Northern Rail apologises to Sheffield reporter over ‘incorrect’ arrest threat
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Version 0 of 1. A reporter threatened with arrest under anti-terror laws as he filmed a demonstration in Sheffield has been given a personal apology from the rail firm behind the “incorrect” threat. Alex Evans from the Sheffield Star was at the city’s station on Monday to film a protest against travel pass cuts, which ended with the arrest of two pensioners. Evans filmed the demonstration on his mobile phone but was ordered by a member of Northern Rail’s “rail response unit” to delete his footage, citing the Terrorism Act. After Evans filmed for a second time, the rail worker again cited the Act and took his personal details, stressing it was an arrestable offence and that he could face a fine and a criminal record. On Tuesday night Martyn Guiver, Northern Rail’s head of crime management, called Evans to apologise and said that the incident “should not have happened”. According to Evans’ account in the Star, Guiver said the firm was investigating the incident and that it would speak to the person responsible – a security officer contracted to Northern Rail – when he next came on shift. Guiver said: “I want to apologise on behalf of Northern Rail. I can categorically state that it’s not something we would expect to happen. We have in the short term re-briefed all the officers on the law relating to cameras. “It is being progressed, we are looking into it and an investigation is ongoing. For us they do a fantastic job, they are specialist security officers and I would expect their behaviour to reflect that. They are trusted to represent our business so they need to get it right.” A Northern Rail spokeswoman said in a statement on Wednesday: “Following an incident at Sheffield station on Monday, we are supporting the British transport police investigation, which will include speaking to those involved.” “We know the officer in question was incorrect to delete the phone footage and we are rebriefing our rail response team to ensure this does not happen again. We have apologised to Mr Evans for the events that occurred.” James Mitchinson, editor of the Star, told the Guardian on Tuesday that what happened to his reporter was “absolutely unacceptable”. He said the case “illustrates just how difficult it can be to report the news, on the spot when, increasingly, authorities are seeking to ‘manage’ it.” • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email media@theguardian.com or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly “for publication”. • To get the latest media news to your desktop or mobile, follow MediaGuardian on Twitter and Facebook. |