G20 demonstrations

I can trump that with the office that I'm working in today:

You're down at RBS?

I've got a horrific cold but on my way out for a looksy shortly... Anyone know a good café with wi-fi in the square mile (with proper tables, chairs and power points)? I'll probably work from the war zone today...

I know a nice starbucks.....

CITY WORKERS URGED TO DRESS LIKE SCUM AND TALK ABOUT 'CORRIE'

WORKERS in the City of London can protect themselves from violent protesters by dressing like scum and talking about something called 'Corrie', it was claimed last night.

** **
Do not talk about paté

Financial institutions in the Square Mile and Canary Wharf are advising staff after the Metropolitan Police warned that militant activists will use the G20 summit to target any well- nourished person in a suit who looks as if they earned more than £40,000 in the last year.

Guidelines issued by one City firm include:

• Instead of a suit and tie wear a 'sweatshirt', ideally with a 'hood'. Give your secretary £10 and tell her to buy one from 'George' at 'Asda'.

• If you and a colleague find yourself in a public space, do not talk about your favourite consistency of paté or the outstanding quality of the powder at Jackson Hole.

• Instead, use phrases like 'Did you see Corrie last night?' or 'wasn't Corrie really good?'. You do not need to know what 'Corrie' is.

• Speak in a slovenly manner. Instead of 'coming' and 'going' say comin' and goin'. And every few minutes you should make a disgusting noise at the back of your throat as if you are about to spit, or 'gob'.

• If you find yourself in conversation with a cheaply-dressed stranger, stick to generalities and avoid telling them that they are merely insignificant pawns in a complex, never-ending game that is entirely beyond their feeble, working class minds.
  A Met spokesman said: "If your disguise does not work and you are threatened by scum, do not try to impress them with the five games you played at stand-off for the university third XV, or the fact that you used to box for Cambridge.

"They will simply hit you with a bottle and then use you as a missile to throw at the police."

Daily Mash?

As from 16th February this year it is effectively illegal to take pictures of the police.

The new legislation (section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act), means you could be arrested for taking and publishing a photograph of someone in intelligence, the police, or the armed forces. Placing photographs on the internet falls within the definition of publication.

Journalists have been increasingly targeted by the police, monitored, hassled, arrested and assaulted - with this new legislation I expect that only to get worse.

I would go down to shoot some footage, but I already get shit from police while shooting perfectly within the law and on public land - and I imagine with this new act and the general cultural divide between anyone who protests and the police will mean people wanting to record the event are likely to be targeted for some special attention.

There is an important caveat here : which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism'. Subsequent debate on this has led the police and the home office to admit that there will now need to be an onus on the police forces to demonstrate how that material may be useful.

Subsequently: *It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that they had a reasonable excuse for their action. *The police and the Home Office have stated that recording historic activity for the purposes of posterity and news reporting constitute reasonable excuses, as do collection of material for the purposes of artistic endeavours, provided that the future publication doesn't consitutute distribution of "useful information" that is not obtainable under any other means, such as Freedom of Information requests and walking down the street.

Regularly updated twitpics here from a Sky News reporter
http://twitpic.com/photos/juliareid21

A lot of the protesters on bikes apparently…

"Been to a pub and now eating a burger while leaning against the wall. Suddenly my picture is taken by a police photographer "excuse me, why have you taken my photograph?" "Fuck off or I'll have you arrested." "But I'm not doing anything, so why take my photo?" "I told you to fuck off!" Then approached another officer, same response..."

the same laws that allow them to take photographs in a public place (not the anti-terrorism laws) are the same laws that allow you to to take a picture in a public place. you can't have you cake and eat it.

Daily Mash?

No. BBC, true apparently. ;)

If you wanna see it all kick off down bishopsgate, be there from 11am onwards, there's fuck all going on early this morning.

I'm on my way to the war-zone... My digits are in the numbers thread if you wanna hook up for a gander... On stealth bike, of course...

