Professional and amateur photographers staged a mass gathering in Trafalgar Square yesterday in protest against stop and searches under the Terror Act 2000.

The event was organised by the “I’m a Photographer, Not a Terrorist” (IAPNAT) campaign group, which claims that police are misusing their power under Section 44 of the act to stop and search without grounds for suspicion in certain designated areas.

The legislation is in place to target suspected terrorists on reconnaissance missions. However photographers snapping subjects ranging from Christmas lights to a fish and chip shop have been stopped. Demonstrator Robert Kirby said: “It’s a climate of fear, which is exactly what terror laws are supposed to fight against.”

The European Court of Human Rights ruled last week that the power to stop and search indiscriminately is unlawful.  The government is appealing against this judgement, but senior figures within the police have admitted that the law is being used improperly. Assistant Commissioner John Yates, head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, said: “Section 44 is being used far too often on a random basis without any reasoning behind its use.”

Section 44 does not grant police particular powers in relation to photography and does not allow them to confiscate or destroy equipment and film. However there are a number of instances where this has occurred, including the confiscation of the cameras of well wishers lined up to see the Queen outside Sandringham Church this Christmas day.

While around 3000 photographers gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, IAPNAT is gaining significant support across the country, with over 14,000 members of its Facebook group.

Despite leaden skies and patchy rain on a cold December afternoon, over 50,000 people from organisations, charities, universities and even schools marched through the heart of London, holding placards aloft –  saying ‘Protect The Poorest’ and ‘Climate Change Kills’ – at The Wave . They were joined by 23 KU students, lecturers and staff in a bid to save the world.

Dressed in blue, with blue painted faces and hands, they danced, drummed and chanted to urge the Government to strike a deal at the climate change summit in Copenhagen to slow global warming.

In Copenhagen, the outlook for agreement is looking increasingly bleak. The summit is in a desperate state, so much so that on Tuesday, PM Gordon Brown flew out two days early in a bid to “raise the ambitions” of the delegates and get proceedings back on track.

Charlotte Zakss, a third year sustainable development student, said: “I believe very strongly that by making our presence known on this march we helped give Ed Miliband the backup he needs to persuade Gordon Brown to support him at the summit with further financial incentives.”

One of the major stalling points in Copenhagen is how much the west will have to contribute to help the poorest nations become greener.

Morris Marah, President of the United Nations Association of KU (UNAKU) who spoke on BBC Radio Four, said: “The leaders came together at the G20 summit and fixed the financial crisis. The same seriousness should be applied to climate change.”

The bloody, violent protests on the streets of Copenhagen, in which almost 1500 activists have been arrested in the last few days, and the bleak situation the summit finds itself in, is a world away from the peaceful optimism of The Wave march - the UK's biggest ever action on climate change - 12 days ago where families and small children turned out to support the demonstration set up by Stop Climate Chaos Coalition.

 Nicole Milloy, a second year sustainable development student, said: “Attending The Wave was moving, heart-warming and inspirational.  Seeing thousands upon thousands of people, of all ages, race and religions joining together to campaign for one vital cause was amazing.”

But only one in a thousand of KU’s 23,000 students turned out to support the issue that has surpassed the global economic crisis as the world’s leading debate. The lack of attendance could be explained as “a matter of priority” with many students facing deadlines at this time of year.

Miss Zakss went on to say: “Personally, I thought it was a real shame that not more Kingston students were there - this is going to affect all of us, we can't hide from it, and no seems to be bothered to do anything about it!”