After news broke that worldwide pop superstar Justin Bieber punched a fan who touched him in the face in Barcelona, Spain, fellow pop star Rita Ora sided with the former, saying that she knows how it felt to be scared and uncomfortable.
The "I Will Never Let You Down" singer said she empathize with the "Baby" hitmaker, claiming that Bieber only did that to protect himself after an 18-year-old fan Kevin Ramirez touched him in his face through his car, Daily Mail Online reported.
As Bieber's car approached the crowd of fans with his windows rolled down, Ramirez ran to the pop star with his hands reaching for him. An irate Bieber punched Ramirez, who was left stunned with what his idol did to him, showing his bloodied mouth to the rest of Bieber's fans.
Ora said that Bieber's reaction was just natural, saying she encountered fans who scared her several times in different occasions. She added that fans "cross over the boundary of it becoming almost scary."
"I'm not speaking for anybody, but knowing him and his incredible background, I know how it feels to be uncomfortable and scared," said Ora.
It was not the first time Bieber reacted negatively to fans whom he felt were getting close to him. Last March, Bieber, who was supposed to meet his fans who paid for premium backstage access in his Las Vegas gig, sent a cardboard cut-out of himself for the meet and greet. In 2013, the Canadian singer was sued by a photographer after Bieber punched and kicked him.
Ora was not just the only one to side with Bieber, as former "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff told Piers Morgan of "Good Morning Britain" that it was rightful for Bieber to punch the fan, Mail Online reported. He added that fans should respect celebrities like them, and respect towards fans would be reciprocated.
On the other hand, Ora lauded fellow pop singer Zayn Malik and Bieber's former girlfriend Selena Gomez for talking about their mental health issues, which she claimed she also struggled with.