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From their youtube description...
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 action.
This is what happened.
Video
this is brilliant! Has given me an instant boost in confidence for street photography. I am usually so nervous!
Very sad, just shows another bunch of idiots out trying to provoke a situation and succeeding.
Interesting stuff.
Its worth pointing out that not all the security in the film were OTT. I liked the guy who came out to see if he could help them get better images, but to also ask the purpose. This reminds me of the security guards at Salford Quays - chatting to one of them on a visit a month or two back he was exceptionally friendly and told me that the security there had been instructed to encourage photography.
Thanks for the link.
Adam
Quote: Very sad, just shows another bunch of idiots out trying to provoke a situation and succeeding.
Can't agree with you on that at all, Paul. There is nothing wrong in what they did. They didn't act nasty.
And it is quite assuring that police let them continue doing it.
I agree Coleslaw, they did nothing wrong and were always polite. When you get security guards saying you cannot take a photograph of a building because it's private, how long would it be before it became custom and practise that society deems you cannot take photographs anywhere in public. Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe in and challenge misperceptions.....
milly
Very interesting video, loved it. There is an element of "poke the spider" in the video Paul, I agree, but I think it went a long way to showing that the Police in some circumstances do get it right. I loved the two wannabe FBI agents in their cheap silver suits, covert acoustic earpice tubes on show and matching little metal lapel badges, lmao !! how sad.
The police behaved perfectly correctly. The security personnel less so, although there was I suppose an element of "I vos only obeying orders!" 
TBH though, if the togs concerned were using (say) hand-held M4/3 cameras or compacts, and wearing suits (well, the men anyway) I doubt anyone would have bothered them. Tripods are a red rag to a bull.
Quote: Very sad, just shows another bunch of idiots out trying to provoke a situation and succeeding.
Sorry Paul but you are wrong imo .. I often dislike stunts like this were the people taking part often bait the people who speak to them, they act in every manner possible to get a response but these photographers were reasonable, polite, helpful and in no way attempted to do anything to escalate the situation. It is nice to see that the police have taken on board the laws regarding photography in these instances.
wonder IF they get stroppy with google earth? ALL THESE places are live
had a running sore trying to redo / replicate my 1960's pix in a then and now series I do mainly waht you now call "street" (when NO ONE had a security job? they all worked for a living!)
with a REALLY nice location off the back of the strand in the rite light, british sun & just after mid day it takes a semi religious look & feel
then you get the east european scuzzbag with limited english in a poundland yellow flourescent vest (and NO security / doorman licence these are issued by the local council after a week or so of training! this is mandatory to prove a level of (sense?) and ability NOT to break the law) doing a bravo-2-0 getting the "manager" seeminly to avoid the cigarette police being informed of the tabacco addicts littering the outside!
IT took six months of being me asking the met police (heremmm wezza a bit busy NOT doing hacking enquiries) the cuddly codswallop of a mayor < HE IS part east european? & concerned with labour conspiracies at the time!> is still waitng to reply properly, and the (local) westminster council to only just pronounce that it was a public road, which was amazing as google earth did it all for me!
do google earth "savoy place westminster" its a good location finder! BUT go on a sunday less addicts there!
I am going back and this time I WILL call the police IF stopped, and press charges if bullied
IT REALLY HAS TO BE STOPPED freedom to take pictures on public places should be just that FREEDOM.
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