Russell Brand Arrested After Alleged Pap Smackdown at Airport

LAX police confirm actor was busted after altercation on suspicion of battery

If Russell Brand is looking to avoid attention, he picked the wrong fiancée.

The Get Him to the Greek star was arrested Friday at Los Angeles International Airport after allegedly getting into a fight with paparazzi who were tailing him and Katy Perry through the Delta terminal on their way out of town, LAX police confirm to E! News.

Yeesh, even Lady Gaga and her handcuffs made it on the plane.

Brand's rep confirmed to E! that an altercation occurred between the British funnyman and police said that they had detained a "celebrity" after an alleged battery incident involving a "commercial photographer" at approximately 1:50 p.m.

Well, Brand's a celeb, and photographers like to take picture of him and Perry. Sounds like we have a match!

According to Sgt. Belinda Nettles, the scorned shutterbug made a citizen's arrest and the airport police duly took Brand into custody on suspicion of battery, after which he was transferred to the LAPD's Pacific Division station for booking.

Brand was released after posting bail—police estimated it would be set at $20,000—at around 6:30 p.m.

If convicted of misdemeanor battery, the Arthur remaker could face up to six months to a year in jail, according to L.A. City Attorney's Office spokesman Frank Mateljan.

(Originally published Sept. 17, 2010, at 3:20 p.m. PT)