Shia LaBeouf Arrested in Alleged Attack at His ‘He Will Not Divide Us' Trump Protest in NYC
LaBeouf was arrested on misdemeanor assault and other charges after the altercation, which police said wasn't necessarily about Trump
By Adam Warner ••
Actor and performance artist Shia LaBeouf was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and harassment after an altercation at an anti-Trump protest in Queens. Video from the live stream shows the alleged assault and LaBeouf’s subsequent arrest.
What to Know
Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested on assault and harassment charges after allegedly grabbing, scratching and pushing a man at a protest
LaBeouf has been co-leading a live-streamed anti-Trump protest outside the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens
LaBeouf got into an argument with another man outside the museum over the weekend; video shows him yelling in the man's face
Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested after an altercation at a livestreamed anti-Trump protest he has been leading in Queens, police said Thursday morning.
Video from the livestream shows the 30-year-old actor and performance artist being led away by NYPD officers outside the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria, where the "He Will Not Divide Us" protest has been streaming live since last Friday, ahead of President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Noreen O'Donnell
Hundreds of thousands of people made their way to New York City Saturday for the Women's March on NYC.
Noreen O'Donnell
Participants marched with their children Saturday at the Women's March on NYC.
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Coralie Carlson / NBC 4 NY
A participant's sign reads "I march for my kids" during the Women's March on NYC.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Noreen O'Donnell
Protesters marched outside Grand Central Terminal Saturday during the Women's March on NYC.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Noreen O'Donnell
A sign reads "I just miss Obama" during the Women's March on NYC Saturday.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Noreen O'Donnell
Protesters march outside Grand Central Terminal Saturday during the Women's March on NYC.
Megan Merrigan / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters attended the Women's March on NYC Saturday, just a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as president.
Coralie Carlson / NBC 4 NY
Participants march through NYC Saturday for the Women's March on NYC.
Noreen O'Donnell
Protesters march outside of Grand Central Terminal Saturday during the Women's March on NYC.
Noreen O'Donnell
Hundreds of thousands of protesters made their way to New York City Saturday for the Women's March on NYC.
Erica Davies / NBC 4 NY
A protester's sign reads "Obama Forever" at the Women's March on NYC Saturday.
Erica Davies / NBC 4 NY
A sign reads "love is love" at the Women's March on NYC Saturday.
Erica Davies / NBC 4 NY
Thousands of protesters made their way to New York City Saturday for the Women's March on NYC.
Getty Images
People take part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
A Muslim American marches during the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
People arrive to Grand Central Station to take part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Protesters stand in front of the Trump World Tower while taking part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
People pass Grand Central Station while taking part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Thousands of people walk on 42nd Street while taking part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
People hold up a drawing of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin kissing while taking of part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Thousands of people take part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Getty Images
Thousands of people take part in the Women's March on January 21, 2017 in New York City. The Midtown Manhattan event was one of many anti-Trump protests nationwide that came a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
Akil Spooner
LaBeouf was at the demonstration around 12:35 a.m. Thursday when he got into an altercation with an unidentified 25-year-old man, according to police, who said the confrontation wasn't necessarily a disagreement about President Trump.
At some point, LaBeouf pulled the man by his scarf, scratching his face and causing him to fall to the ground, police said. The livestream caught part of the altercation and appears to show the man being pulled off screen by his scarf.
"He Will Not Divide Us" live stream
The live stream captured Shia LaBeouf and the man moments before the altercation.
Police said the man refused medical attention after the encounter.
Video posted to the "He Will Not Divide Us" YouTube page shows LaBeouf being led away by police moments later.
(Disclaimer: The video below contains some explicit language)
LaBeouf was processed at the 114th precinct Thursday morning. Police said he faces misdemeanor assault and violation level harassment charges.
The actor left the precinct station house in a New York City taxi cab a few hours later as a number of people chanted "He will not divide us!" He returned to the protest at the Museum of the Moving Image around 4 a.m.
Actory Shia LaBeouf was seen leaving a police station in a New York City cab after he was arrested hours earlier at an anti-Trump protest he has been co-leading in Queens. Read more here.
LaBeouf and 18-year-old rapper Jaden Smith launched the four-year protest against Donald Trump on Friday, the day of the president's inauguration. It consists of a live-streaming camera outside the museum, where people are invited to deliver the words "He will not divide us" to the camera as many times as they wish.
The feed is currently planned to stay in place either for four years or until Trump's term as president ends.
LaBeouf told The Associated Press that the project wasn't technically about opposition to Trump.
"We're anti-division out here. Everyone's invited," LaBeouf said. "I'm just saying, 'Be nice to each other.'"
On Inauguration Day, actor Shia LaBeouf led a group of teenagers with the chant: “He will not divide us.” Erica Byfield Reports.
Since it launched at 9 a.m. Friday, the protest performance art has seen a mixed crowd, and the altercation early Thursday morning was not the first moment of tension involving LaBeouf.
In a feed captured over the weekend, a man walks up to the camera while LaBeouf and other anti-Trump protesters are chanting. The man tries to deliver his own message.
"We must secure the existence of white people," he begins, before LaBeouf interjects with the chant "He will not divide us!"
Shia LaBeouf is seen screaming “He will not divide us” in a man’s face during a live-streamed protest in New York. LaBeouf launched the four-year protest of the presidency of Donald Trump on Friday.
The rest of the man's message is inaudible as the actor yells the phrase repeatedly at his face, going chest-to-chest with the man. The confrontation was broadcast live on the feed and recorded by some people watching.
There have been other incidents cropping up on the feed that oppose LaBeouf's intended message of unity.
For example, one man used the platform at night to repeat a line in support of Hitler, while another group used the feed to challenge the actor, using derogatory language.
A spokesperson for the Queens district attorney's office said LaBeouf is due back in court in April 4. A representative for the actor couldn't immediately be reached.
