A lawsuit has been filed against rapper Kanye West for physically assaulting a paparazzo last month.
According to the Los Angeles Times, attorney Gloria Allred filed the suit on behalf of the photographer. "We are concerned that celebrity support for an attack on photographers will increase the risk of harm to them," Allred said. She also said that her client simply exercised his First Amendment rights.
On July 19, West attacked photographer Daniel Ramos at the Los Angeles International Airport. Ramos kept on asking the rapper, why he couldn't talk to him. To which West warned, "What you're trying to do is get me in trouble...so I'm going to have to pay you like $250,000." After this, West attacked him. Kanye West had a baby girl in June with Kim Kardashian and the paparazzi interest in the family has risen since then.
The attorney also said that other celebrities such as singer Cher had thanked West on Twitter for "trashing those loathsome parasites who steal our most precious gift, time and privacy." Kirstie Alley tweeted that it was too bad "he didn't whip" the photographer's behind.
She sad that Ramos was doing his work when h e asked West to talk to him. After which West attacked the photographer after ignoring him and the video showed that West attacked Ramos, punching him and attempting to grab his camera from his hands. According to her, the photographer fell down onto his knees on the sidewalk and injured his right hip. She added that he had to be taken to hospital.
However, refuting the charges, West's lawyer said that the rapper was simply trying to stop the photographer from taking a photo.
