Queensland man rams a world of trouble at the US Embassy

Russ said :

banco said :

I’m curious if there’s actually a law or the AFP is just making stuff up and trying to intimidate law abiding citizens.

Last time I checked (and I have had reason to), there are no prescribed buildings in Canberra that you are not allowed to photograph. Provided you are standing on public land while doing it, there’s no law against it (if you are on their land, all they can do is ask you to leave, and if you don’t then trespass comes into play).

From the sound of it, the poster was pulled up by what used to be called a Protective Service officer who are not sworn police officers, rather one level up from a private security guard. Unfortunately, these days they’re all badged as AFP making it hard to distinguish between real police and a uniformed bouncer. Real police would (or at least should) be aware of the relevant laws.

So basically they are acting outside the law by the sound of it.

banco said :

I’m curious if there’s actually a law or the AFP is just making stuff up and trying to intimidate law abiding citizens.

Last time I checked (and I have had reason to), there are no prescribed buildings in Canberra that you are not allowed to photograph. Provided you are standing on public land while doing it, there’s no law against it (if you are on their land, all they can do is ask you to leave, and if you don’t then trespass comes into play).

From the sound of it, the poster was pulled up by what used to be called a Protective Service officer who are not sworn police officers, rather one level up from a private security guard. Unfortunately, these days they’re all badged as AFP making it hard to distinguish between real police and a uniformed bouncer. Real police would (or at least should) be aware of the relevant laws.

banco said :

I’m curious if there’s actually a law or the AFP is just making stuff up and trying to intimidate law abiding citizens.

My understanding is that if you do it from the street, there’s no problem with taking photos. e.g., There are pretty clear shots on Google Streetview of the main gate of the embassy.

And who’s the blonde you can see in them?

Ben_Dover said :

Had an interesting encounter at the Yank Embassy. I was filming around and about Canberra to show me dear old mum back in Blighty where I live. I thought I’d shoot some of the embassies for their interesting architecture.

Guess which was the only one I was prevented from filming? Yup, the bastion of the free world, was scared of me mother.

I asked the cop why I had to stop recording, as no other embassy had objected.

“Well you know, they’ve had problems with terrorists’ over there.”

I pointed out that we in Blighty had had years sustained terrorism, pub bombings and Embassies sieges, some, most even, of which was funded by the Yanks, and we weren’t that shy.

“Ah well, you have to remember that some nations are more paranoid than others…”

To be fair though, Britain is probably the biggest nanny state in the Western world. At least in the US the police can’t arrest you simply because they don’t like how you’re dressed, what you’re saying or what you’re doing.

Ben_Dover said :

Had an interesting encounter at the Yank Embassy. I was filming around and about Canberra to show me dear old mum back in Blighty where I live. I thought I’d shoot some of the embassies for their interesting architecture.

Guess which was the only one I was prevented from filming? Yup, the bastion of the free world, was scared of me mother.

I asked the cop why I had to stop recording, as no other embassy had objected.

“Well you know, they’ve had problems with terrorists’ over there.”

I pointed out that we in Blighty had had years sustained terrorism, pub bombings and Embassies sieges, some, most even, of which was funded by the Yanks, and we weren’t that shy.

“Ah well, you have to remember that some nations are more paranoid than others…”

I’m curious if there’s actually a law or the AFP is just making stuff up and trying to intimidate law abiding citizens.

magiccar9 said :

I honestly feel sorry for this guy. For what should have been a simple neg driving traffic infringement, he’s now being charged with a much heftier crime.

ABC reports:

“The court heard security staff saw Richardson driving slowly around the high-security embassy, in the suburb of Yarralumla, about 6:00pm on Wednesday. It is alleged he then turned off his lights, drove to within 20 metres of the main gate, revved his engine then rammed into it.”

Neg drive, you reckon?

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-07-11/mental-health-assessment-for-us-embassy-driver/4813776/?&section=news

IrishPete said :

Canberra attracts a fair bit of “mental health” tourism, what with people being paranoid about the government, ASIO (both based here) and the USA (whose embassy is here). And sometimes they come here to try to meet the Prime Minister to talk about their great invention, or to seek his/her intervention in an imaginary financial dispute with someone.

And that’s without mentioning the High Court and Family Court.

IP

Don’t Mention The Family Court! Aarrggh…too late…

It’s been over ten years now since I last darkened the door of that monstrous hellhole, but you’ve come up with a bloody good idea! I’ll tell them it was the idea of some Irish bloke named Pete when they come to collect me. 🙂

magiccar9 said :

Erg0 said :

magiccar9 said :

The driver is clearly a bewildered – and bad driving – tourist not a terrorist ffs. What a world we now live in…

According to ABC news, he checked himself out of a mental health facility a few hours earlier. So not a tourist, no.

OK fair enough – based my assumption on the much mentioned QLD plates. I stand corrected.

Queensland is a mental health facility.
I think the guy who drove his Pajero into the Great Hall at Parliament House about 20 years ago was a banana bender also.

Canberra attracts a fair bit of “mental health” tourism, what with people being paranoid about the government, ASIO (both based here) and the USA (whose embassy is here). And sometimes they come here to try to meet the Prime Minister to talk about their great invention, or to seek his/her intervention in an imaginary financial dispute with someone.

And that’s without mentioning the High Court and Family Court.

IP

Erg0 said :

magiccar9 said :

The driver is clearly a bewildered – and bad driving – tourist not a terrorist ffs. What a world we now live in…

According to ABC news, he checked himself out of a mental health facility a few hours earlier. So not a tourist, no.

OK fair enough – based my assumption on the much mentioned QLD plates. I stand corrected.