Metropolitan Police press cards
01 May 1991
The Metropolitan Police has refused to issue its press card to three freelance photographers who work regularly at public events in London. The Metropolitan Police refuses to recognise the press card issued by the NUJ and issues its own. The three photographers refused to hand over their films of the Wapping confrontations with the police three years ago.
They were then charged with Contempt of Court for failing to comply with court orders to surrender their pictures to the police. In accordance with the policy of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) they gave their pictures to the NUJ who vouchsafed them with the International Federation of Journalists in Brussels. They were then acquitted of the charge on the grounds that they no longer had control of the pictures. One of the three photographers Andrew Wiard says:
"These new refusals prove what the union has always said - that if you let the police issue cards they will control who can work as a journalist."
Journalist April 1991.