Olympics' security guards "trained to deter people from taking photographs"
G4S private police leave the Olympic site to assault and harrass photographers working from public land. Olympic Park Saturday April 21, 2012 © David Hoffman.
A manager for G4S, a security firm, has said that security guards working to protect the Olympic site in London are trained to deter people from taking photographs, it has been claimed
Author: Olivier Laurent
23 Apr 2012 Tags: 2012 olympic gamesStreet rightsRights
In an email conversation with BJP, photographer David Hoffman has recounted how two G4S security guards forcefully prevented him, as well as photographers and videographers Jess Hurd and Jason Parkinson from taking pictures from public land of the Olympic site.
The incident came days after the National Union of Journalists held a meeting with Assistant Commissioner Chris Allison and Commander Bob Broadhurst of Scotland Yard to discuss photographers' rights in and around the Olympic Games venues.
"We said that on the past record of private security guards we could expect unlawful and oppressive interference," says Hoffman. "Allison assured us that the security would only be acting inside the site and that we'd have no problems on public land outside. He may have believed that. We didn't and thought that we should check out the accuracy of his promises."
He adds: "Before we'd got half way round the site - all on public land - G4S security had run out from the site, shouting at me and grabbing the camera of a colleague (Jess Hurd), pushing her back and preventing her from taking photos. A second guard also appeared and assaulted a videographer colleague, Jason Parkinson, grabbing his camera and pushing him around."
When the guards' manager approached the photographers, she is said to have explained that the guards had been trained to deter people from taking photographs.
The photographers then asked for police to attend "and two SO23 officers soon arrived, confirming that our behaviour was entirely lawful." The guards retreated into the Olympic site, says Hoffman.
"The guards are very poorly trained by G4S," claims Hoffman. "The blame should be on G4S and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games whose penny-pinching attitude and contempt for the media is already causing us problems and is certain to cause us a great deal more problems unless we take a stand."
Speaking to BJP, John Toner of the National Union of Journalists says that it will be contacting G4S and LOCOG "to explain if and why the guards have received such training." He adds: "We will also remind them that they have no right to prevent anyone taking photographs in a public space."
A spokesman for G4S admits to BJP that the security guards were "overenthuiastic" in their response and that they shouldn't never have prevented the photographers from taking pictures from public land. "They have been reminded that any photographers is allowed to take pictures from public land," he says.
UPDATE: Roy Mincoff, NUJ legal officer, says: "While we recognise the need for security, it must be lawful, proportionate and necessary. If it is not, and if NUJ members are assaulted or unlawfully prevented from legitimately conducting their work, prevented from reporting or having their equipment or materials unlawfully taken, the NUJ will take all appropriate steps to protect our members' interests."
Hurd has documented the incident in a series of images available at jesshurd.com.
Comments
Olympics' security guards "trained to deter people from taking photographs"
Wouldn't it be better if they were trained in something more appropriate - like 'security'.
Also deterred - but unsure of my rights
I've also been deterred from recording video of the Olympic site by G4S staff. They seemed unsure of what the actual rules were but asked me not to record video from that particular location. I thought I was probably on public land but wasn't sure of the situation and managed to get the shots I needed before moving on without argument.
It would be very helpful if anyone can clarify whether the publicly accessible roads around the perimeter of the Olympic Park are private property.
How about having a flashmob photoshoot -- lots of people turning up with cameras to shoot the Olympic site from public land?
Or how about the NUJ threatening - and if necessary, carrying through - a boycott of all Olympic events across all media until assurances over photography are not only given but put into practice?
As I was reading this the in article advert was for a security guard training firm. Splendid effort chaps.
On a more serious note, it's nice to see the Police on our side for a change.
olympics security G4s problems re olympic site
I don't see a big problem as such. These guys (G4s security ) are out of line legally and professionally. Personally I haven't experienced this situation however there are laws against assault and others too which can be enforced.
I would be extremely hard pushed to accept this from a numpty in a uniform and self defence in the case of a fraccas would be a option. I wouldn't even take it from a bolshy copper and have on occassion made threats of complaint - my wife used to be in the Met and no one likes a complaint hanging over their heads.
I'm really fed up of the attitiude and whilst I would never condone violence we have too stand our ground as citizens first and professionals second. I can't believe the photographer was handled at all. Thats a big no no - no one should get away with this !!
Otherwise we won't even have the freedom to carry a camera openly. Remember that we hold the keys to openly publicise this sort of crap attitude and it is beholden to us to make a stand professionally and in all other ways a citizen of a free country has the rights too do.
olympics security G4s problems re olympic site
I don't see a big problem as such. These guys (G4s security ) are out of line legally and professionally. Personally I haven't experienced this situation however there are laws against assault and others too which can be enforced.
