Harry Styles Groping Incident Updates: Niall Horan Tells Fans to Respect Their Idols

Niall Horan believes that fans should treat their idols with respect.

Speaking in a recent interview, Horan expressed his disgust at the incident where his fellow One Direction member, Harry Styles, was groped by a fan during last weekend's performance. According to the boyband member, who was watching Styles' performance at the side stage, he just can't understand fans who grope their idols.

"You've got one of your favourite stars in front of you and your reaction is to grab them by the nuts? I think it's a little bit odd to be honest," Horan said in a radio interview yesterday, October 24.

According to Horan, while he was situated at the side of the stage, he did not see what actually transpired while Styles was performing. However, upon seeing the video on Twitter, he could not help but describe the unidentified fan's action as strange.

The groping incident happened while Styles was performing at the We Can Survive charity event in line with Cancer Awareness Month in Los Angeles last Saturday, October 21. As seen on the video, Styles was kneeling on stage while performing when an unidentified fan touched his crotch. It prompted the One Direction member to cover the area with his hand and stand, slowly backing away from the audience as he returned to the center of the stage and continued to perform.

While Styles did not seem bothered by what the fan did, he said in a radio interview following the incident that fans should respect his privacy, suggesting that what the unidentified fan did was not a welcome act.

A UK-based organization Rape Crisis has said that whoever the fan who groped Styles was guilty of attempting to commit a "serious crime" while a spokesperson for the event has stressed that "sexual violence or harassment in any form is unacceptable."