Louis Tomlinson was taken into police custody Friday night after an altercation with a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport.
The 25-year-old One Direction member had just arrived at LAX with his girlfriend Eleanor Calder following a trip to Las Vegas and were immediately surrounded by paparazzi at baggage claim. Tomlinson allegedly pulled one of the photographers by his legs, resulting in the man hitting his head on the ground, TMZ reports.
The singer was placed under citizen arrest by airport security until police arrived. He was then taken into custody by the Los Angeles Police Department and charged with simple battery.
“The paparazzi provoked and caused the altercation that occurred with Louis at the airport this morning,” Martin Singer, Tomlinson’s lawyer, said in a statement provided to Billboard. “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.”
Tomlinson was released Saturday morning on $20,000 bail, according to an arrest report obtained by The Sun. However, sources tell Billboard that he was released without having to post bail. The singer is set to appear in court on March 29.
Billboard has reached out to Tomlinson’s representatives for comment.
This article originally appeared on Billboard.com.
