Having worked long enough in the industry, actress Scarlett Johansson knows that a certain amount of scrutiny comes with the territory. However, she draws the line at being chased by paparazzi in blacked-out cars because she could end up like Princess Diana.
The Princess of Wales died in August 1997 when her driver lost control of the car, a black S-Class, and crashed in a Paris tunnel. The car was being chased by several vehicles with paparazzi, eager to get their best shots.
The same could have happened the other night to Johansson, the actress says in a statement to People Magazine. She’d just taped an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel to promote the final installment of the “Avengers” and she was on her way back home, when she noticed they were being followed by paparazzi.
Johnasson wasn’t at the wheel, but she and the other 2 occupants of the car felt unsafe because of the way the paparazzi were driving: “5 cars full of men with blacked out windows who were running red lights,” the actress says. Instead of driving home, she went to the police and reported the incident, but no arrests were made.
Even so, the actress feels obligated to sound the alarm: there should be laws in place to prevent this type of dangerous behavior on the road. Paparazzi are “criminal stalkers” and they should be treated as such, Johansson insists.
“Even after Princess Diana’s tragic death, the laws were never changed to protect targets from the lawless paparazzi,” she says. “Many paparazzi have criminal pasts and will perform criminal acts to get their shot. All of this is perfectly legal. After yesterday’s incident, I felt it was my duty as a concerned citizen who was being pursued dangerously and stalked to go to the local precinct and seek guidance there. I would encourage others in a similar situation to go to the police.”
“Until paparazzi are considered by the law for the criminal stalkers they are, it’s just a waiting game before another person gets seriously injured or killed, like Princess Diana,” Johansson adds.
The stalking doesn’t stop with chasing the target in their cars, she continues. Personally, she’s also experienced being stalked at work, while shopping and even when she’s out at the park with her 5-year-old daughter.
The same could have happened the other night to Johansson, the actress says in a statement to People Magazine. She’d just taped an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel to promote the final installment of the “Avengers” and she was on her way back home, when she noticed they were being followed by paparazzi.
Johnasson wasn’t at the wheel, but she and the other 2 occupants of the car felt unsafe because of the way the paparazzi were driving: “5 cars full of men with blacked out windows who were running red lights,” the actress says. Instead of driving home, she went to the police and reported the incident, but no arrests were made.
Even so, the actress feels obligated to sound the alarm: there should be laws in place to prevent this type of dangerous behavior on the road. Paparazzi are “criminal stalkers” and they should be treated as such, Johansson insists.
“Even after Princess Diana’s tragic death, the laws were never changed to protect targets from the lawless paparazzi,” she says. “Many paparazzi have criminal pasts and will perform criminal acts to get their shot. All of this is perfectly legal. After yesterday’s incident, I felt it was my duty as a concerned citizen who was being pursued dangerously and stalked to go to the local precinct and seek guidance there. I would encourage others in a similar situation to go to the police.”
“Until paparazzi are considered by the law for the criminal stalkers they are, it’s just a waiting game before another person gets seriously injured or killed, like Princess Diana,” Johansson adds.
The stalking doesn’t stop with chasing the target in their cars, she continues. Personally, she’s also experienced being stalked at work, while shopping and even when she’s out at the park with her 5-year-old daughter.