Calif. Cops to Paparazzi: Don't Mess With Will, Kate

Police armed with new laws and 'no trespass' warnings
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Jul 7, 2011 2:00 AM CDT
Calif. Cops Gird for Royal Will, Kate Paparazzi Fight
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge pose for photos before departing Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada for Alberta yesterday.   (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette)

What happens when one of the world's most popular couples meets one of the most celebrity-ravenous press crews on the globe? Trouble, probably. But determined to avoid a repeat of the Princess Diana paparazzi tragedy, Los Angeles police are already cracking down to protect visiting Prince William and his Kate from rabid paparazzi. They're armed with tough new laws, including penalties of up to six months in jail and a $2,500 fine for aggressive driving by paparazzi. "If anybody is behaving inappropriately," says a police spokesman, "we're going to take whatever legal police action we can to enforce the laws." Cops are already preparing to close off the street of the home of the British consul-general where the royal newlyweds will stay, notes MSNBC.

They've also obtained "no trespass" letters from neighbors that will be used to bust anyone who enters nearby yards for photos or glimpses of the couple. Tabloids have already offered money to homeowners for property access, but so far no one has accepted, according to cops. Who's just as determined as the police? The paparazzi. Photo agencies expect shots of the couple-of-the-hour to sell for up to $1,000. "Every move they make, everything she does, there will be 10,000 images," says a photo agency owner. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge plan to spend three days at California posh and charitable events. (More Prince William Kate Middleton stories.)

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