Flashmob protest hits Multrees Walk as photo ban row escalates

Stefan Karpa - aka StevieFish and fotofan001 - with 'Mr Daylight', left

A flashmob of around two dozen disgruntled snappers visited the area yesterday to take photos of the designer shops to oppose the "ridiculous" ban on taking pictures in the area.

The no-pictures policy came to light after local resident Stefan Karpa, also known as StevieFish and fotofan001, was escorted off the privately-owned street by four security guards after he took shots of a window display at Firetrap clothing store.

Since then, angry photographers have linked to YouTube videos of the incident recorded by Mr Karpa, sparking a debate as to whether Multrees Walk owners can legally enforce the policy, while others have heavily criticised the ban, which Multrees Walk bosses said was enforced due to the threat of ram-raiders.

Many members of the small crowd yesterday took pictures of Firetrap and other designer outlets under the watchful eye of six police officers, but they were not prevented from doing so. Security staff did not attend the peaceful protest.

Mr Karpa told the Evening News he felt his treatment last Thursday had been "concerning" and "unnecessary". He said: "It would go too far to call their actions threatening, but they were aggressive. They followed me down the street when I had left Multrees Walk and demanded I delete the photos."

When asked why he'd returned to protest, he said: "To stand up for my rights and take some photographs. I don't feel that anybody has the right to say I can or I can't when I'm on a public street."

A fellow protester, Darren King, from Mortonhall, said: "I've been harassed near here before and I thought it was pretty terrible.

"If you were a tourist innocently taking a picture, would they ban them, and if so, what does that say for this city?"

Anthony Robson, from Duddingston, added: "Where is the signage on this street? I see nothing indicating that I cannot take pictures.

"If I was prepared to cross the bollards at either end of this street to ram-raid a shop, I hardly think taking a picture is going to stop me."

The incident had gained coverage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which has helped generate plenty of commentary on the ban.

Several people demanded to know if taxpayers were funding the maintenance of the street, but the council confirmed this was not the case. It is, however, listed as a public highway.

Some have spoken out in support of Multrees Walk, pointing out that the area is privately-owned and therefore can enforce its own rules, but others have maintained that its status as a public highway should mean that photography is permitted.

A spokesman for Multrees Walk pointed out that its 'no photographs policy is one that is commonly enforced in private areas, but he added that the owners would carefully consider the recent events.

He said: "It may well be that one of the things we need to look at is better signage. The last thing we want is someone being escorted off the street. We're keen to learn lessons from this."