Rise Up Against It.

Once again Mayor Ken Livingstone has instigated the 'Rise' photo-competition, which in keeping with just about every photo-comp out there these days, is of course a naked rights grab for commercial sponsors like Dixons and Fujifilm.

(A note at the bottom of the website even says the word 'Rise' itself has been trademarked by a company called Leadmill Ltd...and of course, the Rise website terms warn off anyone infringing their IP rights)

Mayor Ken says: “I want to see images which reflect ...that London is one of the most diverse cities in the world and its different communities enjoy living side by side."

Ooh, thats lovely isn't it?

So hopefully we'll see lots of Asian and Black youths from Tower Hamlets and Hackney getting pictures of the soldiers at Horseguards Parade, the historic Palace of Westminster and the imposing buildings of the City of London...shortly before their hobby is brought to an abrupt halt by approaching sirens.

God help them if they're Brazilian, eh?

There are increasingly places in London where you can't even get a camera out anymore without getting harrassed by somebody carrying a walkie talkie who's read too many Andy McNabb novels for their own good.

As a photographer carrying a press card it's a reality I confront regularly, and insist on my right to take pictures and go about my private, lawful business in a public place like anybody else.

By necessity I have to be up to speed with laws and regulations regarding photographing in public and private places, and any excuses used against me usually depend on whatever's been on the cover of the Daily Mail that week.

(Its not confined to London either. A few years ago I was beaten, attacked with dogs and arrested by French CRS police on suspicion of being an armed Eastern European people trafficker, after being nicked while spending a night with refugees trying to get through the Channel Tunnel. This is AFTER I showed the cops my press card by the way...and the two digital cameras round my neck, which they wrecked.)

One of the instigators of this oppresive attitude by public officials and increasing paranoia about photography is none other than Mayor Ken himself, who appointed 'Heritage Wardens' in Trafalgar Square, who regularly harrass photographers working there, and was only prevented from placing public signs encouraging people to view camera holders as potential paedophiles, when the July 7th Bombings showed how useful publicly taken images could be as potential evidence for security forces.

I subscribe to neither argument, but when the next red faced, spittle flecked idiot accuses me of being a kiddie-fiddler for just having a camera, I suppose I can now indignantly insist I am in fact, on the vanguard of the The War on Terror...

One of the sponsors of the Rise photo competition is Canary Wharf.

Oh I see, so they're happy to get free 'content' from the competition to put on spurious mission statement brochures about how were all one big happy (shopping) family, but woe betide anyone who pulls a camera out in the Canary Wharf area, which on a daily basis increasingly begins to resemble the Truman Show, where you can do anything you like, as long as its 'approved' first...involves spending money...and can be recorded by banks of CCTV cameras.

The reality is that Canary Wharf is actually a multi-cultural hub and on any given day you will in fact, see people speaking disparate languages, and a sea of black faces in the area...

...as long as you're there at about 3.00 am that is - when those faces are earning a pittance cleaning the offices of multi-billion dollar finance corporations.

Come sun rise (oops! Infringement! Sorry Leadmill Ltd) those faces are banished from the area and viewed with automatic suspicion.

Comments

[Sergio]

Sion, you're the one.....

[Daniel]

Sion,

I had the same issues with living in liverpool street and being stopped all the time for taking pictures and "sorry mate, its against the anti-terrorism act"

hence i made this up http://hmmm.co.za/ukrights.php

and as for Canary Wharf, christ its amazing how that place gets away with what they do to people with camera's

[Sion Touhig.]

Thanks Sergio. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks that way, I'm sorry to say.

[Sion Touhig]

Yeah Daniel, funny how the Home Secretary insisted the Anti-Terrorism Act wouldnt be used to curb civil liberties...Remember the old guy who was thrown out of the Labour party Conference? He was nicked under AT legislation and it caused a big stink at the time. What didnt make the news was that 6 HUNDRED other people were also held under the AT Act during the conference...for heinous crimes like wearing T-shirts criticising the PM.

[mikethehack]

I took a walk around London one day last summer and saw lots of tourists being hassled at places like Canary Wharf, the gherkin etc. Lots of officious little plastic cop wannabee security guards throwing their weight around and giving what amounted to an unfriendly welcome to tourists. I also saw a cameraman being hassled outside an office block where a rather large search company with hassles in china is based and cops were harassing the cameraman.

What's interesting (and this comes from first hand experience) is that if you start quoting the various laws to them, including all the sections, sub sections and clauses, then they get confused, scared, agressive and start shouting "Stop, stop!" and resort to physical violence, which is when I threaten to press charges for assault.

Some back off, others smash your gear. Piece of advice. If you suspect trouble, ask the family nearby to keep an eye on you (show your press card to them first) and work away. A buddy of mine did this and it got him out of trouble.

Self important types are less likely to cause trouble if the end result is screaming kids and upset parents.