Photographers' terror law protestWhen the police indiscriminantly stop large numbers of people from doing a legal act without any cause for suspicion, that has a "chilling" effect on the right to freely act. People begin to "self police" and you start entering the world of the police state with its "thought police".
Professional and amateur photographers have gathered in London's Trafalgar Square to protest against terror stop and searches.
The photographers say police are intimidating people with cameras in tactics to target possible terrorists.
Last week the European Court of Human Rights ruled the power to stop people without suspicion was indiscriminate.
The government is appealing, saying it is vital to make cities a hostile place for any possible attacker.
The demonstration comes after a year of rising tensions between professional photographers and police over the exact scope of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
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This special stop and search power allows police in specifically designated areas to stop people without suspicion of wrongdoing in an attempt to make it difficult for potential attackers to move around.
It is used in some key areas of London and other cities or airports where counter-terrorism officers suspect that violent extremists may be looking for targets.
According to the latest available figures, some 36,000 people were stopped under the power between April and June last year.
But photographers say the practical effect has been that increasing numbers of people with cameras are being left intimidated, angry and afraid after being asked to account for their actions.
What bothers me is that people get terrified of a small threat and are willing to throw away rights and privileges that took centuries to gain. Once you throw them away it may well take centuries of pain and suffering to regain them.
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