Willis denies injuring photographer

Bruce Willis has denied claims he beat up a photographer in Los Angeles last Tuesday night, insisting he was simply shielding his eyes from flashbulbs when he accidentally made contact with a man.

Snapper Anthony Goodrich insists Willis pushed his camera into his face and chipped his tooth as he exited celebrity restaurant Koi.

While Willis' publicist is playing down the incident on website TMZ.com, the photographer insists he was injured enough to check into hospital. He also filed a police report against the actor, alleging battery.

"He smashed my camera into my face," Goodrich told TMZ.com. "All I was doing was taking his picture. I didn't say one word. I didn't get in his way."

Willis' spokesman Paul Bloch claims Willis put his hand up "to protect himself" because he was "blinded by the lights" from photographers.

Bloch insists that at no time did Willis "hit, push, or hurt" anyone.