Photography as a Terrorist Activity

London's Metropolitan Police recently launched a counter-terrorism campaign that warns citizens to be on the lookout for "odd" photographers. Posters promoting the campaign present the camera as if it were a weapon. The climate in the U.K. is such that the photographers there last year organized a photographer's rights petition out of fear that public photography might become a licensed activity.

Campaign posters here

In 2004, New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority considered a ban on photography in subway stations. It dropped the idea the following year.

In 2006, Saudi Arabia lifted a ban on photography in public places to attract more tourists; some restrictions remain, however.

Somewhat related: Police in Japan have on occasion asked me and my friends to delete photos of police and their police boxes that we've taken on public streets here in Tokyo. I don't believe they have an real legal basis for that here, but a friend in Singapore tells me that photography of police in his island country is strictly prohibited.

When I added, "doesn't a free and active press play an important role in monitoring the police in a democracy?", he reminded me that there is no such thing as a free and active press in Singapore.

Surprisingly (to me), world opinion is divided on the importance of press freedom, according to a BBC World Service poll of 11,344 people across 14 countries. About 48% of respondants in Singapore supporting controls over the press to ensure peace and stability. Unfortunately Japan was not represented in those results.