Photo by lucky dog

NPRO member, lucky dog, uploaded the above photo to flickr after NYPD unlawfully forced him to delete photographs that he took of  a muslim man who was servicing an ATM machine that was located on a public street.

Although lucky dog never committed any crime and was assaulted by one of the ATM technicians, Officer Pryce of New York’s 7th Precinct lectured lucky dog, made up fictitious “policies” regarding photographing banks and ATM machines, and threatened to arrest him (for assault nonetheless) if he didn’t delete the photos he took of the muslim man. Unfortunately, and like many people in these types of situations involving police and the threat of an unlawful arrest, lucky dog complied with Pryce’s illegal demands.

As a person not familiar with Islamic customs, some quick research showed that photography of living things (which captures life) is not an issue with muslims, but rather paintings, drawings and artwork that depict life. For instance, Jyllands-Posten controversial publication of cartoons depicting Muhammad. Either way it doesn’t matter because in the United States people can photograph whatever they please in public, including muslims.

So if there any other muslim  men out there who are opposed to being photographed while in public, it’s best that you stay in your home.

Here is lucky dog’s account of what happened:

I was finishing up shooting storefront photos on rivington and stanton st this afternoon 4:05pm, Friday January 22, 2009 when I happened upon an atm being serviced outside Economy Candy.

I’m always interested in the inner workings of machinery, and infrastructure you see on street everyday and had the chance to take a photo of one being serviced.

I took a photo of the atm, but the guy happened to turn around and catches me taking a photo of him. he gets up and tells me to come over. i walk away because I don’t want confrontation, i tell him that i have the right to take photos on the street. i walk, and i bump into his partner who jumps out of nowhere and holds me, and pushes me. I almost fall to the ground.

i ran across the street and tried to seek shelter in a store and the hotel, but the hotel doorman blocked my way in. i had to wait for the police to try to file a complaint of assault. while waiting, the one who assaulted me watched to see if i would run, while the other man tech tries to tell me that he was muslim, and that they don’t know who I am, or what I would do with the photos citing fear for their family. first off, I didn’t know he was muslim, all I know was he came at me, and I don’t like getting in arguments regarding photography public/privacy issues on the public streets of new york city. the police eventually show up and we both tell our sides of the story.

the police try to lecture me about taking pictures of atms and banks, saying there is a “policy”. He also tries to say that the man was muslim and it was against his religion to take photos of him. I tell the police that I did not know he was muslim, and that was after the fact that I took the photo of the atm, which is on the public street. the most important thing was I was assaulted by one of the men. the police didn’t care, they persisted in this line of reasoning saying that there is a policy against shooting atms and banks, and that the atm guys didn’t know who I was or what I was doing.

office Pryce of the 7th pct then orders me to take my camera out and delete the photos of the atm tech. I tried to explain again, but office pryce tells me that if I refuse to cooperate that he will arrest me for assault. [assault for what? for taking pictures on a public street of somebody who tells me later that he is muslim?]

I get the muslim man over here and tell him that I did not know he was muslim and that under the threat of arrest i will delete the photos of him. the muslim tells the police to scroll the pictures 2 up and 2 down to make sure the photos are all gone saying he felt I was being dishonest. [I hold back a comment regarding muslims, dishonesty, and osama] and scroll through the camera so he is satisfied.

I ask the police if they know about the policy regarding street photography, pryce seemed to nod his head in assent. I also tell him that I did not know he was muslim, that was after the fact, and that taking a photo of his face was unintentional, he just happened to turn his face to the camera at the wrong moment.

Photographby Oil Scarff/Getty Images

More than two thousand photographers descended upon London’s Trafalgar Square this weekend to protest section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, which was ruled unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights earlier this month.

As was predicted, UK police were on their best behavior during the protest as participants were able to photograph the square and themselves without incident. However, despite photographers having just one day free from harassment and the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling, Chief Constable Craig Mackey of the Association of Chief Police Officers said officers would continue to use stop and search powers while the court’s decision was appealed.

So it is very likely that we will continue to hear stories about UK police unlawfully harassing the public and photographers as they go about their business in a supposedly free and democratic country.

Thankfully, the protest received much attention and was covered by the Guardian, CNN,and BBC News.