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Union to meet store bosses after photographer’s ‘assault’

A freelance photographer who claims she was assaulted by a security guard while taking photos of a peaceful protest at a Topshop store cancelled plans to hold a protest there at the weekend.

The National Union of Journalists is backing photographer Jess Hurd who has been banned from the Topshop in London’s Oxford Circus following the incident last December.

Jess had called a protest to take place at the store last Saturday after she failed to get an apology from Topshop but backed down from this after senior bosses at the company agreed to meet with the union, who had written a letter of complaint.

She said that the incident occured when she was taking photos of the arrests of UK Uncut protestors in the store and she was asked to leave by a security guard, who said he was arresting her for aggravated trespass.

NUJ general secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “I am glad Topshop have seen sense and have responded to the complaint. Journalists play a critical public interest role in reporting on protests so the public are informed about what was happening.

“It is simply unacceptable that NUJ members face abuse and harassment whilst doing their jobs.” 

Describing the incident with the security guard, Jess said: “He began manhandling me. I said, ‘I’m a member of the press, I don’t understand why you are arresting me, I’m trying to leave’. He continued to use force to move me towards the back of the store and pulled my clothing up, exposing my upper body.

“I was sure that he didn’t have arrest powers and challenged again, he then said he was detaining me for ‘resisting arrest’. He was using quite a lot of force and I was shouting ‘you’re assaulting me, get your hands off me’.

She was then detained by two police officers who asked to take her camera, which she declined.

Jess, who is chair of the London Photographers’ branch of the NUJ, was then released but told that she was banned from the store.

Topshop has not responded to requests for a comment.

7 comments

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  • August 13, 2012 at 9:47 am
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    Sounds like a clear case of indecent assault to me…

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  • August 13, 2012 at 11:15 am
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    makes you wonder how safe solo reporters are doing street interviews nowadays and space-filling vox pops? A lot of crazy people out there, and not all of them hacks.

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  • August 13, 2012 at 11:27 am
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    Glad to see that the NUJ is pursuing this complaint, and glad that Jess Hurd responded appropriately to what happened. It’s becoming harder to protest peacefully (not allowed at the diamond jubilee or the Olympics), and it also seems that it’s becoming harder for NUJ members to do their job properly without threats or arrest. Unacceptable in a democracy, and particularly in a Big Society, Dave……..

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  • August 13, 2012 at 1:13 pm
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    I don’t know anything about Jess Hurd but UK Uncut are a tiresome bunch of wailing left-wing agitators on a par with the worst of the ideological lefty nitwits at the NUJ. I feel some sympathy for the security guard who might now lose his job after getting mixed up in this so-called ‘peaceful protest’ at Topshop of all places. The whole event sounds like a cheap political stunt with very little genuine news value.

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  • August 13, 2012 at 3:05 pm
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    It all depends where Ms Hurd was when she took the pictures. If she was inside the store without permission then the store had every right to eject her as legally she was trespassing on their property. If that’s the case then she really doesn’t have a leg to stand on. If she was outside looking in and shot the pictures while standing in the street then the store had no right to manhandle her or prevent her from taking pictures as she would’ve been on public highway. Interesting.

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  • August 14, 2012 at 9:20 am
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    How does campaigning for rich people to pay their taxes like the rest of us make someone a ‘lefty nitwit’?

    It seems right-wing agitators pick and choose their morals as and when it suits them.

    When poor people shirk their responsibilities – ie. live on benefits and make no attempt to find work – it’s an outrage.

    But when rich people shirk their responsibilities – ie. funnel all their money off-shore and dodge their taxes – anyone who gets upset about it is a ‘lefty nitwit’.

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  • August 14, 2012 at 4:06 pm
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    Totally agree with UnhappySnapper.

    If she was actually inside the store and asked to leave, then she must leave, as it’s private property. Shooting on the public street is a different ball game.

    If the photographer was man-handled, either inside or outside the store, then there’s possibly a case for assault against security staff.

    Not 100% sure, but as far as I’m aware a rent-a-cop (security guard) cannot make an arrest, only a REAL police officer.

    I’ll be interested to see the outcome.

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