officers do not have a legal power to delete images or destroy film”, and suggests that, while digital images might be viewed during a search, officers “should not normally attempt to examine them”.
If you remember one thing from this blog, remember this (and this is true in at least the US as well): Cops never have the right to delete images or destroy film.