Are the Cops Declaring War On the Paps?
As details continue to trickle in about Tuesday night's wave of arrests, we're starting to see a definite pattern emerging - and the paps seem to be caught in the middle!
We spoke to Steve Whitmore, spokesperson for the LA Sheriff's Department, who confirmed that the photographers arrested Tuesday outside of B2V and Villa were charged and booked with various misdemeanors -the paps arrested outside B2V were charged with obstructing a public walkway, while those picked up outside Villa were charged with obstructing both entrances and sidewalks.
"The code is clear that here is to be no loitering, sitting, or standing in a way that would obstruct an entrance," Whitmore told X17.
Another pap (not one of ours) was arrested outside Social when Britney stopped by with her father on February 16th - but unlike the more recent arrests, this shutterbug is believed to have been charged with vandalism instead of anything related to obstruction.
This makes five photographers arrested in less than five days - could this be part of a larger plan on the part of the police to crack down on the paps?
“What we're going is enforcing the law and that's what we've done and that's what we'll continue doing," Whitmore told X17. "The number of people trying to get a photograph has grown by leaps and bounds and the tactics have been more aggressive.”
Maybe so, but does that give the cops the right to single the paps out? And are new laws really necessary? LA Councilman Dennis Zine of Van Nuys has proposed a "Britney Bill" to give celebs a "personal safety zone." But rather than enact new laws and place the burden on already-overworked police, wouldn't it be more prudent to enforce those already on the books? -- Those that, if enforced correctly, are sufficient?
Even the chief of police would seem to agree with that one - in an interview with KPCC a few days ago, Chief William Bratton said he had "laws coming out of [his] ears" to deal with the paps already!
"We don't need additional laws," the Chief said. "What you have is several young women in this town and several young men basically making fools of themselves and tying up not only my resources but the resources of the media that would do better covering legitimate stories instead of a bunch of airheads running around out there."
But new laws or no new laws, enforcement has to be fair and legal. Telling a mass of photogs to disperse is one thing but telling them they have to turn their cameras off and put them away is another. Remember, folks - this isn't just a case of paps being pests; there are very real First Amendment issues in play here. We're always happy to comply with the law - unless it's being selectively enforced!
What do you think?
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