Police still searching journalists
JOURNALISTS covering the Climate Camp in Kent in August were subjected to searches, harassment and surveillance by police as they entered the site. The NUJ received complaints from members who said they were pushed and shoved, even after presenting press cards.
The union called on officers policing the camp, near Kingsnorth power station in Kent, to stop the harassment of journalists going about their lawful work.
Photographers were searched for up to 40 minutes, eating into the two-hour maximum allowed for media access by camp organisers.
Jason Parkinson, one of the photographers detained and searched, said: “Myself and three other journalists were stopped and searched by Metropolitan Police. The police claimed they were looking for items that could be used for ‘criminal damage’.”
His colleague Marc Vallee said the treatment was “at times heavy and over the top. After many years covering protests I got stopped and searched for the first time. Over the week I was stopped and searched three times as well as being pushed and shoved a few times.”