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Braehead centre issues apology over photo row
Chris White took this picture of his daughter in Braehead
The shopping centre which called in the police after a man took photographs of his daughter eating an ice cream has apologised for any distress caused.
Braehead Shopping Centre, near Glasgow, also said it was changing its policy on photography.
In future, it will not try to prevent family and friends taking pictures of each other in the mall.
Chris White was challenged by a security guard after he took a snap of his four-year-old daughter Hazel.
He was told that it was illegal to take pictures in the centre.
Mr White told BBC Scotland he was approached by a security guard after photographing his daughter "looking cute on the back of a vespa seat at an ice cream bar" at about 16:00 on Friday.
He said the security guard asked him to delete any photos he had taken from his mobile phone.
Terrorism ActMr White explained that he had already posted two photos, in which his daughter was the only person in the shot, to Facebook.
The police were called and Mr White was told there were "clear signs" saying no photographs were allowed.
“Start Quote
End Quote Braehead Shopping Centre spokesmanWe wish to apologise to Mr White for the distress we may have caused to him and his family”
Mr White said that one officer claimed that under the Prevention of Terrorism Act he was within in his rights to confiscate the mobile phone on which the photos were taken.
He said the police officers took his details and he was eventually allowed to leave.
More than 17,000 people gave their support to the campaign page which was set up on Facebook after the incident.
Supt George Nedley, of Renfrewshire and Inverclyde division, said: "I can confirm we have received a complaint regarding this incident and one of my senior officers has spoken to Mr White regarding this.
"As a result a full review of the circumstances surrounding the incident and the allegations made is under way."
Explaining the change of policy, a spokesman for Braehead said: "We have listened to the very public debate surrounding our photography policy and as a result, with immediate effect, are changing the policy to allow family and friends to take photos in the mall.
"We will reserve the right to challenge suspicious behaviour for the safety and enjoyment of our shoppers.
"We wish to apologise to Mr White for the distress we may have caused to him and his family and will be in direct contact with him to apologise properly."
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Comment number 91.
Mythras11th October 2011 - 0:24
@59.informed-glasgow
Don't blame the Police.It is our paranoid society,
The police are supposed to be above paranoia & enforce the law,
My experience of Strathclyde Police is they waste time on nonsense like this where no law is being broken but are extremely reluctant to come to the aid of the ordainary citizen having trouble with people on their property even when the law is being broken
Link to this (Comment number 91)
Comment number 90.
Richard Holman11th October 2011 - 0:19
37.
"I work in a shop where it is against copyright laws to take photos."
_ _ _ _
Nonsense! Copyright law is about the ownership of images. It has nothing to do with where you can shoot an image. The centre has the right to ban photography but common sense needs to be applied here. Go to any shopping centre in the country on any day and you'll see hundreds taking photos on their phones.
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Comment number 89.
HumanRightsTV11th October 2011 - 0:16
Another story of madness engendering conflict on blogs. We want to protect children and we also want to have our freedoms. Are you worried that the Prevention of Terrorism Act is a catch-all term the police now use for a man photographing his daughter? Last year a man was told that playing a cello in the street was against this Act. We really need to challenge this use of a very serious law.
Link to this (Comment number 89)
Comment number 88.
Dave Benson11th October 2011 - 0:15
This reminds me of an incident at Union Square in Aberdeen at the end of last year. You can read about it at http://otheraberdeen.blogspot.com/2010/12/private-enterprise-petit-police.html. This seems to be an epidemic, and the sooner we curb these thuggish faux police the better, preferably with some stiff laws.
Link to this (Comment number 88)
Comment number 87.
Mythras11th October 2011 - 0:14
@52.eggbutt
these private "Jobsworths" are acting legally, albeit boorishly, when they prohibit parents from taking memorable photographs of their own children.
Depends what you mean by 'prevent', they are perfectly within their rights to ask to anyone to leave immediately, if they physically prevent them thats potentially assault & if they detain them then its potentially unlawful detention.
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Comments 5 of 91