Around 150 photographers hold mass photo shoot outside Scotland Yard in protest at new anti-terror law

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Pics: Photographers protest against anti-terror law outside Scotland Yard

AROUND 150 photographers held a mass photo shoot outside Scotland Yard today in protest at a new anti-terror law.

Photojournalists say Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act, which became law today, could see them arrested for doing their job.

Section 76 creates a new offence of eliciting, publishing or communicating information about the Armed Forces, intelligence services or police which may be used by terrorists.

The Home Office says the new offence is intended to help protect those in the front line of counter terrorism operations from terrorist attack.

But photographers, professional and amateur, say it means they can be stopped and searched by police at any opportunity.

Outside Scotland Yard today they took pictures of each other as well as the building and police officers outside.

Peter Murray, vice President of the National Union of Journalists, described the law as "bizarre".

He said: "This is a very odd piece of legislation which will make it an offence to take a picture of a police officer or a police station.

"Even if the officer happens to be in the background, the photographer may end up on the wrong side of the law."

The Home Office says taking photographs of police officers would only be an offence "in exceptional circumstances".

The NUJ says it wants the Home Office to issue guidelines to police forces and clarify the law.

Photographers say that since the introduction of the Terrorism Act 2000 they have been increasingly targeted for stop searches.

Chris Cheesman, the news editor of Amateur Photographer magazine, said his readers were being stopped at a rate of two or three each week.

Speaking at today's protest, he said: "We are hearing more and more reports of people being stopped, simply for taking pictures in a public place.

"It seems if you have a professional looking camera or you are using a tripod, the police feel they have to stop you.

"The law is being misinterpreted more and more often."

Among today's protesters was the comedian and activist Mark Thomas.

He told the crowd that unless new guidelines are issued, Section 76 will make work "hazardous" for photojournalists.

He said: "In a democracy, the government should be accountable to the people.

"This law is putting the reverse into practice, making the people accountable to authority."

Marc Vallee, a freelance photographer who helped organise today's event, said: "Photographers have travelled from all over the country to take part today.

"Police are using their powers to stop photographers at every opportunity."

A Home Office spokesman said: "The new offence is intended to help protect those in the front line of our counter terrorism operations from terrorist attack.

"For the offence to be committed, the information would have to raise a reasonable suspicion that it was intended to be used to provide practical assistance to terrorists.

"Taking photographs of police officers would not, except in very exceptional circumstances, be caught by this offence.

"Any prosecution would need to meet the public interest test applied by prosecutors and there is also a statutory defence that the person had a reasonable excuse for eliciting, publishing or communicating the information."

Pics: Photographers protest against anti-terror law outside Scotland Yard