~Note that it's been illegal in the UK (or is it just in London?) for some time (since shortly after the 7/7 bombings iirc) - deemed surveillance for potentially untoward acts under anti-terrorism laws.~ [See correction in reply.]

Not taking a view on it really, just saying it's not unprecedented or perhaps as necessarily crazy as it might first seem.

But then, the USA is different, the policing is at least in the eyes of many more/too militarised and unlawful itself, and there's a community around 'auditing' police work to review its lawfulness etc. (Which, afaik, doesn't really happen here.) So, when you have that, it is hard not to see this as taking away that liberty. Versus here, yeah, ok, worst case a bobby asks me to delete a great photo that he happened to walk into; if it might help combat terrorism that's probably fine.

Not to say it wasn't objected to - historically there's been a principle of police (and other emergency services) not having any more rights or different treatment than any other citizen, no harsher sentence for assaulting/murdering a police officer for example. But that ships sailed a few times to varying degrees anyway.