The internet and media are a double-edged sword for celebrities today. While most use its platform and reach to build their brand, the media doesn’t spare anyone at their lows. For every influencer marketing promotion and PR interview, we hear cases of paparazzi misdemeanors and blatant invasion of privacy by journalists. Unfortunately, Gisele Bundchen became the latest victim of this paradox.
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Earlier today, the supermodel was driving around her South Florida ranch when she noticed paparazzi following her constantly. The way in which she was tracked down felt like an act of stalking and it made Gisele anxiously pull her car to the sidewalk during a traffic stop. This caught a cop’s attention and he reached out to politely ask what the issue was.
Bundchen explained her concerns but was met with a sheepish response by the officer who reasoned that the media personnel was doing his job. This further agitated the supermodel, who claimed it was a misdemeanor, and said,
“But he’s stalking me.”
The officer then tried calming Gisele but she broke down soon after. This took the policeman by surprise, while the supermodel claimed that nothing protected her. She further rued the situation, saying, “I can’t do nothing! I just want to live my life.”
Unlike the State of California, Florida doesn’t consider such a situation to be a misdemeanor. Hence justice for Gisele is a long shot. However, this is not the first time that Bundchen has voiced her concerns against this hounding media culture. In an interview with CBS earlier, she revealed her concerns over paparazzi and their disregard for celebrities’ privacy. “I just don’t think it’s very respectful for people to follow people and I don’t understand how that is right,” said Bundchen.
All said and done, seeing Bundchen break down in the middle of the road is heartbreaking. The bodycam video of the police officer has now gone viral with the internet pressing the Miami PD to take action. Netizens were especially upset with the officer who blatantly told a crying Gisele that he couldn’t do much.
“I Was Just Disappointed” – Surfside Mayor Criticises The Police Officer For Handling Gisele Bundchen Poorly
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett and Police Chief Henry Doce informed the media that they were disappointed by the police officer’s conduct. Burkett in particular was exasperated by the officer’s defeatist response and didn’t shy away from demanding more from his officers.
“While I know he’s a good man, I was just disappointed,” Burkett told CBS News Miami’s Chelsea Jones. “You don’t tell a woman who’s frightened and crying that there’s nothing you can do to help her — and by the way — go talk to the city next door. No, [the police are] there to protect and serve our residents.”
On the other hand, even though Police Chief Henry Doce agreed with the Mayor that the officer should have been more empathetic, he also defended his subordinate. Doce argued that the officer took some time to understand the situation properly as it was quite overwhelming.
“I understand what the mayor is saying, but I also understand that was a fluid situation where the officer really wasn’t understanding everything. I think we could have been much more empathetic at that moment.”
As per sources [via CBS News], the police officer hasn’t faced any disciplinary charges as of yet. However, with mounting internet pressure and Mayor Burkett’s disapproval, an action against the officer and an investigation might soon be on the cards.
