Sign up! (updated)

John on the bench he was photographing. © Magnus Andersson

Local historian John Beasley was taking photos of this bench in Holly Grove, Peckham, when he was stopped and questioned under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in January. An elderly gentleman with a compact film camera is now seen as a terrorist.

With this in mind, please sign up to photographer Simon Taylor's petition to 10 Downing Street to remove new restrictions on photography in the United Kingdom. Section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act, introduced on February 16, makes it an offence to “elicit, publish or communicate information” relating to members of the Armed Forces, police and intelligence services if that information is “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.

Those convicted under Section 76 could face a fine or up to 10 years’ imprisonment.


Update: cutting from NUJ's latest newsletter, not on the Terrorism Act but on the cuts we face in the regional press;

Please lobby UK Members of Parliament – NOW
Tomorrow (Wednesday) NUJ members are lobbying the UK parliament over the massive job cuts in the regional media. If you can’t attend but live in the UK please support the activity by sending a letter to your MP NOW. You can find a suggested text and a free, quick way to send it here.

Let’s make regional media the talk of the House of Commons. If you plan to attend and you haven’t received a briefing from NUJ HQ please email campaigns@nuj.org.uk.