WEST DENIES PAPARAZZO ASSAULT

Last updated: Monday, November 17, 2008

WEST DENIES PAPARAZZO ASSAULT

Rapper KANYE WEST has defended his right to protect his 'personal space' after he was arrested in Newcastle, England on Friday (14Nov08) for allegedly assaulting a photographer.

Kanye West at Perez Hilton's One Night In Liverpool at Carling Academy - Inside, Liverpool, England - 051108

The Stronger hitmaker was involved in a scuffle with a paparazzo as he exited the city's Tup Tup club in the early hours of the morning.

Photographer Terry Blackburn claimed to have suffered a cut face and bruising after West allegedly pushed his camera into his face. Local police later arrived at West's hotel in nearby Gateshead and detained him on assault charges. He was quizzed by cops but was subsequently released without charge.

And West denies he lashed out at the snapper - insisting it was the commotion surrounding his appearance which got the photographer hurt.

He explains in his official blog, "Here's what happened... when I left the club, I was encountered by a thirsty paparazzi as usual. He felt he had more rights to my space than me, so I put my hand up to prevent him from taking my image.

"I didn't assault him but merely put my hand up to cover his lens. My security yelled, 'Get the camera off him'. I guess in all the commotion the camera scraped his nose."

West and his assistant were arrested over a similar incident at Los Angeles' LAX airport in September (08). The pair was charged with felony vandalism after reportedly smashing a snapper's camera, but the charges were later dropped by the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.

Source: WENN

| Monday, November 17, 2008

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WEST DENIES PAPARAZZO ASSAULT

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