LONDON – Tourists better think twice now before snapping pictures of the iconic British bobby. A new British anti-terrorism law went into effect Monday that could effectively bar photographers from taking pictures of police or military personnel — a move that prompted some 200 photographers to protest outside of Scotland Yard’s headquarters. Although the measure aims to prevent terrorists from taking reconnaissance shots, photographers say it could be misused at a whim to stop any pictures from being taken — especially images involving police abuse and demonstrations. “This law makes it much more difficult to photograph any kind of public demonstration or riot,” said Marc Vallee, a protester and photographer. “The police are already suspicious of photographers and this just gives them more ammunition to stop us at our work.”

Britain has come under fire in recent years for several measures that civil liberties groups say erode people’s freedoms. In 2005, another law prohibited demonstrations around Parliament.

The new act makes it a crime to “elicit, publish or communicate information” about British police or military personnel. It is legal to take photographs in any public space, but photographers complain they have been harassed by police while taking photographs near airports, government buildings or train tracks under the Terrorism Act 2000, which gives police the right to stop, search and question anyone taking photographs.

Ha! As the saying goes, If they didn’t have anything to hide, they wouldn’t mind being photographed. Here are more photos of these terrorists gleefully breaking the law…amusing stuff.