Regular readers will know that I occasionally rant about people being stopped and searched or having equipment confiscated by police and (more usually) PCSOs for taking snapshots in the street. Things seem to be getting strange, with cases of people being sttopped and searched for taking photos of St Paul's Cathedral, Christmas lights and a street party in Liverpool.
The reason is Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, which allows police to stop anyone they want in a pre-designated area. These areas are chosen based on their perceived likelihood of being a target for terrorists, and include every railway station in the country. However, the exact list is considered sensitive, and is therefore secret. Brilliant.
Even with these draconian powers, there are still things that police cannot do, although it seems several still try: they cannot confiscate cameras, films, or memory cards, and they cannot require anybody to delete images from their cameras. And, of course, PCSOs do not have any power of arrest, search, or anything else that you or I can't do.
Stay vigilant, and keep taking photos.
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