Following his recent arrest for battery, actor Shia LaBeouf cited his fear of “big gay people” as part of the reason for his actions.

During an interview posted over the weekend by YouTube channel Channel 5, the Transformers star addressed his “behavior,” which he described as “bulls**t,” during New Orleans’ Mardi Gras festivities last month.

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“It’s a hate crime”! Victim says Shia LaBeouf shouted “fa***t” while allegedly gay-bashing him

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LaBeouf was arrested and charged with simple battery in the early hours of February 17 after allegedly assaulting two men at a bar in New Orleans’ Marginy district. An initial police report indicated that the actor repeatedly referred to the victims as “fa***ts.” Both victims, at least one of whom identifies as queer, allege that LaBeouf shouted the anti-gay slur at them, and cellphone video recorded by one of them reportedly confirms that LaBeouf continued to shout the slur while in police custody.

As the Guardian notes, police subsequently issued a warrant for LaBeouf’s arrest again last week for head-butting a third man and insulting him with anti-gay slurs at the same bar on February 17. In a statement, the actor’s lawyers said he turned himself in to New Orleans police, according to local NBC affiliate WDSU.

The day before his initial arrest in New Orleans, The Hollywood Reporter also published a report in which multiple employees of bars across the city described LaBeouf’s drunken and belligerent behavior in the days leading up to Mardi Gras.

But in his interview with Channel 5, LaBeouf — who has spoken about his history of substance abuse and has been arrested multiple times for similar conduct — told host Andrew Callaghan that he does not believe he needs to go to rehab.

Instead, he blamed his behavior on what he described as “a small man complex.”

“I think it’s something that has to do with anger and ego more so than my drinking,” LaBeouf said.

“I’ll be honest with you, big gay people are scary to me,” the actor admitted in response to Callaghan’s question about the kinds of things that set off his anger. “When I’m, like, standing by myself and three gay dudes are next to me, touching my leg, I get scared.”

“I’m sorry. If that’s homophobic, then I’m that,” LaBeouf added.

“I’m good with gay,” the actor continued. “Be gay over there, though. Don’t be gay in my lap.”

According to People, an official police statement — which does not mention LaBeouf’s use of anti-gay slurs — alleges staff of the New Orleans bar attempted to eject the actor after he became “increasingly aggressive.” LaBeouf allegedly punched the victim after being removed from the bar. He then left the scene but returned, “acting even more aggressive.”

“Multiple people attempted to hold him down — he was eventually let up in hopes that he would leave — but he reportedly again struck the same victim with closed fists to the victim’s upper body. LaBeouf then reportedly assaulted another person, punching him in the nose,” police said. “LaBeouf was again held down until police arrived.”

The statement does not mention any person touching LaBeouf inappropriately prior to the alleged assaults.

But as the Guardian notes, LaBeouf’s claims about “gay dudes” touching his leg may indicate the actor’s defense strategy. According to the Movement Advancement Project, Louisiana is one of 30 U.S. states in which the so-called “gay and trans panic” defense — which seeks to excuse violent crimes by blaming victims’ sexual orientation or gender identity for a defendant’s actions — is still allowed in court.

The New Orleans incident is not the first time LaBeouf has been caught on video using an anti-gay slur. In 2008, the actor expressed regret and embarrassment via a statement from his representatives, after a video surfaced online of LaBeouf repeatedly calling a friend “fa***t.” As The Guardian noted, LaBeouf also allegedly called a New York City police officer a “f*g” while being arrested for disrupting a Broadway show in 2014.

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