Tony Koursaris, owner of Taverna Tony off Pacific Coast Highway, has noticed the surge in photographers -- and their aggressive tactics toward celebrities.
"They come right in their face when they come in and come out," Koursaris said. "They suffocate them. They have no regard for anybody or anything. They are not even afraid of the police."
Officials are just beginning to discuss how Malibu could regulate the photographers. One idea that officials acknowledge might not be legally possible is taxing celebrity photos taken the city.
"They get thousands of dollars for these photographs," said Ulich.
Earlier this year, Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine proposed an ordinance to create "a safe zone" around celebrities or others who were subjected to swarms of photographers at residences, in the streets or facilities such as hospitals.
But the idea, which had been prompted by a virtual siege at Spears' Studio City home and pursuits during her trips to hospitals, has met with lukewarm support, including from LAPD Chief William J. Bratton, who argued that no new laws are needed to deal with the problem.
Starr was not immediately available for comment, but Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said Sheriff Lee Baca agrees with Bratton that current laws were adequate. Malibu contracts with the Sheriff's Department to provide police services.
"We believe the laws on the books are sufficient to deal with anybody that violates them, whether it's driving inappropriately or reckless, obstructing movement, battery whatever it is," Whitmore said. "We would encourage anyone who is thinking of adding a new ordinance to contact the Sheriff's Department and the district attorney's office to see if such an ordinance is even feasible."
Peter Eliasberg, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said he is concerned that efforts to target the media, including the paparazzi, would infringe on 1st Amendment rights.
"I hope that Dean Starr and the committee recognize existing laws are sufficient to address the problem," Eliasberg said. "The courts allow a variety of legal remedies, both civil and criminal. To the extent that there's problems, it's an enforcement problem not a lack of laws problem."
John Brashear, who works at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in Cross Creek Plaza, said there were good arguments on both sides of the debate on whether to limit paparazzi.
But he said that professionals aren't the only ones snapping pictures of the stars, noting that even locals stop and take out their cellphone cameras to capture their brush with fame.
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andrew.blankstein@latimes.com
