NEW YORK—Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested early Thursday after he allegedly got into an altercation with another man outside a New York City museum where he has been chanting “He will not divide us” in front of a live camera since Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Police said LaBeouf pulled the scarf of an unidentified 25-year-old man outside the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, scratching his face in the process. They said he also pushed the man, who refused medical attention.
LaBeouf has spent the first few days of Trump’s presidency swaying, dancing and repeating the phrase “He will not divide us” in front of a live camera outside the museum. The livestream is for a participatory public art project LaBeouf and two collaborators intend to have running 24 hours a day for the next four years.
Shia LaBeouf has near meltdown after Trump supporter shows up to his 4-year protest livestream pic.twitter.com/Zn9O9Z9GGQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 22, 2017
The camera went live the morning of the inauguration, along with a website inviting the public to show up and participate. LeBeouf has been a frequent, though not constant presence.
Technically, the project from LaBeouf and his performance art partners isn’t about opposition to Trump, LaBeouf told The Associated Press in an interview conducted on Monday in front of the livestream camera.
Actor Shia LeBeouf (L) stands in front of a live-steam camera outside of the the Museum of the Moving Image as members of the public join LeBeouf in chanting the words “He will Not Divide Us” in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo/Deepti Hajela)“We’re anti-division out here. Everyone’s invited,” LaBeouf said. “I’m just saying, ‘Be nice to each other.'”
It’s not immediately known what led to the alleged altercation Thursday morning.
LaBeouf faces a misdemeanor assault charge. It’s unclear if he has an attorney who can comment.
