Apologies: Franc David, Guy Smallman, Larry Herman

Present: Jason N. Parkinson, Jess Hurd, Philip Wolmuth, Isabelle Merminod, Jane Hobson, Jules Mattsson, Jonathan Warren, Marc Vallee

New Members: Three full – Cliff Hide, Alexander Taylor, Engarni Pindado

Minutes of the last committee meeting: Passed

Matters arising: None

Motions: None

Review of previous branch meeting: International Affairs – A Panel Discussion on Working Abroad

There was a good response from the meeting, although it was raised that the LPB meetings should not be seen to be repeating Photoforum events.

Theme for forthcoming branch meeting: Ground Control: Security and Privatised Public Space – Philip Wolmuth reported Ground Control book author Anna Minton had agreed to sperak at the meeting, although dates were not confirmed. He agreed to secure this and added he would check the availability of the book’s photographer John Davies to show his work.

Reports

Chair: Jess Hurd

Reported been working on Annual Report.

Marc Vallee raised issue with a recent exchange on the committee email list regarding the timing of posts to the branch website.  The matter was resolved after it was accepted that there had been a difference of interpretation of the original email from the Chair.

Jules Mattson suggested that website access should be made available to all committee members so that, when the website editor is unavailable, postings can be agreed by other committee members via the email list.  This was agreed.

Secretary: Jason N. Parkinson

Nothing to Report

Learning: Philip Wolmuth, Isabelle Merminod

Photoshop course, two people have expressed an interest in tutoring. This was still to be decided.  The course would go ahead one day in January and would be held at the Amnesty offices.

Treasurer & Web Editor: Jonathan Warren

Reported two auditors need to be elected in January.

Reported he would not continue in the role of Treasurer or Web Editor

Legal: Marc Vallee

Student Protest (09.12.10)

Branch member Justin Tallis had his camera and lens damaged (lens broken from the mount) after a Baton charge by police.

Branch Secretary & Welfare Officer Jason N. Parkinson was “batoned” across the left leg 10 minutes into protest and has also reported to the Branch Committee that he was repeatedly “kicked and kneed” outside EQ2 Centre in Westminster.  Jason also reported that he suffered a “shield to face and chest” on Whitehall along with being “forcibly removed by a Sergeant on upper Whitehall who said he “couldn’t careless about press freedom.”

Branch Committee member Jules Mattsson  reported to the Branch Committee that, “The violence against photographers yesterday (09.12.10) was very high, I saw a lot of
trashed gear and I myself had a body and lens written off when I was thrown to the floor by police, as well as having injuries to my leg from a police horse. Personally the worst physical violence I experienced was when all other photographers had left and the police charged the crowd onto embankment bridge and held them there for some time, causing violence, where a group of police went for me with physical violence and verbal abuse.”

Jules also reported that he saw and recorded a police officer searching a photographer under Section 43  Terrorism Act.

Branch member Mike Russell reported on the EPUK mailing list* the following,  “One cop on the Westminster Bridge line refused to let me back into the Square, saying my (NUJ) card wasn’t a proper card like ITN etc. I reached for my phone to call the press office and the cop next to him asked to see the card, said “this is legit” and let me through. I asked the next line at the entrance to the square whether I’d be able to get out on the north side, he said “we’ve been told to let anyone with a press card come and go as they wish”.

“When I did exit on the north side they were carrying away a couple of injured up the street, I took pictures and wasn’t hassled in the usual way. So overall a better experience, although I wasn’t in any of the rucks so dunno about violence.”

*Mike has given me permission to report his comments on EPUK to the Branch.

Evening Standard photographer Nigel Howard and Freelance Branch member also reported on the EPUK mailing list* the following, “…police were polite mainly hassle free…” Nigel also went on to say,  “I was speaking with David Hoffman a couple of days ago and we both agree that the police attitude towards the press and in particular photographers has been very good and NON obstructive,  great news!”

*Nigel has also given me permission to report his comments on EPUK to the Branch.

Branch member Andrew Wiard reported on the EPUK mailing list* the following,

“In Parliament Square I was hit repeatedly over the head with a truncheon. Given that at the time I was standing in the front row of an angry crowd trying to break through police barriers protecting Parliament, this was hardly surprising. Given that I was wearing a hard hat, no harm done. But even if there had been, I would have had no cause to complain.

“The police gave repeated warnings before using force as a last resort, a procedure they followed throughout the rest of the day. During later baton charges the police did not hit me once, I think because they took me for a press photographer, and though I’m sure there must have been exceptions, they generally went out of their way in very trying circumstances to let us get on with our job.

“When I finally decided to leave, through tightly locked down cordons, I was politely asked for my press card, upon presentation of which I simply went on my way.  All in all, what a dramatic improvement since the G20 riots. So much for us – what about police handling of the demonstrators? As I have had little experience abroad I should be careful about drawing too sweeping a conclusion, but I do think that had  the police force of any other capital city been in charge there would have been dozens of people in hospital. Here the police permitted  thousands of people to protest right outside Parliament, while keeping a lid on the predictable violence using minimum necessary force. The Met at their finest. ”

*Andrew has also given me permission to report his comments on EPUK to the Branch.

The day after the protest I contacted the Branch Committee, Jeremy Dear, Roy Mincoff and John Toner via email requesting that we do a call out on the Branch and main NUJ website asking NUJ members who covered the student protest to contact the Branch/Headland House for reports on what took place so we could collate the information with a view to taking further action if needed.

So far no officer from Headland House has got back to me on this.  I think the Branch could and should go ahead and do the call out on the Branch website so we can get as much feedback and comment as we can.

Carmen Valino & Jules Mattsson

As reported at the November Branch meeting I have been dealing with a number of matters on behalf of branch members Carmen Valino and Jules Mattsson.  I’m still waiting to hear back from Roy Mincoff the unions Legal Officer.

Personal Statement

I have to report to the meeting that I will not be standing for re-election to the Branch Committee at the Branch annual general meeting in the new year.

2011 is going to be a very busy year for me. I’m going to be working on new projects which will include working abroad.

Also I have recently been diagnosed with a serious medical condition – which I’m having treatment for – which has understandable made me re-evaluate my priorities.

It has been a privilege to have helped create and be elected to the position of Legal Rep – a job I have found rewarding and will dearly miss.

If any Branch member would like to know more about the Legal Rep job with a view of standing for the position I would be happy to put some time aside to talk to them about it.

I will continue as an active rank and file member of the Branch and look forward to playing my role in helping to build the Branch.

A.O.B: None

Branch Committee Meeting, Minutes
This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 at 5:00 pm by Jason Parkinson and is filed under Minutes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS Feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.