Photographing thugs 'is assault', police tell householder snapping proof of anti-social behaviour

It's the Daily Mail, but given the direction of things in Britain these days I'm buying it:

David Green, 64, and his neighbours had been plagued by the youths from a nearby comprehensive school for months, and was advised by their headmaster to identify them so action could be taken.

But when Mr Green left his £1million London flat to take photographs of the gang, who were aged around 17, he said one threatened to kill him while another called the police on his mobile.

And he claimed that a Police Community Support Officer sent to the scene promptly issued a warning that taking pictures of youths without permission was illegal, and could lead to a charge of assault.

When he started taking pictures, one of them called the cops. That's something right there, law-breakers asking the law for help. But the law sided with them.

Nothing to laugh about. This sort of thing is the natural next step after the right to defend oneself is outlawed. Note that I wrote that the right is outlawed, not removed. Big difference.

One thing worth laughing about is the Daily Mail's alt text for the image they included in the story:

Picture of yobs taken by David Green

Why is it that Green is apparently being treated like the yob?