Lohan joining Diaz and Timerlake in fight against paparazzi

By Cindy Locke Jun 9, 2005, 19:09 GMT

After a photographer crashed in to Lindsay Lohan’s Mercedes last week in Los Angeles, Lohan has decided to join Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake and other celebrities in the fight to stop the law-breaking photographers.

 “A line needs to be drawn in terms of getting violent,” Lohan tells The New York Times. “It was a very frightening experience.”

In the past, professional photographers kept a safe distance from celebrities. Halle Berry says, “They weren't always as invasive.  You weren't chased at high speeds through the streets where you endangered other lives and other innocent people who really don't know what the heck is going on.”

Diaz said she used to be able to go to “the dry cleaners or to grocery stores” and not be bothered. However, “In the last few years, it's gotten to the point where you literally cannot walk outside your front gate without being literally attacked.”

While acknowledging the photographers' First Amendment rights, officials say that laws must also be implemented to protect celebrities against such criminal acts as false imprisonment or assault with a deadly weapon.

“The concern is that because of these hyper-aggressive tactics on the part of the paparazzi, someone is going to get hurt or killed,” William W. Hodgman, head of the district attorney's target crimes division, tells the newspaper.

An assault with a deadly weapon charge has been filed against Galo Cesar Ramirez, 24, whose minivan crashed into Lohan's car.