Greek photographer was arrested in London.

Gio645 · 05-13-2009, 03:40 AM

The Greek photographer Pericles Antoniou from Athens Greece, was arrested in London England during the Greek Orthodox Easter for taking photographs of a girl in the London Metro.

Mr. Antoniou, who has a 25-year experience in artistic photography, was sent to jail, shoeless and was not allowed to communicate with any of his family; he is expected on a hearing soon this month.

Mr. Antoniou is also a member of Greek Caravan of Solidarity, which was featured in ?VXS.gr (BETA) - TV ????? ??????

As he claims in his letter to the Greek Ambassador in England, he was visiting London England due to the Greek Easter seasons, and as a “tourist” he took his camera and rushed to the streets of the British capital city seeking themes to shoot. While on the subway, the mother of a child complained about the fact that he was taking photos of her underage daughter. Mr. Antoniou apologised to the mother and erased all photos which depicted her daughter. However, the father of the youngster was not satisfied with this, and on the next train station asked for the help of police officers, who arrested the Greek visitor.

”They arrested me and locked me up on the cell of the local Police Station, they deprived of every rights I had; they neither allow my wife to visit me on the cell nor my 14 year old son and his friends; and I was under a strict solitary confinement during the night. After taking all my personal belongings: my watch, my shoes, and my cell phone, they finally seized my camera”, Mr. Antoniou explains.

The next day, Good Friday, the Greek photographer was brought on court where he was told that he is accused under the Public Order Act 1986 (sections 5,1 and of Act 6) because he might have caused “public harassment, alarm or distress”. The 53 year old man confirmed that he did not have anything to do with all these. The hearing is on 18th May.
See some of his work here:
http://photocircle.gr/component/opti...id,65/lang,en/

Chris.Nielsen · 05-13-2009, 09:02 AM

So we have to update the travel advice for the summer:
Don't go to these countries:
Sudan
Irak
United Kingdom
Somalia

if you have a camera and plan to use it.

Dom · 05-13-2009, 09:09 AM

Welcome to the UK just don't take any photos in the capital. The police in London are very very twitchy about photography, apparently we are all terrorist or paedophiles.

As for the poor man getting arrested on public disorder offences, what a load of BS.

One word of warning to anybody who wants to visit the UK. Don't take any photos of buses, trains, government building or the police. Have a nice stay.

From the point of view of a Brit we are having our civil and human right taken away from us on a weekly basis.

*k100d* · 05-13-2009, 09:57 AM

as much as i'm for photographer's rights, it is a pretty natural reaction to get creeped out if someone was taking pictures of my kids while i was looking

but seems like the police actions were over the top

*Wheatfield* · 05-13-2009, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Dom

Welcome to the UK just don't take any photos in the capital. The police in London are very very twitchy about photography, apparently we are all terrorist or paedophiles.

As for the poor man getting arrested on public disorder offences, what a load of BS.

One word of warning to anybody who wants to visit the UK. Don't take any photos of buses, trains, government building or the police. Have a nice stay.

From the point of view of a Brit we are having our civil and human right taken away from us on a weekly basis.

It is starting to look like you guys lost the Battle of Britain, it's just taken this long for it to sink in. If you allow this to keep going, it's cattle car time for anyone with a camera.

Ira · 05-13-2009, 04:42 PM

He takes pictures of an underage girl without permission, and you have sympathy for the guy?

This isn't a national security issue--it's common sense.

I don't have a daughter, only sons, but if some shmuck started taking pictures of them without my consent and knowledge of the photographer, I would be livid.

When the hell did his desire to create art overrule my desire not to?

*deadwolfbones* · 05-13-2009, 06:03 PM

Originally Posted by Ira

He takes pictures of an underage girl without permission, and you have sympathy for the guy?

This isn't a national security issue--it's common sense.

I don't have a daughter, only sons, but if some shmuck started taking pictures of them without my consent and knowledge of the photographer, I would be livid.

When the hell did his desire to create art overrule my desire not to?

Just out of curiosity, what's your stance on street photography in general?

**Ole** · 05-13-2009, 06:26 PM

Sort of surprising, since the UK scores relatively solid at 92.8% on the "freedom scale". Perhaps London is no longer a part of the U.K.?

*Blue* · 05-13-2009, 06:30 PM

Ole,

I wonder how that map would look if it took into account all 10 of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. There is more than just the freedom of the press in the 1st Amendment as well.

*monochrome* · 05-13-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Ole

Sort of surprising, since the UK scores relatively solid at 92.8% on the "freedom scale". Perhaps London is no longer a part of the U.K.?

Maybe hijacking the thread a bit, but who is the group that ranks freedom, and what gives them authority so to do.

Then again, our press is only free if you toe the party line. Act like Fox News does (pretty liberal itself) and you are vilified.

**Ole** · 05-13-2009, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by Blue

Ole,

I wonder how that map would look if it took into account all 10 of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. There is more than just the freedom of the press in the 1st Amendment as well.

Unfortunately, I don't have the original article, just this clip from Times Magazine. So exactly what went into the ranking I can't say.

Ira · 05-13-2009, 06:56 PM

Originally Posted by deadwolfbones

Just out of curiosity, what's your stance on street photography in general?

First and foremost, you can't shoot people who can easily be recognized in the photo, because what are you going to be doing with that photo anyway without a release?

And let's face facts:

Photographers have NO problem making a profit from these photos, because they know that 99% of the time, the subject will never see it and ask for any compensation.

This was supposedly a famous photographer who should have known better. And as the law states EVERYWHERE, celebrities don't have an inherent right to privacy, because they're public figures. But regular folks sure as hell have that right.

It takes a lot of nerve, arrogance and selfishness to somehow think that a photographer has the right to shoot anyone he wants to shoot without the permission of the subject.

And in this case, a YOUNG GIRL!!!

Ira · 05-13-2009, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Blue

Ole,

I wonder how that map would look if it took into account all 10 of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. There is more than just the freedom of the press in the 1st Amendment as well.

Did he work for the press on a legitimate news story?

No.

And freedom of the press has nothing to do with the right to capture images...never has...only in reporting on the story in words.

Why do you think Bush was able to hide all of that footage of our boys coming back from Iraq in coffins?

Okay--I apologize. Bad example. They SHOULD have been able to show that.

*Blue* · 05-13-2009, 07:53 PM

Originally Posted by Ira

Did he work for the press on a legitimate news story?

No.

And freedom of the press has nothing to do with the right to capture images...never has...only in reporting on the story in words.

Why do you think Bush was able to hide all of that footage of our boys coming back from Iraq in coffins?

Okay--I apologize. Bad example. They SHOULD have been able to show that.

My statement was in context of that map which implies the UK, Canada and Australia are the bastions of the free world. As far as the Greek photographer is concerned, he was over the line on the girl, however, he did apologize and erase them.

Edit: One man's freedom stops where another's begins.

*deadwolfbones* · 05-13-2009, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Blue

Ole,

I wonder how that map would look if it took into account all 10 of the amendments in the Bill of Rights. There is more than just the freedom of the press in the 1st Amendment as well.

I know nothing about this particular ranking, but how do you know it doesn't? It simply says the US dropped from its 2005 ranking due to the restrictions put on the press, which is logical.