Student protest in Liverpool

I don’t think I’ve seen a bigger protest since the Condi Rice protests in 2006. Loads of police, horses and police dogs. The protest randomly took time out for sit-ins outside Lime St, Town Hall and Berry St. They also played a game of cat and mouse with the police around Liverpool One finally ending outside Chocolate Cellar on Hanover Street. Why? The Conservatives used to work in the office above Chocolate Cellar. There was a big ‘For Sale’ sign outside it and from my perspective it looked like a waste of time. Actually it looked more like they were protesting against chocolate as most of the eggs hit the shop not the office above.

I spent 3hrs covering the event taking 10gb (658) of photos arriving with a set of around 25 that I really liked. (Thank god for digital eh). I make it a point to photograph protests but I don’t publish them now. There’s one simple reason for that. A few months ago I found my photos being used on a nasty website possibly linked with a very right wing group of people. They were using mine and friends of mines photos to list people to target in protests. Not something I want to help by putting out more photos of people protesting. So it always leaves me torn. I shouldn’t let these people win by essentially censoring me from showing what goes on in the world, but at the same time I don’t want to do their dirty work for them. I’m a bit lost really.


Comments

33 responses to “Student protest in Liverpool”

  1. maybe you should watermark your photos with a nice message for the people that have ‘borrowed’ your photos for their nefarious deeds… either that or spend a long time blurring out all the faces…
    I’d not want to be censored by them and ultimately if they want photos of people they’ll got to the demo and take their own so I don’t believe you publishing will make much difference..
    Hard choice though. I don’t envy you but I guess I’ll understand whichever way you decide.

  2. @petemc Nice balance, mate – good words – cool pic – but achieves a result of no identifiable person – so no use to haters

    1. @p3dro that one does yeah but i’m not showing the complete story by not publishing the other 24 photos

      1. @petemc Yeah – I saw the convo earlier. Make your choice. But just b/c there’s a risk they get used badly – reason for not publishing?

        1. @p3dro its the use though. used by people so they know who to target. i’d hate for anyone to get hurt due to my photos

          1. @petemc Ah – hadn’t appreciated it was that serious. Respect.

          2. @p3dro given the crazies involved its so hard to know just how serious it could be. which is a real shame

          3. TheHairyPhotog Avatar
            TheHairyPhotog

            @petemc @p3dro The (ex) journo in me says WTF?! My humanist side says: “respect”.

          4. @petemc I wasn’t there, so can’t really comment further, save to say if you put your pics out there its not your fault

          5. TheHairyPhotog Avatar
            TheHairyPhotog

            @petemc My youngest is a Liv student but was out of town playing tennis for JMU. He agrees with the sentiments but not the shenanigans

          6. TheHairyPhotog Avatar
            TheHairyPhotog

            @petemc @p3dro Sadly I know only too well how even the most innocent shot can be made something else by a biased caption/headline/story 🙁

          7. @TheHairyPhotog @p3dro i wouldn’t be that bothered by a headline, its crazy right wing people creating a rouges gallery that worries me

          8. @TheHairyPhotog its these nutters that i’m concerned about – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwatch

          9. TheHairyPhotog Avatar
            TheHairyPhotog

            @petemc Absolutely!

          10. @TheHairyPhotog they’ve already taken some of mine and others locally. i’d hate to give them more ammo

          11. SakuraPhotogrrl Avatar
            SakuraPhotogrrl

            @petemc :o)

          12. TheHairyPhotog Avatar
            TheHairyPhotog

            @petemc Remember.Good documentary photos live on & be of value far beyond those which are published in a journalistic heat of moment context

          13. @TheHairyPhotog yeah without people doing it the world would never know what actually goes on out there. but still, can’t help but worry

          14. SakuraPhotogrrl Avatar
            SakuraPhotogrrl

            @petemc just dont hdr them

          15. @SakuraPhotogrrl lol no fair :p

          16. SakuraPhotogrrl Avatar
            SakuraPhotogrrl

            @petemc i think the shots you have are very important, they arnt the media if you see what i mean

          17. @SakuraPhotogrrl i think they are too. but after reading about the type of things these people do i don’t wanna help out

          18. SakuraPhotogrrl Avatar
            SakuraPhotogrrl

            @petemc it’s your choice, to me, anything like this needs to be documented these days – who knows, we may not get a chance in the future…

          19. @SakuraPhotogrrl completely agree. i’ll always docu as much as i can, but as to publishing. these people are fluppin disturbed.

          20. @petemc By that I mean – if someone gets a kicking b/c they’re in your pic, you didn’t do the kicking

          21. @p3dro and of course the place was littered with photographers who’ve published already. dunno, just makes me worry

          22. SakuraPhotogrrl Avatar
            SakuraPhotogrrl

            @petemc Pete you document things it’s what you do

          23. @petemc You do what feel’s right – can’t ask for any more

          24. @petemc Great photos Pete. Spotted you pinging about today but was a bit chaotic to say howdy! (Re. Tory offices, Conservative party…

  3. Are there legal avenues you can take to get the mis-use of your photos removed? In the US it would be along the lines of a Cease and Desist order I think, but I don’t know the UK procedures. Saying this because it’s a shame to not publish your interesting work on provocative subjects like this. You gave me the idea to start chronicling protests in my own city.

  4. @petemc nice pic & blog post, really interesting, shame u can’t publish pics, eegits always ruin these things! Hope the Choc Cellar’s ok!

  5. RT @petemc: Photoblogged: Student protest in Liverpool http://petecarr.net/gallery/2010/… #liverpool #photography #livdemo

  6. The Liverpool Conservatives still occupy the office above the Chocolate Shop. They just have the 1st floor tho. The other two floors are still for sale hence the ‘for sale’ sign.