Is it legal for the police to prohibit bystanders from filming while performing their duties?

It is legal for the police to prohibit bystanders from taking pictures while performing their duties.

The police prohibit bystanders from taking pictures, which is an on-site control measure according to the provisions of the People's Police Law, including:

Close the site and related areas, and no one can enter without inspection and approval; ?

Set up warning tape and delimit the warning area; ?

Implement regional traffic control;

Guard key targets; ?

Check the identity cards of the on-site personnel and check the items carried by the suspects; ?

Without the approval of the on-site headquarters, no one is allowed to engage in recording, video recording, photography, interview, reporting and other activities at the scene of the incident.

According to Article 17 of the People's Police Law of the People's Republic of China

The public security organs of the people's governments at or above the county level may, with the approval of the public security organs at higher levels and the people's governments at the same level, exercise on-site control over emergencies that seriously endanger public order.

The people's police of the public security organ may, in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, take necessary measures to forcibly disperse, and forcibly take those who refuse to obey away from the scene or immediately detain them.