I think this was necessary. It's one thing to have your picture taken but quite another to be "bumped" in traffic by a phtog or cut off causing accidents just cause the photog thinks a celeb is "fair game". It's begining to get dangerous.
The paps deserve any treatment they get. I live in Hollywood and I've seen these folks in action. They are like rabid dogs. They get in people's faces, physically corner and trap them, yell hideous things at them to try and get a reaction... I wouldn't shed a tear if they were hunted down and shot, personally.