"It seems like photographing in public is becoming a crime." Criminalizing Photography
Capital of Nasty, an Electronic Magazine - ISSN 1482-0471
Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 11:00 (7169/17)
Categories:
Photography
Fascinating Q&A with Mickey H. Osterreicher, the general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association and editor of the organization's Advocacy Committee blog, on the criminilization of photography.
Literally every day, someone is being arrested for doing nothing more than taking a photograph in a public place. It makes no sense to me. Photography is an expression of free speech.
Since 9/11, there's been an incredible number of incidents where photographers are being interfered with and arrested for doing nothing other than taking pictures or recording video in public places.
It's not just news photographers who should be concerned with this. I think every citizen should be concerned. Tourists taking pictures are being told by police, security guards and sometimes other citizens, "Sorry, you can't take a picture here." When asked why, they say, "Well, don't you remember 9/11?"
I remember it quite well, but what does that have do to with taking a picture in public? It seems like the war on terrorism has somehow morphed into an assault on photography.
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