[Leica] OT embarrassing and stupid action against public photography

[hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson)]

In case it may be of interest. This post is not in any way meant to reflect 
any political opinion.

Sydney Australia is very shortly to host APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic 
Cooperation) meetings. There are 21 heads of state and numerous
officials as well as presumably an international press contingent. There is 
very considerable disruption and inconvenience to Sydney
and fears that some protests may end in violence and destruction. Police 
have been granted extraordinary powers which are a matter
of some local controversy. 

 This week Police officers required that a party of German tourists delete 
from their cameras, pictures taken of the temporary
security fencing that encloses some of the CBD. This is an ugly concrete and 
steel mesh 2.8 metre high barrier extending for 5 kms
within the CBD. 

Presumably if they had been wielding good German film Leicas, they would 
have had the film confiscated. I have a mental image of law
enforcement officers sifting through five or six multi gigabyte memory cards 
for each tourist to ensure that no evil images remain.

This same fence of course has been looked at since its construction by 
hundreds of thousands of people and featured prominently on
national television and other media. Greater Sydney has more than four 
million people. 

I can not think of any action more futile or foolish than requiring that 
those couple of visitors delete those photographs.

Sorry, visitors, most of us are friendlier than that. My favourite pub to 
visit in Sydney is even within the exclusion zone.

 

Hoppy