Fights, slashed tires and more: Agencies enlist members of Crips & Bloods to snap Britney photos

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Paparazzi fear Britney Spears shoots

Sunday, February 10th 2008, 11:19 PM



http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/02/11/2008-02-11_paparazzi_fear_britney_spears_shoots.html

More paparazzi are dropping out of the pack following Britney Spears because of the risk — to them.

The legion of lensmen has been infiltrated by L.A. gang members — Crips and Bloods, according to some photo-agency heads. They claim rival agencies are arming the thugs with cameras and sending them out to do battle with the dozens of paps who rubberneck around Hollywood's favorite train wreck.

Veteran snapper Nick Stern, who quit the Splash agency this month, said: "I've heard stories of fights, of car tires being slashed, cars being blocked in."

All of the agency heads we interviewed said they do not hire street toughs. "They may dress like gang members with large pants and tattoos, but to say they're gang members right now, well, real gang members are not into Britney Spears," said Frank Navarre, a Frenchman who owns the X17 agency. "I think red carpet is worse. I used to do red carpet myself, and one guy broke my camera."