Danny Trejo has broken his silence after becoming involved in an altercation Thursday during a Fourth of July parade in Sunland, California. The Machete star, 80, told TMZ the day after the brawl made headlines that he was “so sad” about the way he behaved, blaming the start of the fight on a spectator who threw a water balloon at his parade car, bringing the celebration to a halt.
“Honest to God, I’m so sad,” Trejo told the outlet. “I’m so sad I behaved the way I behaved. I’m so sad that grown men gotta throw water balloons to enjoy a day.” The actor, a guest of honor at the Sunland-Tujunga Rotary Club’s annual Fourth of July parade, was riding in a vintage convertible Thursday when reports indicate someone threw a water balloon at the car. While water balloons are traditionally thrown during the parade, they are reportedly not to be thrown at nicer cars.
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Footage of the altercation then captured Trejo getting out of the car and confronting the man before punches were thrown and the octogenarian was knocked over. This sparked a larger brawl, during which Trejo’s friend was also knocked to the ground, appearing bloodied with a large cut on his face.
“I don’t think I would have even got out of the car if somebody hadn’t yelled, ‘It’s acid,’” Trejo told TMZ. “That’s when I got panicked.” The actor said he got out of the car to confront the man he believed was the balloon thrower and the man grabbed his shirt. Trejo continued that he was not pushed down onto the ground, but tried to back up and “fell off the curb.”
Both the Once Upon a Time in Mexico actor and his friend told the outlet they felt the incident was racially motivated, with Trejo stating, “No one else was targeted.” He joked of his alleged attacker, “I would be embarrassed if I attacked an 80-year-old man and he’s still talking and laughing.”
Trejo also spoke to Fox 11 about the incident, telling the local outlet, “It’s sad that people can wake up in the morning and go down and ruin something for everybody else.” He continued, “I am a protector. I will protect all my friends, always, and that’s what I was doing. I hate bullies, and that’s what bullies do.”
