Will this happen in Australia?

[llubnrut]

I hope not ... http://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9893449-1.html

[michael_]

it happened not to long ago, the OCAU (overclockers) community had T-shorts made up "we are not terrorists we are photographers" or something to that effect.

[sirhc55]

Reporting people for the government is just a reincarnation of the tactics used by the Geheime Staats Polizei over 60 years ago - it stinks

[bwhinnen]

And this is the true outcome of terrorism...

[MATT]

Its the "if they seem odd" thats worrying.

Cause arnt most odd any way??

MATT

[Raskill]

I like though how they are 'picking on photographers', yet the campaign says 'thousands of people take photos everyday, what makes this one different?' The campaign also targets people with multiple mobile phones and suspicious activities around their house. The blogster then goes on to say he understands the value of 'tipsters' but this one stereotypes. How? By mentioning that thousands of photographers take photos everyday, but only one is different and might be up to no good?

I also love the bit about "Essentially, that makes those signs illegal, since it amounts to the city's attempt to infringe upon my rights as a citizen." Americans and their rights. Bah, "it's my right to hunt deer with a belt fed .50 calibre machine gun, you can't stop me, if you try you infringe my rights".

Reporting people for the government is just a reincarnation of the tactics used by the Geheime Staats Polizei over 60 years ago - it stinks

Thats a long bow to draw mate, so your argument is if people see something they should say nothing? Surely not. The community plays an important role in law enforcement.

Cause arnt most odd any way??

Only Canon shooters.

[sirhc55]

Reporting people for the government is just a reincarnation of the tactics used by the Geheime Staats Polizei over 60 years ago - it stinks

Thats a long bow to draw mate, so your argument is if people see something they should say nothing? Surely not. The community plays an important role in law enforcement.

Maybe, but let me tell you about a personal experience with people and the police.

In 1985 I lived in Neutral Bay but my girlfriend lived in Rozelle and we decided that I should move in with her (prior to getting married). Just after moving in we were rudely woken up one morning at 6.30am by three strange men in our bedroom. Me scared, bloody oath! It turned out that they were detectives from Balmain. They ordered both of us out of bed but when I said that we were both naked they smiled and said ”do it” - the delight of seeing my naked girlfriend from the D’s was disgusting.

We were separated and two of them proceeded to threaten me by telling me to confess - to what I had no idea.

They asked me what car did I drive. My reply, a Mazda. What colour? Blue. This produced one of those looks - ’we’ve got you’! Then they said that if I confessed they would let the ”girl” go! Eventually they informed me that I had been seen moving stolen goods into the house by a neighbour!!

I told them that I had been moving slowly from Neutral Bay because my car would not hold that much. Their smile got even bigger.

Then something funny happened - I told them that to move stolen goods in a Mazda RX7 would not be easy. The smile dropped from their faces and they left - no more interrogation.

I have a very high regard for law and order and the police. But, I will be damned if I condone some fuckwit neighbour and these particular policemen not getting their facts right from the start.

As a further adjunct to this story I phoned police headquarters to report what had happened and their response - forget it, it did not happen.

The moral to this story is, if you need intelligence (the police), use professionals not the general public as most would not know their arsehole from their mouth

[Alpha_7]

That sounds like a bloody awful experience, I bet you and your g/f were left shaken and pissed off! (Did you make a complaint?)

[Raskill]

Can't possibly condone such rediculous behavour from Police, all I can say is that was 23 years ago, and since then there has been royal commissions, ombudsmans, and police integrity commissions. Doesn't make it any less raw for you I know, but the Police from 1/4 of a century ago aren't the Police of today.

The problem doesnt lie in the neighbour phoning the police (on intelligence services or hotlines) to report something, it lies in the response from the Police. I have been asked to find people who were reported to that 'be alert not alarmed' hotline, spoken to them and found out what they were doing (nothing sinister of course). Their attitude was very positive and they said they were happy to help. It all lies in how people are dealt with.

You got a shit experience from shit Police.

If they had come to your house, knocked on the door and said "mate, someone reckons your moving stolen goods from a little blue mazda. We need to follow up these things. Could you tell me whats the go?" You probably would have answered their questions and shook your head and forgot about it.

