Photographer searched in Stratford ‘terrorist’ drama news - Amateur Photographer - news, camera reviews, lens reviews, camera equipment guides, photography courses, competitions, photography forums

Police officers stopped and searched an amateur photographer in East London under the mistaken belief that he was a terrorist, New Scotland Yard has confirmed.

The student, who does not want to be named, said he was stopped under Section 43 of the Terrorism Act, a law which can only be enforced if a police officer 'reasonably suspects' a person to be a terrorist.

'I had recently got my first DSLR and on a sunny day in East London I went to the end of my street to photograph gulls that were flying around,' said the photo enthusiast who lives in Stratford E15.

'Out of nowhere a few undercover men came to me and asked what I was photographing and I immediately showed them my pictures of the birds.

'They told me it was because there was a school across the road and I might be considered to be a terrorist because I was taking pictures near the school and that if I was a bird watcher I should try going to the countryside.'

Officers searched the would-be photographer before realising that he did not pose a threat and let him go.

'I must admit [the officers] were OK in their treatment but the incident has scared me off taking my camera out and taking pictures,' said the man who left the UK for a week's holiday in Ireland shortly afterwards.

'As an international student, from an under-developed country, who knows what hell may break loose if I'm seen taking pictures again?'

Section 43 of the Terrorism Act is a more clearly defined anti-terror law than the recently-scrapped Section 44 which allowed police to stop and search someone without reasonable grounds for suspicion.

Section 43 states: 'A constable may stop and search a person whom he reasonably suspects to be a terrorist to discover whether he has in his possession anything which may constitute evidence that he is a terrorist.'

via amateurphotographer.co.uk