I was covering the Hurricanes vs. Bruins NHL game tonight in Raleigh for UPI and some asshat canes fan started a brawl with a Bruins fan and I was in the middle minding my own business, shooting the game. I hear them yelling at each other and the two other photogs next to me also tried to calm them down, then the canes fan went livid and lunged at the Bruins fan across one of those temp tape fence and hit me initially. He started to throw punches and knocked me off my stool. I was yelling at the guy to back up and two security guys finally came over to break it up.
At that point I was pissed off and went over to the guy and security and told him in a calm professional notion that we can't have that kind of drama when we are working with expensive equipment. I told the security guys if they needed me to be a witness or press charges to what just happened, I would. We just can't have people throwing punches around us because if I wasn't paying attention to the fight, I could have been knocked over into the stands possibliy hurt other fans or even worse, onto the other photographers next to me, possibly causing damage to our equipment. There was a row of about 10 other photographers shoulder to shoulder.
I know, I know. We aren't suppose to get involved, but I felt that I got involved the second the guy pushed me off my stool and basically had a fight with me literally in their ways. Not cool at all.
A lot of the other photographers told me that I shouldn't have left my post and talk with the guy or security, but I felt as though it was necessary to inform both parties of my disposition and since it was between plays, I didn't miss any action. I wasn't yelling or full of rage, I was polite and professional, in an informational kind of mode.
Debate.
