Arrested rapper Kanye West in blast at the media

Nov 17 2008 by Richard Fletcher, The Journal

KANYE West has publicly lashed out at the media after being arrested in Newcastle, saying they “only deliver darkness”.

Writing in block capitals on his official website, the American rapper says he is not a celebrity and claims the police told him they were “going through the motions” when they arrested him. He was later released without charge.

The American rapper was arrested by Northumbria Police over a scuffle with freelance photographer Terry Blackburn at city-centre bar Tup Tup Palace.

The incident happened after he played to a sell-out audience in the Metro Radio Arena on November 13, and he was arrested at the Hilton Hotel, Gateshead, three hours later.

But now the singer has used his blog on his official website to give his version of events.

He wrote: “I am protecting my personal space since there are no laws to protect that for me. I put my hand up to the camera in self-defence!

“Here’s what happened ... when I left the club, I was encountered by a thirsty paparazzi (sic) as usual. He felt he had more rights to my space than me, so I put my hand up to prevent him from taking my image. I didn’t assault him. I guess in all the commotion the camera scraped his nose.

“Three hours later I get a knock at my hotel door. There were five police officers. They were very cordial but told me they had to arrest me because a complaint was filed. That was the bogus part.

“They placed me in handcuffs and drove me to the station. Even though I wasn’t charged, the damage was done. Sure enough the next morning, plastered across every media outlet ... Kanye gets arrested. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t charged or the fact that I hadn’t assaulted anyone.”