I don’t believe that the idea of being able to take pictures or shoot video in a public place was ever consider to be a public debate about it being a right per se but it sure seems to be becoming one. In ever growing numbers photographers and videographers – both professional and individual – are reporting of everything from other citizens harassing them right through to the police arresting them for doing something as simple as either taking a picture or shoot a video in public spaces.

One of the best web sites around for keeping track of this growing phenomena has to be Photography is not a crime. Carlos Miller the person behind the site has himself been arrested for taking pictures of the police in February 27, 2007. In recent court testimony one of the policemen involved testified that he feared that Carlos was going to use his camera as a weapon. As wrong as this might seem to be the reality is that the police increasingly are harassing or arresting people seen pointing a camera or video camera at whatever they are doing.

This was the experience that Adam Kokesh, an Iraq War veteran, had recently in Washington DC which was reported on Carlos’ blog

Kokesh pulled out his cell phone and snapped a few photos, but the cop jumped out of his car and grabbed Kokesh, spinning him around and putting his hands on the car.

Within minutes, a dozen cop cars and undercover FBI agents swarmed Kokesh, handcuffing him and ordering him to delete the photos, but Kokesh refused.

One of the reason that maybe the police are taking this tacked is because it may end up showing them to be the ones doing the wrong thing much like the story that Carlos is following. In this case someone caught on video tape the real story behind the police arresting a bicyclist for supposedly using his bike to block traffic and then as a weapon against an officer. You can see what actually happened in the video below

This move to restrict the rights of photographers and videographers isn’t just a US thing as Nothing To Do With Arbroath does an excellent job of keeping track of these things in the U.K.

I’m sorry but this is a really sad reflection of society when something that we take to be a natural thing to do can suddenly end you up in jail.