Braehead In Anti-terror Photo Row, Police cite terror laws over family photo Options

[jack j]

i bet they would have said nothing if it had been a muslim or coloured family involved

[jack j]

it seems it's too much like hard work to chase real criminals these days

[tombro]

I saw this on the Daily Record site last night and now, tonight, I'm still looking at my calendar and wondering why it doesn't say 'April 1, 2011' !

Isn't it so sad that, despite protestations for political and PC reasons from a few above, a Dad can't take a photograph of his wee daughter enjoying an ice-cream ?"

Tombro

[*frank Hopson*]

I am a Scot living in Poole and believe me the cops are just as stupid down here, as are some of the English judges. The cops want an easy job. Heaven forbid if they were to face 'real hard men,' My son had a similar experience in Southampton whilst photographing a young female model. I think the two cops involved just wanted a close up of the young lady.

[**greta**]

What is the world coming to if a dad cant take a photo of his wee girl, crazy. After all it wasent a military establishment for goodness sake. Talk about big brother.

[Alex MacPhee]

My daughter yesterday was hauled in by security in Wilkinson's in Oxford

It should be remembered that these 'security guards' don't have any special powers of arrest or detention. They are just ordinary people, and have no additional legal powers over anyone. Any powers of arrest they have are no more than the so-called citizen's arrest power that any other citizen has. They have no power to arrest or hold 'on suspicion', only a police officer has that.

[*PAUL DAVIDSON*]

I bet security would have turned a blind eye if it had been a group of neds taking photo's.

WELL SAID SIR/MADAM FOR ABOVE COMMENT.

[Wee-Sprokit]

I have read this story in the newspaper and thought it was Rediculous that this guy was stopped from taking his daughters photo enjoying an Ice cream, Its what parents do! In fact i was Stopped from Taking a picture of my then 7mth old Grandson at the swimming baths, He was sitting in a little round 6ft baby pond and was the only one in it, Since it was his 1st time at the Baths i wanted to take a Picture, being a Proud Granny!!! but security came over and told me to Stop!! he even took my camera away and said i would get it on the way out, (which it did get) I asked him WHY?? couldnt i take a Picture?? he said because of the Paedofiles going about, taken photo's of kids ect!!! He said im NOT saying your a Paedo, but if we let 1 person do it, we have to let them all,,,,, I said does that apply to the beach??? as you never know who's taking pics of your kid ect! just got told thats nothing to do with me!!
But this story of the guy taken a photo of his daughter, who i made add was fully clothed, and no-one else was in the picture!! I think they are taking things too far, Especialy when there is camera's all over the shopping centre talking photo's and film of us, plus we cant say or do anything about it, What a sad world we're living in now!!!

[Jupiter]

Just in from Braehead,much finger pointing and laughing at ice cream stand but very few purchasing,mind you the price of the stuff is exhorbitant.

[Alex MacPhee]

he even took my camera away and said i would get it on the way out, ( which it did get) I asked him WHY??

You should be aware that he had no lawful authority or power to confiscate your camera, and no right whatsoever to take it from you. Unless there is reason to suspect your involvement in a criminal offence, even a police officer cannot do this. Next time something like this happens, refuse.

[peter9000]

The suggestion that this incident falls within a terrorist alert is simply the authoriies trying to justify their dreadful behaviour. The family involved were a 'soft' target and , as has already been said, would the same challenge have been made to a group of louts taking photos?

I think that Braehead centre will be aware that thousands of photographs are taken in the centre by patrons using cameras, phones, laptops and other media equipment. The police statement made following the incident was appalling - we need common sense as well as 'Common Law' to prevail.

[Jupiter]

Alex,Im glad you are taking the time to point out what can and cannot be done by these people.
I often wonder exactly what kind of selection process and training is involved.It seems to me that some firms hand out a uniform and radio and let them loose on a public who are only too happy to accept whatever they are told.

[Jim D]

There is a Police Office within Braehead Shopping Centre with a number of officers based there. The Police response times would have been impressive compared to anywhere else.

As for the Terrorism Act reference? It is an Act which is widely used for stop and search purposes in England and Wales and by British Transport Police. It is not as widely used in Scotland.

From what I read, the man was not DETAINED under ANY Act. He waited with security until the Police arrived. The officers made reference to the Terrorism Act and their powers in relation to them but stated they had no intention of invoking the powers - probably as they were not within their rights to use the Act on this occasion.

I find it difficult to fathom why the officer would make such a basic mistake as to refer to alleged powers to delete the image. Most officers are FULLY conversant with the powers of search in relation to this Act, especially as it has become more and more relevent. The officer would have the power to view the image under the Terrorism Act - not delete it. I suspect that the officer did not actually state he could delete it from the camera. I have heard Supt Nedley make reference to the incident but not to any misuse of Police Powers.

As much as I agree that the security officer was a jobsworth and the matter could have been dealt with differently, If I had been the person involved I would not have contacted the media under any circumstances and thereafter turn my day out with my child into a media frenzy.

[frame]

Give some people just a little power and they turn into dictators. The stupidity of these people who assume an authority they don't have is completely overwhelming at times.
As for constable plod and his mate who attended this farce... To be honest, I imagine most coppers are gifted with a lot more sense than these two.
I wonder what Taggart would have made of it all.

[Jupiter]

JimD,
I agree with what you say here however having listened to the man on tv I think he took the standpoint he did to basically highlight the absurdity of a situation which culminated in the involvement of two police officers absolutely needlessly.I thought this over and on the info I read I tried to work out the course of action I would have taken and I think it would have been along these lines;
Having been summoned by security and appraised of the situation and verified no crime or offence had been committed I would have told the security guard it was not a police matter but that I would accompany the man to the exit if he was barred in order to prevent a Breach of the Peace.Result:Advice given,assistance rendered,no further action.
In other words what happened here was a mountain out of a molehill and neither the security or the police came out of it too well.