Directioners waited for hours at LAX airport in Los Angeles for the boys to arrive on Nov. 6 and witnessed their bodyguards clash with local paparazzi, resulting in One Direction member Zayn Malik being subjected to a racial slur! Gasp!

Paul Higgins, who serves as the boys' bodyguard, got into a bit of a fracas with a snapper. It got so heated that he had to be held back. A fan captured video, which appears to feature one of the paps shouting not-so-nice stuff at 1D, even calling Malik a "pikey," which is considered a slur. The shutterbug also referred to him as a "mother f---er."

Yikes. So much drama surrounded 1D as they arrived on the West Coast and we aren't even talking about the hordes of screaming girls that follow them. They can't even get situated on U.S. soul before they are forced to deal with the trappings of fame.

According to Entertainment Wise, the loyal legion of Directioners took to Twitter to come to Malik's defense, appalled that he would have been insulted in such fashion.

Zayn, PopCrush wants you to know that we don't approve of such comments and we, along with the rest of America, LOVE you and 1D!

The lads are in town for their performance on the U.S. version of 'X Factor' tomorrow night (Nov. 8.)

Watch One Direction Arrive at LAX Airport

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