Got Arrested

[Pekka Liukkonen]

On 6th Decemer, our Independence Day I was photographing a neo nazi demonstration in Helsinki Finland when suddenly a group of policemen grabbed me and took me in police car and to jail in full speed.
I was kept in for some time and set free when they cheked my identity. I think I never got real answer when I  asked the reason for this. I was told I look like an other person, an international criminal. Thats interesting, I think.

Well, I went back to do my job but I´m still a bit confused this could happen here in Finland...
And no, I do not support any of these political movements in any way.

Ever happened to You something like this?

[Abiyoyo]

Did the Police check or even delete your images?

 

In Iran some years ago I was forced to delete my images from a women group participating in a religious parade, but not in Europe. Once I was shooting another neo nazi demonstration in Ulm but from my balcony, I did not have any problem.

[Pekka Liukkonen]

41 minutes ago, Abiyoyo said:

Did the Police check or even delete your images?

 

In Iran some years ago I was forced to delete my images from a women group participating in a religious parade, but not in Europe. Once I was shooting another neo nazi demonstration in Ulm but from my balcony, I did not have any problem.

No, luckily they did not even touch my camera. I hid the memory cards when I got free.

It´s not illegal to photograph these things here in any way.

 

Edited December 8, 2019 by Pekka Liukkonen

[Reimar]

Maybe try to google search or tineye a few images of yourself, see what comes up.  If your international criminal nemesis has a beard, I'm afraid it's going to have to go 😃

[Pekka Liukkonen]

8 minutes ago, Reimar said:

Maybe try to google search or tineye a few images of yourself, see what comes up.  If your international criminal nemesis has a beard, I'm afraid it's going to have to go 😃

Maybe I´ll have to do some shaving next time in sauna... to be on the safe side.

[Marianne]

Some years ago I was taking photographs in a cemetery at midnight with the full moon for a Halloween feature in a local magazine. Suddenly I saw two police cars with lights flashing on the road and then they sped into the cemetery. The first police officer out of the car asked me what I was doing and took down my editor's name and number to call her the next day given the hour. She told me that the caretaker had seen me and called it in thinking it was kids drinking illegally or possibly causing damage, but when she saw my tripod she realized that wasn't the case. She made me leave but that was all. This was in Westchester County, a suburb of NYC.

 

I did have a New York City cop make me show him my photos and erase some where he was a tiny figure in them. I was in the city on a sunny day taking photos on Park Avenue and he happened to be on one corner. It was totally uncalled for, and he had no right to do it, but it wasn't worth arguing with him, so I complied. I wish I'd gotten his badge number to make a complaint, but was too frightened and angry at the time to think of it, and asking might have prompted him to be even more threatening. 

 

I think so much hangs on the discretion of police officers. Thank goodness you were released fairly promptly, but what a scary ordeal.  

 

 

[Pekka Liukkonen]

8 hours ago, Marianne said:

Some years ago I was taking photographs in a cemetery at midnight with the full moon for a Halloween feature in a local magazine. Suddenly I saw two police cars with lights flashing on the road and then they sped into the cemetery. The first police officer out of the car asked me what I was doing and took down my editor's name and number to call her the next day given the hour. She told me that the caretaker had seen me and called it in thinking it was kids drinking illegally or possibly causing damage, but when she saw my tripod she realized that wasn't the case. She made me leave but that was all. This was in Westchester County, a suburb of NYC.

 

I did have a New York City cop make me show him my photos and erase some where he was a tiny figure in them. I was in the city on a sunny day taking photos on Park Avenue and he happened to be on one corner. It was totally uncalled for, and he had no right to do it, but it wasn't worth arguing with him, so I complied. I wish I'd gotten his badge number to make a complaint, but was too frightened and angry at the time to think of it, and asking might have prompted him to be even more threatening. 

 

I think so much hangs on the discretion of police officers. Thank goodness you were released fairly promptly, but what a scary ordeal.  

 

 

I have photographed policemen sevaral times at demonstartions and never had any problems. Only time I had to remove images was in an Estonian Shopping mall. Tha guard wanted to see my images and I removed the ones he told me to remove.
I then removed the card from camera, replaced it with a new one and  back at home I used Recuva to get back the images.
Must admit I was a bit alarmed when I got back to demonstration scene.

