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I havent read all the thread but did read the statement from the OP that stated that the marshals generally agreed that they should/could stop the filming and that others disagreed.
For what it is worth I am both a MSA Marshal and a Semi Pro motorsport photographer.
If I had got the shots of the crash I would have retained them until I had been able to ascertain if the drivers and the surrounding public were OK. This should be done after the incident has been cleared and by contact with the media office at the circuit. If everyone was OK I would use the images, if they were not the delete button would be used. This is my own personal ethos and one I know I share with an awful lot of the longer term pro photographers. I know because I eat and drink with them.
As a marshal I am in a position where, despite any 'freedom of information' rubbish is being spouted, or if it is my role or not, I can to what I think is a decent human response. I would have no hesitation in trying to A: Protect the drivers dignity and privacy and respecting his/her rights and the expectation that family should be taken into consideration and B: Understanding my role in protecting the scene while the rescue crews work. It is part of the training and is covered in correctly produced Volunteers in Motorsport DVD's. I personally dont buy into the arguement that the video would be used for training.
In these days of instant communication the video taken at an event can be on the internet within m inutes. Imagine a member of the family seeing footage of a driver dying before they had even been contacted by the emergency services!
To use comparisions with war footage and riots is crass, it tries to dignify actions that what I hope most of us would find wrong. However it may be a generational thing given what passes for entertainment now.
I think the only issue here is not what the marshals did in preventing the OP from entering the area but the way that they did it. However I can say that the adrenalin that surges when we respond to incidents is high, it has to be as it is the fight or flight mechanism. As marshals we use that adrenalin to run towards the scene not away, this is to protect life not service or gain from a voyeristic need. In those circumstances if someone was being over pushy, I have no doubt that I probably would have been aggressive in my response and I would'nt expect to have to defend my response afterwards.
Sometimes a whisper works, sometimes you need to shout and sometimes you shout without thinking about it.
I believe the original post stated that it was more than one marshal responding and this does point to the OP being a bit too keen to get to the scene.
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