Rita Ora has jumped to the defense of Justin Bieber after he 'punched' a fan in Barcelona on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old said she can empathise with the pop star who struck out at 18-year-old fan Kevin Ramirez and left him with a bloodied lip after he reached through the window of Justin's moving car to touch his face.
'I'm not speaking for anybody, but knowing him and his incredible background, I know how it feels to be uncomfortable and scared,' Rita mused.
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'I know how it feels to be scared': Rita Ora defends Justin Bieber after he 'punched' 18-year-old, as she claims fan 'crossed the line'
'I feel like anyone who had a hand in their face is going to protect themselves,' she added, insisting that the 22-year-old's reaction to the excitable fan was natural, and purely a way of defending himself from an apparent threat.
She said she has found herself in similar situations in the past and admitted it was a 'scary' experience.
Talking to Metro, Rita said: 'There are definitely moments where [fans] cross over the boundary of it becoming almost scary.'
The new host of America's Next Top Model went on to praise fellow pop singers Zayn Malik and Selena Gomez, both of whom have been open about mental health issues over the last year, admitting that she has had her own mental health troubles, too.
'He crossed a boundary': The 25-year-old said she can empathise with the pop star who struck out at 18-year-old fan Kevin Ramirez and left him with a bloodied lip after he reached through the window of Justin's moving car to touch his face
Selena stopped using Instagram after she entered rehab for depression and Zayn has recently admitted to suffering from an eating disorder while he was still a part of boy band One Direction.
Meanwhile, Justin was back on stage on Wednesday night for his tour stop in Madrid, 24 hours after the incident.
The fan Kevin Ramirez, 18, said he felt 'disappointed' and 'very hurt' at the singer's actions after he put his arm through the star's chaffeur-driven car to touch his face and neck outside the Palau San Jordi concert venue on Tuesday night before Bieber's Barcelona gig.
Talking during a radio interview on Thursday, Ramirez called the Canadian's actions 'unnecessary', and added: 'This matter is now in the hands of lawyers. They will deal with it. I can't give out any more information at the moment.'
Performing: Justin Bieber was back on stage on Wednesday night for his tour stop in Madrid, 24 hours after he 'punched' a fan in Barcelona
Taking action: Kevin Ramirez, 18, - the fan punched by Justin Bieber before his concert in Barcelona - has said he has placed the matter in the hands of lawyers
Video footage taken on Tuesday night documented the incident; the enthusiastic fan can be seen reaching out to touch the singer while the car rolls past at slow speed, but Justin reacts with a jab that makes contact with his face.
As the car drives away, the man is seen touching mouth in apparent shock before turning to face the camera and showing his bloodied lip.
A group of girls standing in his vicinity appear to be equally shocked as they notice that he is bleeding.
Back on stage: Bieber looked at ease as he entertained the crowds in Madrid the night after the incident
Arrival: Justin was caught on camera reportedly punching the fan in the face as he arrived at his concert in Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi on Tuesday night
Point of contact: As the fan followed the car, while still touching the star, Justin's hand was seen jabbing at him before he was whisked away to the concert venue
Shock: Kevin Ramirez, 18, said he felt 'disappointed' and 'very hurt' at the singer's actions after he put his arm through the star's chaffeur-driven car to touch his face
He is then seen spitting out some of the blood as his hand hovers over his mouth.
He told respected Spanish journalist Julia Otero, a well-known TV and radio presenter on her Onda Cero radio show: 'I didn't think for one moment Justin was going to punch me.
'He had been in the airport the day before talking with fans and I assumed he was happy to get close to us.
'When I saw him I took the opportunity to put my hand through his car window and touch his shoulder and face in true "Affectionate fan wants to touch his idol" style.
Surrounded: A group of females gathered around Ramirez, who still appeared to be in shock
Fury: He then went from shock to apparent fury as he addressed cameras after the incident
'His car had stopped before he went by and he had seen us. He knew there were no barriers and he knew we were going to go up to him.
'He could have brushed my hand away, anything apart from such an aggressive punch.
'I was left in a state of total shock. I couldn't believe what he did.'
Lawyers: Ramirez revealed in a radio interview on Thursday that he had gone home after having his lip split by Bieber and abandoned plans to see him performing
The bloody lip: The youngster insisted he was just a normal fan who had wanted to get close to an idol he thought was happy with the attention because he had his car window down
Revealing he and friends who had tickets to Justin's concert at the Palau San Jordi had decided to go home instead without watching him perform, he added: 'I liked Justin but I come first. He doesn't appear to like his fans now.'
Police confirmed on Wednesday morning that they were not investigating the incident and said it was up to the victim to decide whether to make a formal complaint.
A spokesman for the Mossos d'Esquadra confirmed: 'What's occurred here is what would be considered a misdemeanour rather than a crime.
The jump: The clip captured the shocking moment the fan reached into the car
Stunned: Ramirez says 'I was left in a state of total shock. I couldn't believe what he did'
'For a crime of assault to have occurred, the victim would have needed medical attention more than once. The footage shows there's been no sustained attack.
'As we're talking about a misdemeanour rather than a serious crime, we haven't got the power to act off our own backs and so we're not actively investigating this.
'This is an incident that occurred between two people and the person who received the punch or push will have to make a formal complaint if he wants to take the matter any further.
'He can do that at a police station or the local court.
Ab-solutely fantastic: Over the weekend, Bieber showed off his new 'Son of God' tattoo during a tour stop in Italy
'If he registers a complaint with police, we will simply pass that on to the relevant court so they can decide whether to take further action.
'At the moment we're not aware the male fan has registered a formal complaint.'
The incident is the latest in a string of issues for the pop star, who famously got into an altercation with Orlando Bloom in the summer of 2014.
A representative for Justin Bieber has been contacted by MailOnline for comment.
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