[Martin Carlsson]

12 hours ago, Pekka Liukkonen said:

On 6th Decemer, our Independence Day I was photographing a neo nazi demonstration in Helsinki Finland when suddenly a group of policemen grabbed me and took me in police car and to jail in full speed.
I was kept in for some time and set free when they cheked my identity. I think I never got real answer when I  asked the reason for this. I was told I look like an other person, an international criminal. Thats interesting, I think.

Well, I went back to do my job but I´m still a bit confused this could happen here in Finland...
And no, I do not support any of these political movements in any way.

Ever happened to You something like this?

 

Ouch! Doesn't Finnish law require the Police to inform you at the time of a arrest what you're arrested for? Never had any issues with Police nowhere whilst working, which is mainly London, England, Scotland and now Sweden.

 

 

[Pekka Liukkonen]

15 minutes ago, Martin Carlsson said:

 

Ouch! Doesn't Finnish law require the Police to inform you at the time of a arrest what you're arrested for? Never had any issues with Police nowhere whilst working, which is mainly London, England, Scotland and now Sweden.

 

 

Yes, they should declare the reason and I think that´s why they made up that I happen to look like someone else, a criminal. There are some details in the chain of actions why I cannot believe that explanation.

[TeeCee]

26 minutes ago, Pekka Liukkonen said:

Yes, they should declare the reason and I think that´s why they made up that I happen to look like someone else, a criminal. There are some details in the chain of actions why I cannot believe that explanation.

Pekka - do you carry a national press card - it's at least a start in proving your ID at the scene? Usually supplied by the relevant Trade Union (NUJ here in the UK) or other representative body (BPPA). 
Can't guarantee it'll stop you getting arrested mind you ...

[JaniMarkus Hasa]

Helsingin Sanomat newspaper: "Police arrested three people at the gathering, who are suspected of interfering with the procession. One suspect for harassment was already captured at the Kansalaistori square, where the procession gathered." (Translation by yours truly)

 

Was that you, Pekka? At least your image is from Kansalaistori.

 

I was around too, didn't get arrested though. I was focusing merely on the anti-fascist demonstrators. There were some hundred polices with riot gear separating the neo-nazis from anti-fascists. Once I tried to make it to the other side, I was stopped by police. Annoying, but I get the police action in general though, otherwise it would have been pretty violent. Getting arrested for no reason at all is of course a different matter and it must have felt very frustrating, especially when you lost lot of potential images. I was thinking about getting a yellow safety vest and printing New York Times (or Guardian) on the back...

 

I can still remember times when independence day was just an extra day off with nothing going on.

Edited December 9, 2019 by JaniMarkus Hasa

[geogphotos]

I did get picked up by the police when I 'accidentally' found an open gate and 'accidentally' found myself walking around inside the Port of Felixstowe. 

 

They made me delete a few pics of whatever they thought was sensitive but when everything calmed down I flicked through what I had taken and they were quite happy for me to keep the rest. 

 

It was bit brazen of me, but on the other hand there used to be a public footpath through the dockside to the old 19th century dock itself and I do remember going down there years ago. Or was that somewhere else?

 

Anyway, all ended happily with me being escorted off the premises.

 

Risking venturing into the political arena - so sad to see these hate-filled people appearing all over the world it seems.

Edited December 9, 2019 by geogphotos

[jodyko]

9 hours ago, Pekka Liukkonen said:

I then removed the card from camera, replaced it with a new one and  back at home I used Recuva to get back the images.

Pretty slick! Good trick to know. Unlikely I'll ever find myself in the situation but I'll remember that.

[Michael Ventura]

Not arrested but given a fine for setting up a tripod in a parking space on the street near the U.S. Capitol Bldg.  It was at night and no one around but this policeman really had it out for me.  This was before 9-11 and all the added security we now see around DC.  Can't remember how much it was, somewhere between $50 - 100.

[hdh]

Never happened to me but am prepared to delete without actually deleting .... 

 

My Canon has got two card slots, one CF and one SD respectively. 

I set it up to record RAW on CF and JPG on the SD card. 

The SD card is also set up as the card to view pictures from, 

When I delete a picture, the camera only deletes the JPG file, not the RAW file on the other card. 

 

Mine is a 5DSR, not sure if this is the case for other cameras with two card slots or just a handy bug on this model. 

NB: It does delete both files if both are recorded on the same card. 

