That said, it seems bizarre for the law to make a distinction between locking and non-locking blade knives. If one considers otherwise equivalent knives, with one locking and one non-locking, I would think that they would both be equally dangerous to the target of a knife attack; the only difference would be that the non-locking one would be more dangerous for the attacker, and would also be more dangerous to someone using it legitimately. I’ve certainly come close to hurting myself with non-locking blades in ways that would be impossible with a locking one.

Pffft! Don’t believe everything you read in the tabloid media/blogs.

There have always been petty officials, and will always be, in every country in the world.

It’s hardly like Communist Europe here. I think you need a little dose of perspective.

Takuan, many observant sikhs do carry a kirpan, or ceremonial dagger, which would most likely be covered under the same exception as the Scots’ sock daggers. It is one of the 5 “k”s of Khalsa (the others are Punjabi words for the bangle, uncut hair, special underpants, and ceremonial wooden comb) My father-in-law, a somewhat less observant Sikh, still carries a standard plastic comb out of habit, but not a pocket knife. Go figure. :-)

The solution is to vote them out. Apparently not enough people in this country or in England are concerned about what’s happening to do that, in spite of the whining on the internet. Kucinich was the ONLY left candidate in the election, and I voted for him. But the Republicans are apparently correct: this is a right of center country. Don’t say it’s not true: voting tells the story.

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/vo050407/text/50407w77.htm

This guy, a friend of a friend of mine:

http://arthurpendragon.ukonline.co.uk

has pretty much established his right to carry a broadsword, including on a motorbike, on the basis that he’s the reincarnation of King Arthur. In the Bath/Avon area, at any rate, the police don’t bother him anymore.

though I’m sure the London, Ontario police could use some yelling at just on general principles.

Ha! My hometown finally makes the news!

There’s not much point in yelling at the London, Ontario police, though, since the local drama queen chief quit, got a job in Toronto, quit after some corruption scandals, and got a cushy OPP job. His main claims to fame were harassing cruisers in the men’s washroom of the public library and overseeing brutal takedowns of peaceful protesters.

OK…issue at hand…what is wrong with people? What do they think stopping people from taking pictures of public buildings is going to do?

Keep passing around those tiger-repellant rocks, guys. OBVIOUSLY it’s working. Sheesh.

According to the PDF file somebody linked to in another comment, the Official Secrets Act 1911 prohibits taking pictures of factories belonging to the Crown, in this case a printworks belonging to HMSO.

Thanks to the quick actions of the London Police, the occupants of the tactically sensitive “old HMSO print works” can sleep easy tonight.

Great job, officers!

You signed a petition asking the Prime Minister to ‘clarify the laws
surrounding photography in public places.’The Prime Minister’s Office has responded to that petition and you can view it here: http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page17959

I can summarise the Government’s response, for the link-weary.

“Of course you can photograph things, unless we say you can’t, in which case we will tase you”

Years ago, when i started drawing The Walking Dead, i had to draw a hospital, so i went to the hospital in my hometown to take some reference pictures. i showed up just after visiting hours had ended and tried to go in, and a nurse told me it was closed, so i turned around and took pictures of the front of the building from the street. Evidently, this disquieted the lady and she called the cops on me, because i got pulled over and hassled later, when i was downtown taking additional reference pictures, and was told that there had been a report of suspicious activity at the hospital.

thankfully i didn’t undergo anything like this poor guy.

…sigh.. i don’t know whether to laugh or weep.

-T

Even if they did require photos, I doubt they would stand right out in the open taking them. Photos of just about any building could be easily taken from a moving car with very little chance of detection.

Whenever I hear or read (“…in these post 9/11 patriot act times..) as the excuse for cops telling me I can’t take a pic, I just roll my eyes and think “WHAT UTTER BULLSHIT.” A terrorist would take covert images, operate covertly, and you’d never catch him. I AM CREATING ART with my camera you stupid fascist pig assholes!

People walk about snapping images with cell phones all days long, doing whatever they like. Those images are immediately mailable to anyone, anywhere. MY CAMERA IS NOT ABLE TO DO THAT!

People are generally assholes for letting this happen unchecked.