UK School Bans Photography

Photo by discarted

Has fear of photography gone too far? Officially, yes.

Last week a primary school in Devon in England prohibited parents from taking photos or videos at school events. The school cited concerns in child protection and image legislation, namely the Data Protection Act.

Thankfully, the country’s privacy watchdog has stepped in and told schools they are wrong to interpret the law this way. He suggested taking a “common sense approach,” which, come to think of it, would be nice way to approach life in general.

Articles via The Telegraph and The Daily Mail

Protestors Arrested for Questions, Photos

The Guardian posts this interesting video about two women, Emily Apple and Val Swain, who were arrested during an environmental protest in England last year. The women were both members of Fit Watch, a group that documents police harassment and surveillance of protesters, so it’s extremely ironic that they were singled out. Obvious yes, but also just ridiculous that the police wouldn’t think better of it.

Arrested for obstruction, Apple and Swain ultimately spent four days in jail, and then all charges were dropped. As the footage shows – shot by the police – the women weren’t doing more than asking  for badge numbers and taking photos. An investigation is now pending.

The treatment they received, both of them mothers and hardly threatening, really highlights how scary law enforcement’s abuse of authority can be. (Be sure to watch how four officers bind Swain’s ankles, thighs and hands and lift her into a van.)

Video via The Guardian