I'm on my way to the war-zone... My digits are in the numbers thread if you wanna hook up for a gander... On stealth bike, of course...

How will we see you?

"Been to a pub and now eating a burger while leaning against the wall. Suddenly my picture is taken by a police photographer "excuse me, why have you taken my photograph?" "Fuck off or I'll have you arrested." "But I'm not doing anything, so why take my photo?" "I told you to fuck off!" Then approached another officer, same response..."

the same laws that allow them to take photographs in a public place (not the anti-terrorism laws) are the same laws that allow you to to take a picture in a public place. you can't have you cake and eat it.

or burger

Wicked. A friend at work overheard some dossers in the cafe next door. Apparently one of the meeting points is the old fire station opposite the Foundary. Means they will all be walking down my road! I wanna see the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.

i'll give you a ding Jo, such a nice day i am taking it off work and gonna head down with my man Tas - he is fresh from the Greek riots so handy with a piece of street furniture

Rode past there about 20 mins ago, police everywhere.

And also, saw fleets of some new police riot van thing. all black and square, looked like something out of robocop.

I used the word 'effectively' purposefully.

"As from 16th February this year it is effectively illegal to take pictures of the police."

It is up to the courts and the police to interpret this law - and we already have endless examples of previous terror laws being routinely abused for ends they were never intended for - as each additional power is granted under terrorism laws ministers give assurances that these new laws will not be used outside their intended remit and - each time they are - routinely so. Not isolated cases, but as a matter of course.

In a culture that already sees policemen intimidating photographers working entirely within the law I don't think it is naive or alarmist to see that this law will be routinely employed in situations where it has no place. Like it has already been said, once you have been arrested and thrown in the back of a van, it's all good and well to point out that no law has been breached, but no one has ever talked their way out of a police van regardless of your knowledge of the law and how word perfect you can quote section 76, the police are not interested.

Your point is techincally right, I might be better rewording what I said to:

"As from 16th February this year taking pictures of the police puts you in real peril of arrest."

The thing is, photographers (journalists and otherwise) are not playing the same game as the police. The police are organised, co-ordinated and taking clearly defined and prescribed action. The other side is disorganised and not working together at all. There are pockets of organisation, but not nearly enough to match the scale of the police.

What really should happen is that photographers should consistently contest any unrealistic application of the law and make sure that the details of the proceedings and all results are distributed int he public domain.

Large group of cyclists at the RBS building on Bishopsgate now.

Yeah, but all these crusty layabout stoners can't get out of bed before midday. Also, it takes a while to get here from oop North

Then they got to weave their own clothes before picking their own food.. ha ha ha

Rode past there about 20 mins ago, police everywhere.

And also, saw fleets of some new police riot van thing. all black and square, looked like something out of robocop.

If there is a robot with a gun out i am going to go mental..

Use the water cannon on the lot of them!

YEUH lets fuck some shit up!

Anyone heading up from South East?

http://www.londonfreelance.org/policing/

"
REPORTING "public order situations" can be difficult. Especially if you're a photographer, and the only place you can do it from is in the thick of it: often sandwiched between police officers, who just want everyone to go away (or stay put, depending on their orders) and protesters, some not seeing a difference between press and police photographers.
Both the NUJ and the British Press Photographers Association have held series of meetings with the Metropolitan Police to see how things can be improved. We need to hear how these things are playing out on the streets. If you are obstructed - or assisted - by police, please don't just shrug, but come here to log a brief report, as soon as possible after the event.

• This is not to be used as a request for immediate legal assistance!
  
• NUJ members see www.londonfreelance.org/emergency
  
• If you are stopped and searched you have a right to a "chit" - next time, ask politely for one. It could be worth a fortune! "
  

watching it live on telly, looks like there is loads of press around but no protests whatsoever...

At about 09:50 I saw a line of jags and a Range Rover surrounded by police motor bike heading east along Great Russel St. The occupants looked very board.

I might head over to take a look at 12ish.