Alex and the Zealous Medway Plod

One lunchtime, early in July, a friend of this blog and keen amateur photographer was arrested under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act while taking photographs in his local High Street. He blogs about it here, and his story was picked up and spread by the power of the mighty internet.

TPP: Alex, there have been lots of stories like yours in the media in recent months. Did you ever think this could happen to you?

Alex: I’ve been stopped a number of times under section 44 and by private security operatives whilst out with my camera. Each time I’ve been asked to produce ID. Whilst I always knew I was not obliged to meet the request I suspected if I did not there may be a chance that things would escalate. This time I simply chose not to bend over.

TPP: I know from personal experience that any encounter with the police can be unsettling, to say the least. What were you feeling at the time: puzzled, indignant, afraid, confident, something else?

Alex: I experienced a range of emotions as the encounter unfolded. Initially I was indifferent to the council workers requests. Though I thought it was none of their business I provided an account of my activities. When they refused to accept I was not obliged to provide them with my personal details I was affronted by their overbearing and authoritarian attitude. I was disappointed with the poor knowledge and understanding demonstrated by the PCSO regarding my rights. My disappointment was compounded when the WPC demonstrated a similar lack of knowledge.

I was staggered when I was handcuffed and arrested under the prevention of terrorism act. It took me completely my surprise. When the WPC said I had obstructed her by simply taking a picture of her and the PCSO the ridiculousness of her behaviour and attitude struck me hard. At this point I pretty much clammed up. Bound compliance became the order of the day; that made me feel completely powerless and vulnerable.

As I was paraded up the High Street in handcuffs with my arms behind my back and the hands of the WPC on one elbow I saw a people I know from my children’s school, nursery and cub group. Though I knew I had done nothing wrong I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I can clearly remember the look of shock and bewilderment on their faces.

Once inside the police van, locked up and caged in I reflected on the events and pondered upon what next would happen. I breathed deeply and tried to regain some degree of calm and achieve clarity of thought. When the plain clothes officers opened the door and began questioning and lecturing me the feelings of disempowerment and forced compliance returned. I hope that gives a fair idea of the impact at the time without going on too much I hope.

TPP: Were you searched, and if so, what kinds of methods did they use? Did they remove any of your clothing, or ask you to empty your bag or pockets?

Alex: I was searched. The search was carried out by a plain clothes officer in full view of passers by while I was handcuffed. I was patted down. My pockets went through. I was required to remove my trainers and having done so the soles of my feet were also patted down.

TPP: What was going through your mind at the time?

Alex: I don’t recall that. I was in the stage of bound compliance so just went with it.

TPP: This tactic of being arrested and then almost immediately arrested seemed to begin in around 2003 with the popular protests against the attack on Iraq. Many people were arrested, driven miles away from friends and family and promptly de-arrested and dumped in the middle of nowhere. How did you feel during your own experience this tactic?

Alex: I felt powerless and vulnerable.

[Somewhat ironically the WPC later reported that she'd felt threatened by Alex's height. One might wonder if she's in the right job if tall men frighten her.]

TPP: In the immediate aftermath there must have been lots of issues in running through your mind, not least the ongoing safety of your own family. Did you ever feel like keeping the whole thing quiet?

Alex: No not at all. I was very clear I had done nothing wrong, that I had been mistreated and had been subjected to an abuse of power and misapplication of authority. It seems quite normal to me that I would want to share my experience with others if only to try and make some sense of what happened.

TPP: There are lots of issues around managing the vastly uplifted attention your blog must be receiving. `From a delightfully sleepy account of the comings and goings of a gentle family man, you’ve been converted almost overnight into a poster boy for the cause célèbre of photographer’s rights in the UK. How is that working for you?

Alex: Before posting about my arrest my blog would get perhaps a dozen or so visits a week and the same amount of comments a year. I don’t do it for attention. I like learning new things. Learning how to set up, tweak and maintain a blog was one of those things. I’m also the type that kept scrap books, photo albums and note pads in years gone by. The blog was and is no more than the modern day equivalent. It’s for my own benefit in the main but I love the internet and it just seemed normal to me to allow pretty much open access to it. I have a few protected posts and pictures, essays and family stuff that I keep private for quite innocent reasons.

The post about my arrest has had close to 20,000 hits in less than a month and over 200 comments. In addition to that, activity on other posts has also increased. I’m not bothered to be honest. I didn’t expect the attention but know it won’t last long.

Though in my case taking photos led to my arrest it’s just one manifestation of how far down the line to a totalitarian state this country has gone. That’s something I reject with my all heart and soul and something which I am glad to have the opportunity to stand up and be counted.

TPP: Are you getting recognised in the street yet? What do people (family, friends) think of it all?

Alex: Not that I am aware of. My family and friends think the whole episode was ridiculous and agree with me making a complaint. I think they, like a lot of people are fed up with the insidious erosion of personal privacy and civil liberties this government is responsible for.

TPP: Going forward, how do you think any photographer can benefit from your experience? Can you give any advice to people finding themselves in the same situation?

Alex: Stay calm. Do not be unreasonably confrontational. Know your rights and seek for them to be upheld. If you find that they are not make sure you get the details of everyone you believe is infringing them and make an official complaint. Do it publicly.

TPP: At the recent Redeye conference in Manchester I said from the floor that I have no confidence in governments to change the status quo where although we may have ‘rights’, any individual police officer on the ground will make it up as they go along, and do exactly what they wish. How much confidence do you have that we will win this one and be allowed to go about our business in peace?

Alex: The bottom line for this government and probably the next is keeping big business and the American government happy. That motivation trumps everything else. As for the police they appear to have forgotten they are meant to be public servants and perhaps now see themselves primarily as enforcers of the governments will. The lower ranks behaviour and attitude is dependent on no more than officers individual personalities and values, the upper ranks are career minded self serving go getters than cannot be trusted. I am also very concerned by the ever increasing legions of para-police such as the council officers in my case, bouncers, wheel clampers, traffic wardens, PCSOs etc etc etc…

TPP: In the aftermath of the case of Jean Charles de Menezes, the Brazilian plumber shot in the head at point blank range on a Stockwell tube, and the resulting promotion of the officers involved – do you think this case has any general influence on the way our local police officers conduct themselves?

Alex: See the above answer. The lower ranks behaviour and attitude is dependent on no more than officers individual personalities and values, the upper ranks are career minded self serving go getters than cannot be trusted.

TPP: Shall I get some badges made?

Alex: Yes if you like. What do you have in mind? And please mention the photowalk in Chatham on the 15th August and link to this page. It’s an open invite. The only other thing I ask is that you make the post CC attribution.

TPP: Thanks, Alex.

So get to Chatham on 15th August, meet Alex and the doughty photographers of Medway. And if you have any further links to stories, updates, opinions, please post them here in the comments.

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NB: all photographs here are ©Alex Turner and reproduced with permission. The interview is under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales License.

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