LONDON | UK backs ban on upskirting photos after lawmaker blocks it
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LONDON | UK backs ban on upskirting photos after lawmaker blocks it
LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government said Monday it would propose a ban on “upskirting” photos after an opposition attempt to outlaw the practice was derailed by a lone Conservative lawmaker.
Christopher Chope sparked outrage Friday when he single-handedly blocked a bill to ban covertly photographing under people’s clothes, even though the government had expressed support for it.
Because the legislation was introduced by a single lawmaker, rather than by the government, the objection of one parliamentarian was enough to stop it in its tracks.
Chope, who has a history of blocking private members’ bills, later said he did not object to the content of the law, just the way it was introduced. He told the Bournemouth Daily Echo that “the suggestion that I am some kind of pervert is a complete travesty of the truth.”
But Chope faced anger and mockery, including from his own Conservative colleagues. Over the weekend, the door to his office in Parliament was festooned with women’s underpants.
Prime Minister Theresa May’s office said Monday that the government would adopt the Voyeurism (Offenses) Bill, giving it more parliamentary time and a better chance of becoming law.
“We will ensure this bill becomes law,” said Justice Minister Lucy Frazer. “By making it a specific offense, we are sending a clear message that this behavior will not be tolerated, and that perpetrators will be properly punished.”
Upskirting involves taking a photo or video under someone’s clothing without their consent. The practice is illegal in Scotland, where it carries a maximum two-year prison sentence. It is notspecifically banned in England and Wales, although it can be prosecuted under public decency or harassment laws.
