On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 17:46:21 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 17:25:56 on
Sun, 24 Feb 2008, Peter Masson remarked:
However, the Public Order Act creates the offence of 'in a public place
using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour whereby a
breach of the peace was likely to be occasioned' and someone taking
photographs of children so that their parents took exception could well
fall foul of this.

Which of those activities would be, just the "threatening", or some of
the others?

And why isn't a parent's reaction equally threatening and/or abusive?

That would be up to the police officer or magistrate who had to deal with
the situation.

It doesn't seem to me that taking a photo will often be "threatening"
within the meaning of this law. Whereas expressing a desire to thump the
photographer, is.

AFAIR where anticipation of a simple breach of the peace is concerned
(without resorting to the POA) then any party taking part is liable to
arrest if necessary to prevent the anticipated breach.