A 'flashmob' of around 16 photographers assembled in Multrees Walk today at 12:30pm to protest against an alleged heavy-handed response by security staff to unauthorised photography there on Thursday.
An amateur photographer, 'fotofan 001' (pictured being interviewed), had filmed gnomes in Firetrap's window display without permission on 14 October. He was afterwards followed by security staff (as far as York Place) who, he says, 'verbally intimidated' him and forcefully requested he delete the images. Fotofan 001 repeatedly refused and responded by posting part of their conversation on Youtube.
Since then the story has sprouted legs on social media sites and run.
A spokeswoman for Multrees Walk, struggling to avert a PR disaster, says they have the right to ban filming on their private property, which in this case begins within the metal bollards at either end. The reason for the ban is, she says, security – retailers in the exclusive mall have been targeted by ram-raiders since it opened in 2008. Fotofan 001 points out that there are no signs prohibiting photography on display. He insists that the security staff's behaviour was over the top.
Today's events, largely orchestrated and attended by members of the press under the watchful eye of the police and CCTV cameras, was a little phoney. However, it did serve to highlight increasing piecemeal restrictions on otherwise lawful behaviour in civic spaces. Spurtle will return to the story in Issue 188.