That sounds like a bloody awful experience, I bet you and your g/f were left shaken and pissed off! (Did you make a complaint?)

Unfortunately in the bad old days, complaints didn't exist. You'd be told to 'piss off'. Thankfully, and I mean it, times have changed and there are independant bodies you can complain to, of course, you can complain to the Police and it will be investigated.

[sirhc55]

Alan - I would have to agree with you, times have changed. My only hope is that fear does not takes us back to those bad old days

[Chaase]

Look at these extreme terrorists. I would not want to get on their wrong side.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=527991&in_page_id=1770

[sirhc55]

Look at these extreme terrorists. I would not want to get on their wrong side.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=527991&in_page_id=1770

Bloody stupid - quote: ”It warns staff to look out for people taking pictures, sketching or taking notes.” What about phones?

[AndyL]

Raskill,

I am guessing that you are/were a cop... <snipped>

...

The sort of advertising in the UK only serves to breed paranoia and distrust in the community, which empowers politicians and police to do as they please.

[Steffen]

"Be safe - be suspicious"

"Watch that parcel. Eagle eyes can save a life"

"Help the Ministry of Information help you"

"Don't suspect a friend - report him"

I hate it when dystopia turns out prophetic...

Cheers
Steffen.

[matt-chops]

Wow. Just wow. I have no idea what to say to all of this crap. It just astounds me.

This is the reason people perform terrorist acts. Its to make us all paranoid and turn on each other... and sadly its working.

And is it just me, or does our society now days just completely lack a sense of community!? What ever happened to being friends with your neighbors? I think i'm just going to move to the country. Become a llama farmer or something. There's plenty of cool stuff to take photos of in the country... and no one as far as the eye can see to complain about it.

[AndyL]

And this is the true outcome of terrorism...

I am not sure what you mean by this... refresh me... who are the terrorists?

Western media and government are NOT good information sources from which to form an opinion.

[michael_]

Raskill,

I am guessing that you are/were a cop... <snipped>

I dont like answering for people but yeah he is.

[Raskill]

Raskill,

I am guessing that you are/were a cop... <snipped>

Yes, a cop, with 10 years under my belt, long enough to be cynical of policy and distrust governments.

The sort of advertising in the UK only serves to breed paranoia and distrust in the community, which empowers politicians and police to do as they please.

Can you tell me where Police get their powers from? Police don't make legislation, the governments that WE elect do that. Don't like the legislation, show that with your vote next election. John Howard seemed to find that out, although I doubt our current prime minister is much better.

Western media and government are NOT good information sources from which to form an opinion.

Well, that may be true, but try and find ANY media organisation you can trust. Everyone puts a slant on it. Like the wise man says "I believe none of what I hear, and only half of what I see"

A degree of common sense needs to be applied, of course theres a difference between someone taking photos of power infrastructure, military bases, nuclear power station etc who flees when observed by someone, and a crippled women in a wheel chair being pushed by her retired husband taking a photo in a shopping centre.

That being said, shopping centres are private property, and if your inside, you do what they want, it's their rules.

[zafra52]

All very interesting, but in short if we do not defend our freedom we will lose it!
Many violations against our freedom have been already committed in the name
of "the fight against terror" and many decent people in our communities have
been tainted with suspicion and feel marginalised in their own country.

We shouldn't have to put up with that kind of intimidation from the police, the media,
bad neighbours or rogue politicians that abuse their parliamentary privilege denouncing
innocent citizens out of malice and vengeance just because they are different.

People need to be considered innocent until proven guilty; they shouldn't need to prove
their innocence. I believe that an Australian citizen has also the right to know who is his/her
accuser and it is the authorities' responsibility demonstrate conclusively and beyond
reasonable doubt a person's guilt.

So use your freedom well and responsibly or lose it! Demand and expect a responsible
attitude and accountability from our authorities and the people we choose as leaders.
And above all, don't believe everything you see or hear. There are just as many sides
to a story as there are angles and perpectives when taking pictures and we all know
that the photographer's angle influences the final image.