Re: [Leica] FW: Columnist writes about Federal guards stopping photographer

[robertmeier@usjet.net]

Tim,

Thanks very much for citing that case and column.   I shoot public
architecture all the time and I appreciate having this question cleared up.

Bob

- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tim Atherton" <tim@KairosPhoto.com>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>; <editorialphoto@yahoogroups.com>;
<NPPA-L@LISTSERV.CMICH.EDU>
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2004 10:58 AM
Subject: [Leica] FW: Columnist writes about Federal guards stopping
photographer


>
> Fwd from Lawyer and Photographer Bert Krages:
>
> > Last December, a photographer in Portland, Oregon was stopped and
> > detained
> > by security guards for taking photographs of the old federal courthouse.
> > Margie Boule, a columnist with the Oregonian, wrote yesterday about his
> > experience and her interviews with federal officials in the Office of
> > Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, and U.S.
> > Attorney's Office.
> > It is a well written column and shows what can happen when photographers
> > voice their complaints about mistreatment.
>
>
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf?/base/living
> /1074258241122040.xml
>
> (you have to do a little zipcode and age thing)
>
> A couple of quotes:
>
> "You'd think it would be easy to find out if something was against the law
> in the United States. Either there's a law on the books or there isn't,
> right? But this week it took a lot of phone calls to get a definitive
answer
> on whether it's illegal to photograph federal buildings in America....
>
> Garrison Courtney, with the Federal Protective Service in the capitol, was
> certain "there is a law" banning the photographs. "What it is offhand I
> can't say, but you can be charged for taking pictures of federal
buildings.
> I have seen people charged with it since I came here." But Garrison could
> not cite the law...
>
> Finally Ken Spitzer, regional director for the Federal Protective Service
of
> Homeland Security -- in other words, the big boss of the security guards w
ho
> hassled Jeffrey Thorns last month -- had the facts. "It's not true" that
> it's illegal to photograph federal buildings, he said this week. "They
> misspoke. It's certainly not illegal. But when we see people in front of
> buildings taking photos we try to be as vigilant as we can.""
>
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