Photo: Jonathan Warren

A new campaign for photographers’ rights is hugely important not just for those involved, but for our union and society as a whole.

I’m a photographer, not a terrorist! is in response to a clampdown on photography, particularly the work of our members who document protest and dissent.

The power of frontline visual imagery was brought home at last night’s official launch with slideshows from veteran photographers David Hoffman and John Harris, whose photo essay (pdf) of the 1984/5 miners’ strike brilliantly captures the role the police played in that dispute.

But the freedom to take and publish these kind of pictures is under attack from legislation that brands anyone with a camera a potential terrorist, and from some increasingly camera-shy police forces.

Organised by NUJ and NUJ Left activists, including Marc Vallee, Jess Hurd and Jonathan Warren, PHNAT will co-ordinate a collective, grassroots response with events and actions designed to show how pointless these restrictions are.

It also promises to be an information resource for photographers’ rights and as the campaign progresses will map areas where photography is restricted.

The launch party, held at the Foundry in Old Street, London, was packed with photographers, journalists and other supporters, and showed the broad appeal this campaign is likely to attract.

Judging by this and the first PHNAT media stunt in February, it is certain to be an innovative and high profile campaign.

It is a necessary and intellectual response to a pressing problem; it deserves our full support.

Posted by Rich Simcox

Tags: campaign, journalism, Photography, press freedom