US comedian Dave Chappelle attacked during LA Show

A man armed with a replica gun that works like a knife tackled comedian Dave Chappelle as he performed a stand-up set in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, police said.

Video footage circulating on social media shows that as the comedian was finishing a set during the “Netflix Is A Joke” comedy festival at the Hollywood Bowl, a male audience member climbed on stage and threw him to the ground.

The attacker then ran behind a screen on stage and was detained by security guards. Chappelle, 48, has recently attracted protests for jokes seen to be transphobic but the motive for this attack was not immediately known and Chappelle was not injured.

The Los Angeles police department confirmed the incident to AFP and said the assailant was carrying a replica gun that can discharge a knife blade. It was not clear if the attacker tried to use this weapon.

He has been identified as Isaiah Lee, 23, and charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon, LAPD spokeswoman Lizeth Lomeli said.

Chappelle, winner of the 2019 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, has been accused of taking particular aim at the transgender community in his comedy specials, notably in October’s “The Closer,” which drew protests by activists who said it encouraged discrimination.

In March, US comedian Chris Rock was assaulted by actor Will Smith on stage at the Oscars for making a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett.

AFP