Stars ask for more protection from photogs

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LOS ANGELES, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Celebrities John Mayer, Milo Ventimiglia and Eric Roberts reportedly appeared at Los Angeles City Hall to ask for more protection from aggressive photographers.

The Los Angeles Times said the singer and actors spoke at the first meeting of a task force -- comprised of elected officials, law enforcement leaders and others -- created to find ways to regulate the tactics of persistent tabloid photographers.

Councilman Dennis P. Zine said the penalties for traffic violations and misdemeanors aren't sufficient in protecting the famous from intrusive paparazzi.

"They act like a pack of wolves, stalking their prey," the Times said he told the task force. "What we're trying to do is prevent a tragedy from happening."

"You can either name the law after what it prevents, or you can name it after the first person who is killed," Mayer said, adding, "You got a rock star out of bed at 8 o'clock in the morning, so this must be important."

However, Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton, who didn't attend the meeting, dismissed the task force as unnecessary.

"Since Britney (Spears) started wearing clothes, Paris (Hilton) is out of town and not bothering anybody anymore, thank God, and evidently Lindsay Lohan has gone gay, we don't seem to have much of an issue," Bratton told a reporter for KNBC-TV Channel 4.