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Police Arrest Then “De-Arrest” Photographer

A British newspaper photographer trying to cover a brawl in front of a courthouse was arrested and then “de-arrested” after the police brought the situation under control, according to a UK-based journalism resource Web site.

The site, called HoldTheFrontPage.co.uk, was quoting a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson who coined the term “de-arrested” after the incident.

“A photographer was arrested to prevent a breach of the peace and on suspicion of obstructing a police officer,” the spokesperson said. “Officers brought the situation under control and the photographer was de-arrested and subsequently released.”

The photographer, Sean Wilton of the Manchester Evening News, was ordered along with a fellow news photographer not to take pictures of the faces of the brawlers as police were rounding them up. Wilton said he was arrested when he “tried to speak to the officer about the situation.”

“We weren’t obstructing them at in any way shape or form – they were obstructing us,” said Steve Allen, the other Manchester Evening News photographer at the scene.

Though Wilton was de-arrested, the Manchester Evening News editor has yet to be de-irked, and has asked for an explanation from police.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 at 5:15 pm ET by and is filed under Legal, Newspapers, Photojournalism.

6 Responses to “Police Arrest Then “De-Arrest” Photographer”

  1. Police Arrest Then “De-Arrest” Photographer | Global Community of Photography Says:
    June 14th, 2011 at 5:21 pm

    [...] TweetCONTINUE READING TO SOURCE Police Arrest Then “De-Arrest” Photographer [...]

  2. Art Zaratsyan Says:
    June 14th, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    Funny new term, “de-arrested”, but still censorship is censorship. It seems the freedom of the press is becoming more and more of an unpleasant “nuisance” for those in power.

  3. Fredrik Naumann Says:
    June 14th, 2011 at 6:24 pm

    The continued harassment of photographers in societies that consider themselves democratic is both very ironic and and very sad.
    More on this : http://photographernotaterrorist.org/

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    June 15th, 2011 at 2:00 am

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  5. Julie Says:
    June 16th, 2011 at 12:15 pm

    De-arresting might be a simple procedure, but de-irking? That takes a while.

  6. Alistair Says:
    June 16th, 2011 at 12:22 pm

    I think they’ve used the term ‘de-arrested’ because ‘un-arrested’ just sounds silly, the term ‘false arrest’ might be more appropriate and accurate, to much of this sort of thing going on. At least they weren’t accused on terror charges, another favourite with the police here in dear old blighty…