Home Office hands victory to photographers, restricts use of Section 44 – British Journal of Photography
In a speech to the House of Commons, the Home Secretary Theresa May has put an end to one of Britain’s most controversial piece of legislation, which has been increasingly used by police officers to restrict photographers working in public places
I think this is a good decision by the Goverment. This section 44 should not have been used in the first place anyway – randomly checking anybody they like. I think it goes with previous Govt policy or police policy of increasing the number of checks and not looking at the quality of checks. I have been searched myself in London’s financial district where I work. Also I have seen many old people being checked which I thought is extreme waste of policing time. Instead of searching general public randomly in places like Canary Wharf, they should be looking for real suspects with big bags on their back or the young people who regulary move around with knives and other illegal things.