The Metropolitan Police have issued a photography advice to police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), to provide a summary of the Metropolitan Police Service’s guidance around photography in public places. The document acknowledges that “members of the public and the media do not need a permit to film or photograph in public places and police have no power to stop them filming or photographing incidents or police personnel”, and that the “Terrorism Act 2000 does not prohibit people from taking photographs or digital images in an area where an authority under section 44 is in place”. Furthermore, it adds that “it should ordinarily be considered inappropriate to use Section 58a to arrest people photographing police officers in the course of normal policing activities, including protests, as without more, there is no link to terrorism”. However, the advice also makes it clear that officers have the power to view digital images contained in cell phones or cameras carried by a person searched under S43 or S44 of the Terrorism Act 2000, if the officers aim to determine whether the photos are of a kind that could be used in connection with terrorism.

Website: Met Photography Advice

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