Louis Tomlinson Charged With Simple Battery After Paparazzi Altercation
One Direction member Louis Tomlinson was taken into police custody Friday night following an altercation with paparazzi in Los Angeles.
Tomlinson and his girlfriend Eleanor Calder arrived at LAX following a trip to Las Vegas when the incident occurred, the BBC reports.
According to TMZ, paparazzi at baggage claim were exceedingly close to Tomlinson, so the singer “allegedly pulled the photog to the floor by his legs,” resulting in the photographer slamming his head and back on the ground.
A separate incident occurred as the couple were leaving LAX, with Calder getting into a physical altercation with another woman who was filming the incident between Tomlinson and the paparazzi.
Tomlinson’s lawyer Marty Singer said in a statement to Rolling Stone, “The paparazzi provoked and caused the altercation that occurred with Louis at the airport this morning. This is not the first or last time that a paparazzi has created an altercation with a celebrity. While the altercation was going on with the paparazzi, three other individuals were attacking his girlfriend during this incident and he came to her defense.”
Axl Rose and Kanye West are among the many celebrities to have confrontations with photographers at LAX.
Tomlinson was then placed under “citizen’s arrest” by airport security until police arrived. The singer was taken into LAPD custody and charged with simple battery, a misdemeanor. According to the arrest report obtained by The Sun, Tomlinson was released on $20,000 bail early Saturday morning. His court date is set for March 29th.