User:John Cummings/Articles/Andy Aitchison

Andy Aitchison is a freelance photographer

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/oct/22/journalist-gets-police-apology-for-arrest-over-kent-barracks-photos

Arrest
Aitchison arrested on the 28th January 2021 after photographing a protest against the conditions hundreds of asylum seekers face in Napier Barracks where over 100 people have contracted COVID-19 in the previous two weeks. The protest was people throwing buckets of food colouring, water and shampoo against the gates of the barracks for ten minutes. He was charged with charged him with criminal damage of a dwelling and had his mobile phone and camera memory card seized. He was held for 5 hours until being released on bail until the 22nd February, he is not allowed to visit the barracks.

The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on media freedom, Damian Collins, (also the local MP for Folkestone and Hythe) both expressed concern at the arrest.