Regional Paparazzi Task Force to Meet in Malibu on Oct. 2

• Two-Hour Session Is Slated for 4-to-6 p.m. at MPAC

BY ANNE SOBLE

What started out as an unofficial public meeting has transitioned into a session of the Los Angeles Regional Paparazzi Task Force that is now scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Malibu Performing Arts Center from 4 to 6 p.m.
According to an announcement, the meeting will explore “adoption [of] a citizen’s guide for dealing with aggressive paparazzi; review specific legislation targeted at protecting school zones; explore the feasibility of licensing the paparazzi; and determine the next action steps” to address what is described as reckless and illegal behavior.
The public session is expected to provide the first opportunity for public comment on five draft ordinances that are part of a package of regulatory materials prepared for City of Malibu use under the direction of faculty members at the Pepperdine School of Law.
The RPTF is a non-legislative, multi-city panel whose members have been openly critical of the paparazzi and call for stringent local laws to curb their actions in the public arena.
The meeting also may serve as a rally for local residents and surfers who want to show support for Skylar Peak and John Hildebrand, the two Malibu men facing misdemeanor battery charges following a widely publicized skirmish between beachgoers and paparazzi on Little Dume Beach in June.
The pair are slated for arraignment on Oct. 14 in Malibu. A multi-website campaign is urging the pair’s supporters to attend the meeting in a show of solidarity for the two longtime locals.
The Malibu Performing Arts Center is located behind Malibu City Hall on Stuart Ranch Road.