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December 9, 2009

‘I’m a photographer not a terrorist’ badge leaves police unconvinced

By Dominic wireposts

Days after ACPO warned police forces around the country not that they had no powers to stop photographers taking photos under terror legislation – a photographer wearing a badge which said ‘I am not a terrorist’ was stopped and searched.

Architectural photographer Grant Smith was stopped and searched by seven police officers citing powers under the Terrorism Act after being reported to police by a security guard in central London.

Two police cars and riot van attended the scene after Grant Smith, 53, was questioned outside Christ Church in Newgate.

He told the Independent: “They asked me what I was doing and I told them it was pretty obvious; I had a prrofessional camera and a tripod and was wearing a badge which said: ‘I’m a photographer, not a terrorist’.”

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