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Shia LaBeouf Arrested After Allegedly Assaulting A Neo-Nazi At His NYC Anti-Trump Protest Livestream [Video]

By Patricia Ramirez
Published on: 08:06 PST, Jan 27, 2017

Actor, performance artist and social activist Shia LaBeouf was arrested for assault early Thursday morning, and the whole thing was captured on camera and even livestreamed. The whole thing went down outside of the New York Museum of the Moving Image, where Shia is in the midst of a four year-long anti-Trump protest, #HeWillNotDivideUs.

The protest was created by Shia LaBeouf, and it actually classified as a participation performance art piece. Beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Trump’s inauguration day, Shia created an opportunity for the disgusted and disenfranchised to say their piece against the 45th POTUS, live on camera. Specifically, visitors are invited to say (or sing or dance or otherwise portray) the phrase “He Will Not Divide Us,” to the webcam that will be livestreaming 24/7.

According to LaBeouf, he plans on to keep the project up and running for the next four years, or “the duration of the presidency.” When the Shia LaBeouf brainchild kicked off last Friday, actor and fellow activist Jaden Smith took the first turn at the camera, chanting “He Will Not Divide Us” for hours.

The anti-Trump performance art protest has had some pretty steady attendance ever since, but things got violent on Thursday morning. And, allegedly, Shia LaBeouf was the one who crossed the line between protest to putting his hands on someone else. The 30-year-old ended up arrested and charged with suspicion of misdemeanor assault and a harassment violation, according to CNN. And the whole thing started when a visitor to the LaBeouf performance art piece decided to channel their own inner Nazi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgABxnUaFf4

Because of the nature of Shia LaBeouf’s anti-Trump protest efforts, the entire altercation was caught on camera, including the eventual arrest of the Holes star.

It began with a man approaching Shia within view of the performance art pieces 24/7 livestreaming camera. After getting the actor’s attention by repeatedly saying his name, the victim of the alleged Shia LaBeouf assault let his Nazi views be known to the world by saying one truly disturbing sentence to both Shia and the camera, reports The Guardian.

“Hitler did nothing wrong.”

Shia responded to the offensive assault on his ears and ideology by pushing the anti-Trump protest protester and apparent neo-Nazi out of the view of the camera and therefore out of the #HeWillNotDivideUs livestream. While the alleged victim has not been named, it has been reported that he was a 25-year-old male. After being shoved out of the way, the Hitler supporter and Shia LaBeouf reportedly got into a “heated verbal altercation” before LaBeouf allegedly pulled on the man’s scarf.

In the process of grabbing the man’s scarf, Shia allegedly scratched his face, prompting a call to the New York City Police Department that ended with Shia LaBeouf being arrested and led away from the scene of his anti-Trump protest at the hands of responding officers.

New York Police Department spokesman Sgt. Thomas Antonetti confirmed to the media later on Thursday that LaBeouf had been arrested at his own protest. By early Friday, Shia was released from custody, and the dedicated artist and his familiar red beanie have already returned to the protest livestream.

While he was being arrested, others who were participating in Shia LaBeouf’s anti-Trump protest and performance artistry shared their awed commentary about the actor and the alleged assault he perpetuated on his proudly Nazi-esque victim.

“Shia was attacked by a Nazi. Shia got arrested. Nazi got away. Shia took a hit for us. There were all these Nazis here, he came out and tried to protect us.”

While today marks only the one-week “anniversary” of the LaBeouf anti-Trump performance art protest, Thursday’s arrest was actually the second time that an altercation between Shia and a flagrant Nazi sympathizer. Just a couple of days ago, the #HeWillNotDivideUs protest was also interrupted by a man making Nazi references directly into the camera.

In that instance, Shia managed to not get arrested. However, he did get within kissing distance of the counter-protester, screaming a familiar phrase directly and loudly into the small man’s ear. What phrase you ask? Why, “HE WILL NOT DIVIDE US,” of course.

So far, there has been no word regarding what consequences Shia LaBeouf may face after being arrested; those who want to check out his #HeWillNotDivideUs livestream for potential future drama can do so here.

[Featured Image by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Photo]

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