Alec Baldwin accused of punching N.Y. Daily News photographer

By Nardine Saad

June 19, 2012 12 AM PT

Stay out of Alec Baldwin’s way! The”30 Rock” star and fiancée Hilaria Thomas aren’t smiling for photo ops from the paparazzi, or anyone from the New York Daily News, for that matter.

The “Rock of Ages” actor allegedly punched Daily News photographer Marcus Santos in the chin for snapping a picture while he and Thomas were obtaining a marriage license in New York on Tuesday morning.

“He was looking mad,” Santos, 42, told his paper. “He said, ‘Step back, step back.’ I said, ‘We’re moving back.’”

Baldwin allegedly grabbed another photographer, and when Santos tried to stop him, Baldwin came after Santos.

“He comes after me, starts shoving and punching me — one time, right in the chin. And then he started shoving me, and pushing me. Then he goes the other way.”

But Baldwin’s camp is denying that things went down that way.

“As Alec and his fiancée were leaving City Hall, a ‘civilian’ walking in front of Alec positioned himself to obstruct the view of a photographer aggressively trying to shoot the couple,” Baldwin rep Matthew Hiltzik told E! News.

“The photographer was clearly frustrated, pushed past the bystander and assaulted Alec with his camera. There were no punches thrown, and any subsequent physical contact was simply Alec protecting himself.”

Baldwin then took to Twitter to vent his frustration over the incident, equating it to the News of the World scandals that pitted journalists and paparazzi against celebrities.

“The photographer who assaulted me has (belatedly) gone to a hospital claiming injuries. Colin Myler and his NOTW scams come to NY...”

He later added: “Ppl working in the entertainment industry keep appts w the press on a regular basis. Paparazzi assaulting you on the street duznt count.”

This isn’t the first time Baldwin has had a public outburst. His track record includes two other clashes with shutterbugs, some highly charged voice mails to his daughter and a more recent nonviolent feud with an American Airlines flight attendant over his game of Words With Friends.

Santos said he filed an assault complaint with the NYPD, but it is unclear if Baldwin will be arrested. A police spokeswoman told the Associated Press that no charges have been filed and that the matter is still being investigated.

See the photos of how it went down here.

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