Netflix has issued a response to the news of the attack on Dave Chappelle during a live performance at the Netflix is a Joke festival in Los Angeles earlier this week.
The comic was delivering a set at the Hollywood Bowl on Tuesday (May 3) as part of the special Netflix event, when a member of the audience rushed the stage and tackled him to the ground.
According to witnesses, the the man "charged" towards at Chappelle's towards the end of his set. However, security swiftly intervened and "rushed and started punching and kicking the s***" out of the attacker.
Chappelle appeared unharmed following the incident, while the attacker was escorted to an ambulance with what appeared to be a dislocated arm. The motive behind the attack remains unknown, however Los Angeles police told ABC 7 they responded to an incident at the Hollywood Bowl around 10:45pm local time on Tuesday, confirming that a man who was reportedly armed with a gun and a knife had been taken into custody.
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"We care deeply about the safety of creators and we strongly defend the right of stand-up comedians to perform on stage without fear of violence," Netflix said in a statement shared to Variety.
A spokesperson for Chappelle added: "Dave Chappelle celebrated four nights of comedy and music, setting record-breaking sales for a comedian at the Hollywood Bowl. This run ties Chappelle with Monty Python for the most headlined shows by any comedian at the Hollywood Bowl, reaching 70k fans of diverse backgrounds during the first Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival, and he refuses to allow last night’s incident to overshadow the magic of this historic moment."
Topics: Netflix, TV And Film