Stand Your Ground

On Tuesday 21 June 2011 six photographers were assigned different areas of the City to photograph. Some used tripods, some went hand held, one set up a 5 x 4.

All were instructed to keep to public land and photograph the area as they would on a normal day. The event aimed to test the policing of public and private space by private security firms and their reaction to photographers.

All six photographers were stopped on at least one occasion. Three encounters led to police intervention.

This is what happened.

Directed and Produced by Hannah White for the London Street Photography Festival
Edited by Stuart York

Many thanks to:

Tim Bowditch
Leona Chaliha
Ana Galanou
Michael Grieve
David Hoffman
Chris Ogilvie
Pennie Quinton
Liam Ricketts
Toby Smith
Grant Smith
Camilla Webster
Philip Wolmuth
Stuart York

• Category

  Nonprofits & Activism

[Cody Swanson]

Thumbs up to the British law enforcement for being polite and defending the rights of the photographers.

[superpwned80]

If that was in america, there would have been 1 death and 3 tazings.

[Ben Mulpeter]

If security try to stop your just start to photograph them if there on public property.

[ChopSueyStueyUK]

Great video, I'm actually a little shocked at how supportive the police were, very reassuring.

[Carl Harrison]

great video and made me laugh when the one security guy says we have confidential items in the window. Well, move the bloody things out of the way then and if you dont want your building photographed, move to the countryside in the middle of nowhere you bunch of numptys

[March Scrigglywumph]

I saw you eating, and as you know, terrorists eat before they carry out their terrorist acts. I am security so you can understand my concern.

I saw you praying, and as you know, terrorists pray before they carry out their terrorist acts. I am security so you can understand my concern.

[CHRISTINE TONGUE]

Love this! I filmed a UKIP candidate at his stall in the street and he said I was not allowed to film him! But I did....

[TheDoubleBee]

It's not like there's a need for any more reasons to hate these huge financial institutions, and, yet, they send their security henchmen to harass people photographing their centres of financial and economic destruction. At least the police are on the side of the law - this time.

[Benjamin Gazdik]

but for real though... THey would have put them in their car and beat them first pretending they didn't know the rights of the citizen.

[Kookas]

15:08 he sounds like a BBC reporter closing a report.

[Saleh Alsalem]

Amazing work!!

[daveb143]

....and the Police officers (especially the first one) know what dickheads these security people (glorified doormen) are. Makes you proud to be British : )