One Direction's Louis Tomlinson arrested at Los Angeles airport

Singer Louis Tomlinson of the band One Direction was arrested in Los Angeles early Saturday following an altercation with a paparazzi photographer and others.

“The paparazzi provoked and caused the altercation that occurred with Louis,” the 25-year-old English singer’s legal representative said in a statement. “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 defence.”

TMZ.com, which first reported the arrest, said Tomlinson and girlfriend Eleanor Calder were at a baggage claim at Los Angeles International Airport when a confrontation occurred between the singer and a photographer, who fell to the floor, and another between the girlfriend and a woman who was shooting video of the incident. The site said Tomlinson was arrested for simple battery and booked at a nearby jail.

The Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News that as Tomlinson and his girlfriend were leaving the airport Friday night, “He was surrounded by paparazzi. There was some pushing and shoving and one of the paparazzi fell down.” Witnesses told police Tomlinson allegedly pulled the photographer to the ground. The photographer hit his head on the floor and was taken to a hospital for treatment. 

Tomlinson also allegedly tried to take the cellphone of the woman recording the events, grabbing her and also causing her to fall, police told ABC. 

According to a booking record obtained by People magazine, the incident occurred around 11:45 p.m. Friday. Tomlinson was arrested on suspicion of simple battery and booked by 12:38 a.m. Saturday. He has not yet been charged. Freed on $20,000 bail about an hour after booking, Tomlinson is scheduled to appear in court on March 29.