Danny Trejo claims xenophobia was behind the “targeted” attack that led to the brawl at the Independence Day parade

Danny Trejo claims the beating he recently threw at a Fourth of July Independence Day parade was retaliation for a “targeted” attack on him and his friends because they are of Mexican descent.

“I’m just sad that there are still people like in the ’50s and ’60s who think the same way,” the “Machete” star told TMZ on Friday, “because no one else was the target.”

His friend, who was present at the brawl, supported the claim that they were “targeted” because of their ethnicity, pointing out that no one else in front of or behind them was affected.

Trejo and his friends were celebrating Independence Day in the Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday when another parade participant threw a water balloon at his lowrider convertible.

The “From Dusk Till Dawn” actor said he got out of his car because he heard someone shouting “That’s acid!” and feared his vehicle had been badly damaged.

He told TMZ that when he wanted to look at the hood of the car, he was allegedly hit with a water balloon, which led to a physical altercation.

“I’m so sad,” Trejo added. “I’m sad that I acted that way. I’m so sad that grown men have to throw water balloons to enjoy a day.”

The “Desperado” actor said the reason for his “panic” was that he thought acid had been poured on his vintage car.

His friend then showed the bruises on his arms that he had sustained in the fight and explained that the attackers had allegedly “trampled on (his) arms” and “held him down”.

Trejo, for his part, said he was “fine,” adding, “They couldn’t hurt me.”

The 80-year-old then joked that the men he had fought against should be ashamed of attacking someone his age.

The “Bad Ass” star concluded, “I would be embarrassed if I attacked an 80-year-old man and he was still talking and laughing.”