The National Union of Journalists is urging the BBC to safeguard material, including footage, gathered during the demonstration against spending cut on 26 March.

According to the NUJ, a number of BBC journalists have received emails regarding police attempts to secure un-broadcast journalistic material from the demonstration. “At this stage it appears to be a police ‘fishing trip’ seeking all material,” said NUJ secretary general Jeremy Dear in a statement.

The NUJ has written to the BBC to ask for “assurance the BBC will ask that the police follow proper procedures and seek to secure a court order if they wish to obtain any journalistic material in the possession of the BBC or its employees”.

Writing shortly after protests against rising tuition fees, photographer and blogger Mark Vallée had this advice on protecting journalistic material.