Originally posted by Blue It's actually questionable whether the order was lawful or not.
Just as a note, police can order you to do anything but it has to be within the limits of a the law.
For instance, they show up at a party, and decide it would be cool to tell you to stuff a camera lens in your butt, that is not lawful. If it was when the NYPD stuffed a toilet bowl brush up a haitian immigrants anus in the 1990s they'd have gotten commendations rather than sent to prison. Cops have to follow the law too. If there is no law prohibiting photography then it's an unlawful order.
In the US NO ONE can order you to turn over film, or memory cards, or delete photos without due process. I have no idea what British law says about this but I'd assume you have something similar.
The point is that police don't make laws, they have no authority to create a law, only to enforce existing laws. Police are trained to take control of a situation AND escalate control incrementally so they remain in control.You will not win a power struggle or an argument.My brother always tells people before they start arguing with him, "I'm getting paid to stand here whether I argue with you or not, and I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm not changing my mind. so if you have something better to do, get to it".
All you can do is peacefully (as possible) be arrested. You will have to play out the game in the courts.
That said, there is pretty much a law for everything. Most laws are never taken off the books, and so the penal code is huge and antiquated. Cops can generally legally arrest you for anything but the chance of being convicted of it is slim.
So the question always is, do have the time, patience, and money to fight for your rights?
In the US it's commonly believed the Patriot Act prohibits photography, and cops enforce (some cops) that belief. However, if you search the patriot act, not a single word mentions photography. Considering it's a few hundred pages long you'd think it might be in there.
In NYC rumors are constantly spread that it is illegal to take photos in a subway. Officially there is no such rule, although it would be possible to enforce it since subways are technically private entry (pay to ride). However, the rule was never enacted, and the ACLU actually had to sue the MTA and NYPD to retrain it's officers and workers. As a result several people have won $10,000+ law suits for being arrested for photography in the transit system.
Another case, Amtrak actually has a photo contest sponsored for it's trains and train stations, YET, Amtrak police often enforce an non existent rule/law prohibiting photography in train stations and on trains because of national security.
The bottom line is police are often liberal with interpreting the law. Please bear in mind MANY cops have only a high school education, while others have a 2 year degree. Usually very few US municipalities require a 4 year degree. These people certainly aren't lawyers, and probably don't know a whole lot more about the law than most lay people do.
BTW, not all cops are bad, they are merely a slice of society. If 90% of people are good, 90% of cops are probably good. But it's the 10% that make everyones life miserable (including other cops).