Taking pictures of an American Embassy . . .
Dec 30, 2007, 9:18 am
#61
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Windermere
Posts: 286
Probably no surprise here...
In Teheran this May (2007), my driver could barely tolerate slowing down in front of the former US embassy. Apparently a previous client had wielded a camera from the car, prompting an arrest (brief) for a European businessman. Of course, while the reliabilty of his story is questionable, the tension in the auto during our slow "drive-by" was real.
Sep 14, 2017, 6:15 pm
#62
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 1
Taking pictures of an American Embassy...I am American!`
Was in Berlin this past weekend touring the city and finally getting an understanding of my 5th grade history class (a few decades later!).
So we're on a walking tour of the city, somewhere in between the square where the students of Humboldt University burned the books and the Brandenberg Gate when we stumble across the temporary home of the U.S. Embassy (its being re-built at the moment elsewhere). Wow, what an imposing building--oops, not the building, the gates, spiky poles, armed police (ironically there were 8 armed police outside the embassy, while there were 2 outside Merkel (the german chancellor)'s flat), and, most notably, the huge signs saying no pictures (despite the really cool Christmas tree they had in front that would be great for a picture). How rediculous--I can't take a picture of my own Embassy?! What I find ironic is EVERY OTHER embassy had no issues with pictures and the rules were not the US Embassy's rule--the sign clearly indicated that it was a city ordinance. Go figure. Interestingly, the embassy is being re-built right outside the Brandenberg gate (probably the most photographed site in Berlin). I am really curious to see how they're going to ban pictures there!
Another interesting point during our tour was when our tour guide starting talking about Hitler's rise to power . . . it was something like "he went to parliament [congress] talking about all the problems the country was facing and how the constitution needed to be suspended and he needed the right to do wiretaps without warrants, etc." Hmm . . . sounds familiar.
Don't read into my post too much--I generally don't mind security (provided they're friendly and not like some (not all) of the TSA agents I've encountered in EWR and generally don't get too uptight about my civil liberties and stuff, but this trip made the two points I noted above really jump out at me!
So we're on a walking tour of the city, somewhere in between the square where the students of Humboldt University burned the books and the Brandenberg Gate when we stumble across the temporary home of the U.S. Embassy (its being re-built at the moment elsewhere). Wow, what an imposing building--oops, not the building, the gates, spiky poles, armed police (ironically there were 8 armed police outside the embassy, while there were 2 outside Merkel (the german chancellor)'s flat), and, most notably, the huge signs saying no pictures (despite the really cool Christmas tree they had in front that would be great for a picture). How rediculous--I can't take a picture of my own Embassy?! What I find ironic is EVERY OTHER embassy had no issues with pictures and the rules were not the US Embassy's rule--the sign clearly indicated that it was a city ordinance. Go figure. Interestingly, the embassy is being re-built right outside the Brandenberg gate (probably the most photographed site in Berlin). I am really curious to see how they're going to ban pictures there!
Another interesting point during our tour was when our tour guide starting talking about Hitler's rise to power . . . it was something like "he went to parliament [congress] talking about all the problems the country was facing and how the constitution needed to be suspended and he needed the right to do wiretaps without warrants, etc." Hmm . . . sounds familiar.
Don't read into my post too much--I generally don't mind security (provided they're friendly and not like some (not all) of the TSA agents I've encountered in EWR and generally don't get too uptight about my civil liberties and stuff, but this trip made the two points I noted above really jump out at me!
On another note, where the hell is the complaints form to submit? I have been looking all over the sites and cannot find where you can submit a sincere complaint. They can just keep doing this without any real laws behind it and there is no evidence that citizens are being railroading for it.
I cannot understand.
Sep 14, 2017, 11:11 pm
#63
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Central California
Programs: Former UA Premex, now dirt
Posts: 6,531
That is pretty clear.
First, welcome to Flyer Talk.
Second, resurrecting a 10 year-old thread is a violation of posting rules.
I suspect the problem with photographing an embassy is a concern for terrorist planning. Photographs could be part of that.
First, welcome to Flyer Talk.
Second, resurrecting a 10 year-old thread is a violation of posting rules.
I suspect the problem with photographing an embassy is a concern for terrorist planning. Photographs could be part of that.
Sep 16, 2017, 3:36 pm
#64
Moderator: Travel Buzz
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Sunny San Diego
Posts: 3,098
Hi Guerra,
Welcome to FT.
Moderator note: As abmj-jr noted, we try to keep topics fresh. Since safety and security measures may change from place to place and in times of heightened or more relaxed security threats, I'm going to close this thread. Thank you.
Welcome to FT.
Moderator note: As abmj-jr noted, we try to keep topics fresh. Since safety and security measures may change from place to place and in times of heightened or more relaxed security threats, I'm going to close this thread. Thank you.