Playpark fears lead to calls for photos of kids without consent to be outlawed
Calls for the photographing of children to be made a criminal offence come after concerns were made regarding suspicious behaviour at parks across Scotland.
A Scots councillor has called for kids being photographed without their consent to be made a criminal offence.
There have been repeated claims about incidents at public parks in Scotland involving children being pictured by strangers, with many of these not resulting in police action. The claims have led to calls to tighten up legislation surrounding capturing images in public spaces, with this currently only being covered by breach of the peace laws.
Police have been urged to put on extra patrols at Robertson Park in Renfrew due to concerns about child safety, with Scottish Labour councillor Jamie McGuire claiming that they have committed to this. He spoke about ensuring that parks are a safe place for kids to play as tensions rise in the community.
The Renfrew North and Braehead representative told the Scottish Daily Express: "Law and order is essential to keeping our communities safe, and I welcome the increased attention being given to Robertson Park by both Police Scotland and Renfrewshire Council. CCTV footage is now being reviewed, and monitoring in the area has been stepped up following the recent incidents.
"I've asked for more visible patrols from both police and council officers, particularly at key times of day, to make sure families and young people feel safe using the park. These incidents have caused understandable concern in the community, and rightly so.
"One of the most disturbing reports is that individuals have been taking photographs of children in the park. Let me be absolutely clear: this is completely unacceptable and should be treated as a criminal offence. It is wrong on every level and deeply distressing for any parent or young person.
"I'll continue to press for strong and coordinated action to ensure this behaviour is stopped, those responsible are held to account, and Robertson Park remains a safe and welcoming place for everyone."
Unconfirmed reports have been published on a local social media page which claimed that men were acting aggressively towards children and teenagers, including taking pictures of them.
Community pages across the central belt have been swamped with allegations that strangers have been taking pictures of children, with incidents reported in Drumchapel, Dalmuir, Saltcoats and Shettleston, as well as in Edinburgh.
Police Scotland released a statement after two men in Paisley were charged with "breach of the peace" following an incident which took place at Barshaw Park in the town on Mother's Day.
Assistant Chief Constable Catriona Paton said: 'Given concerns about filming, I would ask people to remind anyone videoing or photographing in public to respect those around them. Police officers balance the rights of people to film with the potential to cause fear or alarm and make decisions based on individual circumstances.
'I would encourage responsible use of social media and ask people not to share speculation or inaccurate information. Please think twice about what you read, share and believe from online sources. It is not illegal to take photographs or video footage in public places unless it is for criminal purposes.'
Police Scotland said it hadn't receive any reports of pictures being taken at Robertson Park.
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