Trump-hating comedian George Lopez charged with battery after scuffle with apparent Trump supporter

Comedian George Lopez — a well-known critic of President Donald Trump — was charged with misdemeanor battery after a scuffle with an apparent Trump supporter last month, TMZ reported.

What happened?

The incident took place at a New Mexico Hooters restaurant and was caught on cellphone video, KCBS-TV reported. According to a previous story by TMZ, a source close to Lopez said the man in question was "in the comedian's face all night, making pro-Trump comments and yelling 'MAGA.'"

The video began with a man speaking into a cellphone camera, saying “Here comes my boy George” as Lopez starts to pass by him.

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The man then turned to the celeb and quipped, “Jorge Lopez!”

Apparently Lopez had enough. KCBS said the comedian replied, “Posting more bulls**t?”

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The station said that Lopez grabbed the man’s phone. The apparent Trump supporter noted, “He’s a badass! Look at him! He wants to fight me!”

KCBS added, "Lopez says something unintelligible during the scuffle as he grabs the man’s neck." TMZ added, "You get a glimpse of George grabbing the back of the guy's neck."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

“George wants to fight me!” the apparent Trump supporter proclaimed as the video concluded, the station said.

Here's the clip. (Content warning: Profanity):

Police involvement

TMZ's initial story said police weren't called, and "there were no real injuries." But the outlet reported in its follow-up piece Friday that it obtained a police report that said officers tracked down Lopez at a golf course the day after the altercation and asked for his side of the story.

Lopez, 57, told police he tried grabbing the man's cellphone because he didn't want to be recorded on video and that his adversary was trying to bait him by waiting for him at the front door and tossing "MAGA" quips at him, TMZ reported.

Police told Lopez he would receive a court summons for misdemeanor battery and that the comedian was compliant, the outlet said, adding that Lopez will have to appear in court next month.

How else has Lopez been making headlines?

• Lopez led an expletive-laden chant against then-presidential candidate Trump in 2015, telling a Phoenix crowd, "This country is better with Latinos in it.”
• The comedian last year berated a female audience member who took issue with Lopez's joke about black people, telling the woman, “Sit your f***ing ass down or get the f*** out." Security escorted the woman out of the venue, which was (again) in Phoenix.
• In October last year, Lopez was reportedly booed offstage at a charity event after regaling the crowd with anti-Trump jokes. Believe it or not, the incident occurred in Denver.
• This year, Lopez pretended to urinate on Trump's star along the Walk of Fame in Hollywood.