Because photography is such a big part of GMG, I thought readers might be interested in this.
Since 9/11 many street photographers have been stopped from photographing federal buildings from public property by law enforcement or security personnel. These photographers, both amateur and professional, have been told that such activity is illegal and, in some cases, they have been ordered to destroy any images that have been taken or have been threatened with arrest.
It has never been illegal to photograph public buildings from public spaces and a court decision in October 2010 made that clear. Now the Department of Homeland Security has codified that decision by issuing an information bulletin upholding the rights of photographers in these cases.
The full DHS bulletin is here.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Too often, security guards aren’t properly trained. I’m willing to bet that uninformed security guards, police and “rent-a-cops” will continue to harass photographers simply because they don’t know any better. Photographers will continue to have the burden to prove that they are in the right.
I can’t think of a Federal building I care to photograph right now, but if I ever have the urge, I’m bringing that DHS bulletin with me.
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It isn’t just Federal buildings. When I was in East Boston, I knew a number of photographers who were chased down (one by a helicopter) and threatened for photographing LNG tankers coming into the inner harbor and Chelsea Creek. Maybe from a distance they can’t differentiate a camera from a rocketlauncher.
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Interesting photo and article. I too did not know about photographing Federal buildings. Does that mean Post Offices also?? Now tell me, why would Homeland Security be dumb enough to put a sign outside their building? Anyone going there knows where it is. I retired from a major defense company and after 9/11 they took all their huge signs down and put up very small ones. But Homeland Security should know better…it makes me feel real safe that someone can just follow their sign……
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If you did not see this PBS broadcast, you may be interested in seeing it. This is pertinent to what is going on in our harbor. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/are-we-safer/?utm_campaign=viewpage&utm_medium=grid&utm_source=grid
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Since 9/11 and the ensuing Patriot Act, privacy and civil liberties have been on a runaway train towards a tyranical police state. Everyone should do some research themselves to see just how far we’ve come down that primrose path. The new cameras in town are run by the Homeland security Administration and everyone should have some concerns about this.
“Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security”
– Benjamin Franklin
An interesting article related to the photography of public building, restrictions, and
other breeches of our civil liberties:
http://www.infowars.com/articles/ps/photography_restricted_in%20new_jersey.htm
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