A couple of weeks ago I was on the overland train to Camden Town, London when a tourist was taking a photo out the window. Some local got up and harassed him, telling him he wasn’t allowed to take photos on the train, then went and sat down again. Rolling my eyes I suggested he ignore the wannabe fink, but he meekly complied, not knowing any better.
Bruce Schneier has a theory on why some people think photographers are a threat: because that’s what the terrorists do in the movies, right.
He also includes some handy links to wallet documents on photographer’s legal rights that can help you if you get harassed. Here’s a UK one.