 

  

[meanderingemu]

questioned on the streets by 4 heavily armed Turkish police asking why i was taking picture of them.  When i showed they were not the actual subject, just in background, they actually let me go without deleting the images

 

pursued by a subway employee in the Bucharest Metro, for taking pictures of the nice 60s architecture in station, and made to delete the images.  

[Pekka Liukkonen]

9 hours ago, JaniMarkus Hasa said:

Helsingin Sanomat newspaper: "Police arrested three people at the gathering, who are suspected of interfering with the procession. One suspect for harassment was already captured at the Kansalaistori square, where the procession gathered." (Translation by yours truly)

 

Was that you, Pekka? At least your image is from Kansalaistori.

 

I was around too, didn't get arrested though. I was focusing merely on the anti-fascist demonstrators. There were some hundred polices with riot gear separating the neo-nazis from anti-fascists. Once I tried to make it to the other side, I was stopped by police. Annoying, but I get the police action in general though, otherwise it would have been pretty violent. Getting arrested for no reason at all is of course a different matter and it must have felt very frustrating, especially when you lost lot of potential images. I was thinking about getting a yellow safety vest and printing New York Times (or Guardian) on the back...

 

I can still remember times when independence day was just an extra day off with nothing going on.

 

Hi Jani,

I guess it has to be me but I was not interfering anything, just photographing as dozens of others did.
My intention was to move to the anti facist side too but was taken to Pasila instead. That was annoying.
Just got five images through QC. Not very easy to work these pictures...
Yellow vest with some countryside paper logo on... Maaseudun tulevaisuus maybe...

 

 

[Ed Rooney]

So, Pekka -- you were held for questioning, not arrested? They didn't take your finger prints and book you? Scary though. 

 

Cops have a tough job. And sometimes it's dangerous. I've been told I could not take photos in the NYC Subway several times by police, which is not true, not the law. I just tanked them and moved on  . . . to shoot at another station. I don't argue the law with people who carry guns. 

 

Congratulations on your new very young PM -- the pretty lady who just took office. 

[Pekka Liukkonen]

9 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

So, Pekka -- you were held for questioning, not arrested? They didn't take your finger prints and book you? Scary though. 

 

Cops have a tough job. And sometimes it's dangerous. I've been told I could not take photos in the NYC Subway several times by police, which is not true, not the law. I just tanked them and moved on  . . . to shoot at another station. I don't argue the law with people who carry guns. 

 

Congratulations on your new very young PM -- the pretty lady who just took office. 

Yes Edo, held for questioning, they photographed me though and there was no quetioning after all. They realized that they got wrong man but it took some time.

I had a cheap hotel room reservation but it looked like i´ll spend the night on jail bed...

Yes we have a nice young energetic lady as PM now. Let´s see how it goes.

[Charles Stirling]

Stop and question when taking photos of the ministry of defence buildings at Abbey Wood. Didn't have me delete any but suggested I move on and not take any more.

[Harry Harrison]

35 minutes ago, David Pimborough said:

Next time I get confronted by the police I'll let them read it.

Thanks for the link, a very good idea to carry that. A bit of Sunday morning googling also came up with this link establishing under the Freedom of Information whether this advice still stands after ACPO was replaced by the National Police Chief's Council in 2015. It seems that it does:

 

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/278142/response/685795/attach/4/124 15 NPCC Response 28072015.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

[zxzoomy]

The Greater Manchester, uk, Police Commissioner achieved agreement in 2017 from local police that people being arrested can video themselves being arrested. Before that I complained strongly when a police officer threatened to take my camera 'for possible evidence' when I was taking photos from behind their cordon of a traffic accident. The police put the cordon up. We stay behind it. There were no victims of the accident in shot when I was taking photos. In Asia anything goes: dead bodies, bits of bodies, anything. 

[Marcin Sadurski]

I was stopped and questioned while trying to photograph this edifice in Warsaw, Poland - IMGP6242.jpg - G0TERA.

Eventually they asked me for ID and searched my backpack.

Why was I a suspect?

... Because I came up in the night, on an odd bicycle (Dahon folder), with a camera and tried to use a tripod. :-(

The palace was used by the president of Poland then but there are hundreds of tourists everyday who takes millions of photos of this place... Well, in the day.

 

Edited December 19, 2019 by Marcin Sadurski