Updated: Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of the National Union of Journalists has held a lone protest at New Scotland Yard to protest against the increasing restrictions of press photography in the capital and what the union describes as the failure of law enforcement officers to protect media freedoms.

These, including alleged assaults on photographers by police officers, seizure of photographic equipment and denial of access to press photographers.

“Police officers are preventing photographers from reporting on important events with action that is at times bordering on harassment”, said Dear. “In an open and democratic society it’s vital that photographers and members of the media are free to report on what is going on in the world.”

The union has written to both New Scotland Yard and the Home Office to raise awareness of the issue.