I had a quick look at the article. Two of the "photographers" seem to be videographers for TV, and I can tell you from first hand knowledge they will step on small children in the rush to be close to the action. TV video people are always being told to get back. I worked for one of the TV networks here in Canada and the News division was constantly being harassed by local police for interference..and in every occasion the police were justified.
As to photographers, you'd have to be pretty close or clearly in the way to be told to move or be held. I would bet the photographer in question was more than likely warned several times before being taken into custody.
Having done some side work for a local newspaper in Toronto, I never had a problem, if anything the Police were very accommodating. Obviously you can't disturb an on going investigation and there are reasonable limits in place as to where you can and cannot go.
With the exception of the Power grid, water supply, and the US Consulate, etc. in Toronto, there really are no limitations other than what might be imposed by the owner of a mall or store. We don't need to apply for permits for street shooting, just be reasonable in your position in regards to traffic or pedestrian flows. If you disrupt, you'll be quickly told to move in fairly clear and certain terms!
Toronto's a fairly international city and we do take threats as seriously as any other city. We just seem to have a more common sense attitude towards some things.
Just my opinion.
Jeff
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
I suggest a closer read of that article, Jeff. The photographers and videographers mentioned do not seem to have been obstructing or interfering with the police. In fact, charges were dropped against one of the videographers, explicitly because the requirements of the charge of obstruction were NOT met.
In fact, the gist of the article is that police are interfering with photographer's rights even when they know the charges will not hold. This keeps them from being filmed and/or photographed, which eliminates an important mechanism by which they are held accountable for their actions.
Andrew
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
If this is what her "evidence" is, than these incidents are not the norm for journalists in Canada. I'm going to suggest that there is more to the story than perhaps she is portraying. As I suggested earlier (having working in the media for more than 30 years in Canada) if you're hassled by Police as a journalist you've been warned more than once to stop for usually a very valid reason.
Journalists in Canada have one major complaint, and thats the current governments position on controlling all and any information sought by the media. Even as far as hand picking which journalists are allowed to attend press conferences. Our current Prime Minister has a very thick cloak hiding his actions and those of his party. There are no regular question and answer sessions with the media since he took office. We apparently will be voting in a federal election very soon in Canada and this is sure to be a hot topic for the media.
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
The RCMP in particular have come under a lot of scrutiny lately with allegations of heavy handed tactics. The video that was released showing the RCMP tasering the Polish guy in Vancouver was pretty damming. Teh one officer was heard to say "Can I taser him?" as they walked into the room. The guy was tasered within 30 seconds of them showing up.
It certainly shows why they don't want anyone to record what they do. Not just in Canada but all over the world police sometimes over react to a situation. Having a video out there showing these tactics does nothing for their image. Police have to be secret about some things but also have to be public about incidents. It is a fine line and sometimes it goes more to "none of your business" than to "the public has a right to know"
Cheers
Chris
__________________ "Never Stop Learning"
All Nikon Digital www.photos-now.ca
White Balance so easy, even our 5 year old can do it.- Melissa Strickland
Having spent 12 years as a news photographer in Canada, and another 11 in and out of the newspaper business, I've never been detained, but I've certainly been threatened with it more times than I can remember. Cops have a difficult and stressful job, and being human, they tend to step over the line from time to time.
The other thing to keep in mind, that tape that showed the guy in Vancouver being tasered was originally seized by the cops, and then returned after a court order. I can't think of another country in the world where something so damaging (and make no mistake, the way the RCMP handled that was a disgrace from the beginning), would be simply handed back to the public, court order or not.
One last thing, the reason guys get locked in Police cars is that's about the worst the cops can do to you without serious grief coming down on them. When I worked in South Africa, the Police at various times, tear gassed me, put an attack dog on me, shot at me with a rubber bullet, and planted drugs on me, with absolute no consequence to them.
Linear Mode
