The man who floored Justin Bieber in a fist fight that has since gone viral has spoken out for the first time, revealing that he lost his job after the incident.
In a video obtained by TMZ, Lamont Richmond can be seen wrestling Bieber to the floor after the singer attempted to punch him. Though most reports suggest Bieber started the fight, the video seems to show Richmond laying hands on him first.
Either way, the ramifications have certainly been more serious for the maintenance worked, who lost his job, was forced off social media and received a torrent of abuse from Bieber’s fans.
Richmond claims he had merely asked Bieber for an autograph, which “wasn’t even for me,” but that “he was all, ‘Get out of my face.’… I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone. I wasn’t trying to get arrested. Any man would do what I did because he showed such disrespect.”
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Richmond continued, “I don't know what to do. It wasn't me that started it, but Justin Bieber still has work. He can feed his family, I can't. Next stop for me is McDonald's or Wendy's. I have to eat.”
Speaking of the abuse he received from Bieber’s fans, he said, “I had no idea they were so powerful. I started getting emails, phone calls, Facebook, Instagram messages, everything. I was overwhelmed, Facebook said no more.”
