Jade
08-10-2005, 16:44
Church of Scientology bodyguards took exception to one videographer who got a little too close to Tom Cruise yesterday afternoon (07OCT05) when they made a citizen's arrest outside their Celebrity Center in Los Angeles.
The security guards - dressed all in black - swarmed on paparazzi who followed Cruise to their Sunset Boulevard headquarters during a break from filming Mission: Impossible.
One guard snapped away at the snappers for identification purposes while another four kept the photographers at bay.
But a fracas started when one security guard claimed the unnamed videographer had attempted to steal his camera. He proceeded to make a citizen's arrest, while his fellow Scientology minders ran to help.
The heavy-handed display of force that ensued involved the security guards preventing the Argentinean freelancer from getting back into his car and then forcing him up against the side of his vehicle.
The bodyguards held the helpless videographer until Los Angeles police arrived on the scene, and, after taking testimony from the security men, they handcuffed the freelancer and charged him with attempted robbery and battery before driving him to a nearby police station.
Greg Laclaire (corr), the vice-president of the Celebrity Center says, "One of our security officers spotted a paparazzi behaving suspiciously and went out to take a photograph of the person for the safety of our parishioners.
"He drove away and while he was sitting at a stop light the same paparazzi jumped through the passenger window of his car and started beating him.
"The security officer then called for help and he and his colleagues made a citizen's arrest on felony and battery charges, and held the photographer until police arrived
The security guards - dressed all in black - swarmed on paparazzi who followed Cruise to their Sunset Boulevard headquarters during a break from filming Mission: Impossible.
One guard snapped away at the snappers for identification purposes while another four kept the photographers at bay.
But a fracas started when one security guard claimed the unnamed videographer had attempted to steal his camera. He proceeded to make a citizen's arrest, while his fellow Scientology minders ran to help.
The heavy-handed display of force that ensued involved the security guards preventing the Argentinean freelancer from getting back into his car and then forcing him up against the side of his vehicle.
The bodyguards held the helpless videographer until Los Angeles police arrived on the scene, and, after taking testimony from the security men, they handcuffed the freelancer and charged him with attempted robbery and battery before driving him to a nearby police station.
Greg Laclaire (corr), the vice-president of the Celebrity Center says, "One of our security officers spotted a paparazzi behaving suspiciously and went out to take a photograph of the person for the safety of our parishioners.
"He drove away and while he was sitting at a stop light the same paparazzi jumped through the passenger window of his car and started beating him.
"The security officer then called for help and he and his colleagues made a citizen's arrest on felony and battery charges, and held the photographer until police arrived