Posted on 07/21/2008 2:05:07 AM PDT by dennisw
A householder who took photographs of hooded teenagers as evidence of their anti-social behaviour says he was told he was breaking the law after they called the police.
David Green, 64, and his neighbours had been plagued by the youths from a nearby comprehensive school for months, and was advised by their headmaster to identify them so action could be taken.
But when Mr Green left his £1million London flat to take photographs of the gang, who were aged around 17, he said one threatened to kill him while another called the police on his mobile.
And he claimed that a Police Community Support Officer sent to the scene promptly issued a warning that taking pictures of youths without permission was illegal, and could lead to charge of assault.
Last night Mr Green, a television cameraman, said he was appalled that the legal system's first priority seemed not to be stopping frightening anti-social behaviour by aggressive youths, but protecting them from being photographed by the concerned public.
Mr Green, a father-of-two, lives with his programme-maker wife Judy in a penthouse flat close to Waterloo station.
He said: 'We've had problems with this group shouting abuse and throwing stones for months, and were asked to identify them.
'When I went to take photographs of eight of them throwing cans of Coke around, six of them ran away, one threatened to kill me, and another one started phoning the police.
'A couple of hours later, a Police Community Support Officer told me I had been accused of assault, though no such thing occurred, and told me I was not allowed to take photographs of teenagers on the street.
'I think it's wrong that when teenagers are running riot and the police are called, it's about me, and I'm treated like a criminal.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Concern: David Green
Hoodlum --- One of Mr Green's pictures shows two hooded teenagers, one making an obscene gesture towards the camera
This is a joke, right?
"...he said one threatened to kill him..."
ONE PHOTO:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/07/20/article-1036728-0204E7AF00000578-922_468x246.jpg
Under President Obama you will be arrested for looking at someone the wrong way, especially if you're an eeeeevil white male.
Report: Father Labeled a ‘Pervert’ for Taking Pictures of Own Children in Park
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2045758/posts?page=8#8
Pensioner arrested for chasing away youths with piece of wood
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2043351/posts
Businessman who grabbed a thug for smashing a window is charged with assault
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2041756/posts
The decline of the UK continues.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Is this the same country where you can’t walk a quarter mile without being similarly “assaulted” multiple times by the police?
Police security cameras are OK, and touted as the way to curtail crime - but if a citizen takes a picture it’s illegal?
England is not even a country anymore. It’s a penal colony.
PC run amok, of course. But will Liberals understand this? No.
That’s the thing about police. As they gain more power, they become arbitrary. Sometimes they are right. Sometimes they are wrong. When they are wrong with enough power, it becomes a real problem.
Awww jeez.....
Its kinda hard to figure but very consistent. The UK police seem to either be afraid of these ‘yobs’ or they are encouraging the behavior.
They’ve essentially outlawed any aspect of self defense or self protection. Thats pretty much expected in a socialist utopia. After all the State is perfect and must not allow individuals to exercise any sort of personal responsibility.
What about all the cameras they have watching the streets? Is it illegal for the govt. to do it?
Looks like a coupla Obama supporters.
Pournelle calls that “anarcho-tyranny”. And looking, I see the term comes from one Sam Francis.
“We refuse to control real criminals (that’s the anarchy) so we control the innocent (that’s the tyranny).”
Left is right, up is down, it’s a crazy world we live in.
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