What does it take to be arrested for "anti-social behavior" in the United Kingdom? The idea was that the country's anti-social-behavior statutes would allow police to crack down on yobs and hooligans. But the country's creeping police powers now habitually ensnare ordinary citizens who are guilty of nothing more than, say, pressing a button on a camera.
The video seen here is most revealing. My hat's off to the photographer in question who remains unfailingly calm and polite throughout being stopped three times in a row for the non-crime of taking a picture. The officers in question have nothing to arrest him for, no "reasonable and articulable suspicion" — so they ultimately descend into Kafkaesque nonsense. Even though they may not compel anyone to surrender personal information without what we (in the U.S.) call probable cause, the probable cause they manufacture on the spot is (drum roll please) "anti-social behavior," an allegation they trot out only because the photographer declines to surrender his personal information, as is his right.
Think that his arrest was just a fluke? Hardly. See also here.
Think it's substantially better in the U.S.? Alas. You might want to visit Carlos Miller's blog, Photography Is Not a Crime, for one depressing domestic example after another.
Welcome back, Roj! Long tome no read. A depressing story and a brave and level headed man. The fukn pigs didn't even charge him in the end, what a crock of shit. I hope he can sue their fascist arses to hell and back! Thank Dog my family left that country 200 years ago (&, no, I just wish I had convicts in the tree;-). This anti-social law is a frightener, basically the pigs can nail you for looking at them sideways. Well...that won't be abused by the oinkers, ay? You should send this clip to Balko.
Posted by: GreginOz | Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 12:27 AM