Britney inspires paparazzi law

LOS ANGELES: Britney Spears’ latest run of bad luck has inspired more than a few tabloid cover stories — it’s also behind plans for a new California ordinance protecting “paparazzi target” celebrities, the Los Angeles Times reports.

LA councilman Dennis Zine is urging a proposal in the wake of the pop star’s latest psychiatric emergency that would implement a 20-yard “personal safety zone” around celebrities after Spears’ ambulance had to be surrounded by police cars and helicopters late last month to prevent the paparazzi from snapping photos of the singer en route to the hospital.

“The Britney Spears case, with police cars and helicopters all becoming involved, was insane,” Zine reportedly said. “Such clashes have become a hazard to both celebrities and ordinary people.”

Meanwhile, 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 LA 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.