Street Photographers test freedom to shoot in London

"Everyone has a British accent" - well, some of the 'security guards' certainly didn't! By the way, that wasn't an accent - that's how English sounds like when it's spoken properly.

Is this a true test? Hardly.

1) Try discrete cameras next time. People tend to behave when they know they are on video. If I was a security guard, I wouldn't get fired up with someone pointing a video camera at me unless it was really really serious.

2) Everyone has a British accent. If the photographers were clearly tourists, then things would have turned out differently. Tourists, who cares about them? They'll be back in their own country in a couple weeks. Harass them while we can ...

It seems obvious that the London Police Department has done a good job of training and educating their officers. They seem to be a lot more aware of the law than they were in similar videos done a year ago.

Security guards are a different matter, and their training is highly variable. Some didn't seem to understand the difference between "the law" and "what my boss told me to do."

In the USA we call them "rent-a-cops" and they are usually not that well trained. I suppose the same can be said for other countries as well.

Look how the world has changed, 15 years ago everyone would say these photographers were harassed like no tomorrow. Today everyone congratulates London how polite and Photographer welcoming London is.

Those guys were just taking pictures, and they were all stopped and questioned. Were they threat? Anyone with backpack can be threat but photographers? Why system is so afraid people with cameras, what are they hiding? Don’t tell me they afraid somebody is planning the attack; anyone can use Google maps for that from the camphor of their apartments.

I think somebody is really afraid any one of those photographers could potentially snap something they should not, so they approach the photographer to make sure they have his face recorded from various angles probably taking voice samples as well then doing facial recognition identification and let them go. They can always get them in a matter of few minutes if something should be taken off of their cameras…

Good to see the London Police is actually doing a great job and that the London policemen are well aware of the laws regarding photography in public places. London policemen are in a class apart, IMHO.

The security guards were also quite polite, although some did call the police, something that wasn't needed in any of these situations, I believe. Even subtely threatening to call the police, like some of them did, was uncalled for. Overall, I think they handled these situations pretty well, without resorting to violence or agressive behavior. Good job.

As some posters commented, the whole thing could have been quite different if the photographers had been alone or if they had an Arabic accent and Middle Eastern features: unfortunately, racial profiling is still being used by security guards and police forces all around the world.

Still, things seem to be improving for photographers practicing their passion in public places.

Very good work: this video is a very useful tool!

The reputation of London Police Officers is sound and alive! I witnessed an incident once where some young men were drunk and making quite a ruckus downtown London. An unarmed London Bobby approached the men and simply asked ... "Hello lads, don't you think is kind of late? Shouldn't you go home now?" and all the men complied and went on their way. I only wish for half that engagement in NYC!

Good to see in this report that the police at least were up to scratch and the security behaved in a reasonable manner.
Congratulation London for being able to handle peoples liberty in such a good manner after the terrorists attacks.

I thought everyone was fairly reasonable? No shouting, threatening, and breaking of cameras?

However, if you wanted a real test, you should have got some Asians to do the filming.

Caucasians with English accents is not a true test.

You have done great services to your readers, is this law also apply to other countries; like United States of America; Canada; Hong Kong; South America Countries and China and Taiwan? It’s nice to know, we photographer often kick by some Security people.

Great job by the photographers and videographers. That was not an easy outing, arguing with security guards who clearly don't know or care about the law. The mention of "covert surveillance" made me chuckle. Covert, with an SLR, a tripod and a pink jumper?

Not really fair on the security, their just doing what they've been told to do.

Very interesting this and somewhat not. The results are expected, behaviour of security guards police, etc... this was an "easy gig" to pass on the information that you can photograph in public spaces. However all these photographers have forgotten that they cannot / should not use tripods without prior warning or authorisation from the local authority. The same applies to temporary fruit stalls and other semi-fixed apparatti. They are an obstruction to the public and a possible health and safety issue. In the end most of the photographers were slightly breaking the law.

I think everyone comes out of this surprisingly well. Especially the police/PCSOs who seemed to know that the photographers were within their rights and were (almost surprisingly) unfazed by being filmed. That's what I would hope all our police are like. The photographers were reasonable - just stating their rights without being objectionable. The "security" bods were shown to be over-reacting, but not in a hostile sense - as someone else commented, in most cases it seemed to be "I've been sent out to stop/question you". So things have improved greatly over some of the previous "incidents" highlighted here.
Very glad to see that.

Great vid. But from a tourist point of view without much local knowledge of where's public and where's private it might be prohibitive to 'take in' and enjoy photographing the city with all the security eyes on yer. And i do think it might just be a different story to have different races as part of the filming group

Absolutely fascinating.

I think the rule of law is alive and well in London, in that the police were rational, balanced, and acting in accordance with the law.

The property manager were not too bad, considering they are not legal experts.

Given what terrorism can do without warning, it's a tough call, and I think everyone came off reasonably well in this instance.

Would've been even more interesting if someone with a Muslim dress or with big beard or Hizab was part of the group.

What is often tiresome is knowing you are doing a photoshoot in accordance with the law, and it gets ruined with a lot of discussions with all kind of people thinking they know better and want to show some authority.

This would have been a real test if the photographers were brown, but I have a feeling that the topic is too controversial to touch upon.

A wonderfull instructional (is that a word?) film!

Be polite.
Be cool.
Have arguments ready
Stand your ground

Kind Regards