Picture credit: Chris Lafbury
A group of photography enthusiasts say they were made to feel like paedophiles when security guards banned them from taking pictures at the Winter Wonderland fair in Hyde Park, London.
Chris Lafbury was among several members of Chingford Photographic Society attempting to take pictures of ?people having fun? when they were approached by private security guards at the annual Christmas attraction which includes an ice rink.
?They [security guards] said they had received ?several? complaints from parents that we had been taking pictures of their children,? he said.
Lafbury, who agreed some of the images did contain children ?skating and enjoying themselves?, said the group were told they must apply for a permit to take pictures at the fair.
?There were many hundreds of people around with cameras and I did not see any of those being challenged in a similar manner or asked to get permits.?
Speaking to Amateur Photographer Lafbury said he was one of seven club members at the fair, though two had already left when the dispute occurred.
He said they had planned to present their images at an upcoming meeting, but had no plans to publish them.
A spokeswoman for Winter Wonderland Hyde Park told us: ?Our security team had received several complaints from parents that this particular photography group were taking pictures of the children without their consent. As the photographers were not accredited, they were asked to leave.?
She added: ?We request that all photographers from the media and photography groups be accredited before entering Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and adhere to our rules, one of which includes not taking pictures of children.?