I would be extremely hard pushed to accept this from a numpty in a uniform and self defence in the case of a fraccas would be a option. I wouldn't even take it from a bolshy copper and have on occassion made threats of complaint - my wife used to be in the Met and no one likes a complaint hanging over their heads.
I'm really fed up of the attitiude and whilst I would never condone violence we have too stand our ground as citizens first and professionals second. I can't believe the photographer was handled at all. Thats a big no no - no one should get away with this !!
Otherwise we won't even have the freedom to carry a camera openly. Remember that we hold the keys to openly publicise this sort of crap attitude and it is beholden to us to make a stand professionally and in all other ways a citizen of a free country has the rights too do.
As stated my previous comment these guys should be charged with assault, and the evidence is there to pursue such an action.
I think there's going to be more than one disrupt for reactions like these.
I don't know how many people enjoy being pushed and having their thousands in pound equipments grabbed and pulled over.
I am visiting london during the games! I wil attend also some sport events!
Can i take my dslr ? My 70-200?
Or should i take my ps-camera ?what are the rules?
I am visiting london during the games! I wil attend also some sport events!
Can i take my dslr ? My 70-200?
Or should i take my ps-camera ?what are the rules?
do not take any large cameras to the olympic site, if it can fit into your pocket its ok, or you will be given a choice to, leave with the camera and not enter the site, or hand over the camera, where you lose all ownership and will not be able to collect it....so make sure its not expensive.
The security guard portrayed in the photograph is committing a criminal offence: assault. As simple as that. Legal proceeding should be taken against G4S. and on this man as an individual too.
Nothing changes does it??
I've just bought a load more of those badges from ebay (search for taking photographs is not a crime) to put on my kit.
But what if one of those 'photographers' had been an Mohamedan terrorist who had a rocket launcher hidden in her very long telephoto lens? I bet then you'd be sorry you curtailed these hard working security specialists' activities!
You need to be aware that assault and battery are not one 7 the same.
Battery remains a common law offence and I believe that what the G4S security guard is doing is a little over zealous as perhaps reflects his £8 per hour, 12hr shift status and likely training, nothing more.
It's not for us to get on our high moral horses but for the respective professional bodies who represent the best interests of the likes of you and I and perhaps the law enforcement agencies themselves to better educate the educators at such companies as G4S, nothing more.
Why trawl around the Olympic park and then take pictures outside the security screening area of the north plaza if not to deliberately get a reaction.. We're they challenged anywhere else? No probably not. Take any camera you want. I take everyday 2 cameras inside the park to document the build from the inside a compact and a Canon DSLR with large lenses and have done since 2008 and have never been told to stop etc.. I regularly walk the edges taking pictures and video and again never been stopped. I don't out of principle take images of the security checkpoints as there's no need to. Yes they were on public land but were taking pictures of the security check point.. Why? To provoke this reaction that's why.. If you want to see my 4,000+ pictures inside and outside the site go to www.insidelondon2012.blogspot.com none of which I have been stopped from taking..
Jo Nixon is bang on and I'm going to propose going further. If you perceive a risk of harm to your equipment or yourself and you are in a position where you are in the right (he who comes to equity must come with clean hands - legal maxim) you are allowed to defend yourself. Hit these monkeys in the face with your camera - hard.
That's what I'm going to do if I have this problem again. It happened to me 6 years ago and I spent 4 years arguing about it. Finally had a file 3 inches thick. Finally, thought sod-it and cobbed it in the wheelie. I still say now that if I had hit the guy in the face with my Bronica we would have got to court a damn site quicker. Then all the apologists and those who spouted crap to justify what was unlawful behaviour would have had to attend and explain him and themselves. I may have the edge as I use a couple of old Nikon F cameras and they are solid and very heavy. The yanks say you can use them for hockey pucks! One guy even said you could commit murder with one. However, I've been practising my grip with them! Boy am I looking forward to this.
Following on from what I have just posted, it has been suggested to me that carrying a thick monopod might just deter a security guard from approaching you if he is working on his own. Manfrotto do some and they are not too expensive. Perhaps the shiny silver one rather than a black one as it's easier to see from a distance. A guy in my village who has convictions for violence remarked that it was a good way to legitimately carry a baseball bat in public! Yes Mick, I replied, but you gotta get a cammie too. And have a film in it in case the plod get too inquisitive.
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