Rihanna and Chris Brown are being sued for $1 million after their bodyguards allegedly attacked a photographer.

Paparazzo Luis Santana claims the pair's security assaulted him and broke his camera after he took pictures proving their much rumoured relationship.

Brown's solicitor Kenneth Meiselas denies the singer or his security team were involved in the incident, while "Umbrella" singer Rihanna's spokesman labelled the matter "really unfortunate" and claims it was "completely blown out of proportion".

Santana - who works for publication tbt - claims his shirt was torn off before he was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked by the guards outside the Vintage Ultra Lounge club in St. Petersburg, US.

He said: "Once I got the pictures of Chris and Rihanna, Chris jumped out of the limo and his bodyguards began chasing me.

"One of the guys ripped my shirt off and grabbed me. They threw me to the ground and started kicking me. One of the guys put his knee in my face and was pressing down. I thought they were going to break my jaw."

Santana, 26, also claims the guards took his $3,000 camera after the incident in May.

He added: "At the time they were just a rumoured couple. Chris was celebrating his birthday with her and that was a huge photo. I guess they didn't want it out."

The photographer's lawyer - who is filing the lawsuit on the grounds of his client's personal injuries, emotional distress and theft - insists the photographs would have been worth thousands of dollars.

The Times Publishing Co. - which owns tbt - is not involved in the case.

The pop pair have long been rumoured to be dating but have always denied the claims, despite having matching tattoos and having been pictured kissing.

(Agencies/China Daily December 5, 2008)