Fans have taken to social media to show their support for Modern Family star Sarah Hyland, with some Australians apologising for the behaviour of the man who allegedly groped the actor at a Sydney red carpet function on Thursday night.
The 23-year-old, who plays Haley Dunphy in the comedy series, posted two contrasting images of herself on Instagram on Friday. Both pictures were taken by Hyland at a Sydney beach: one was of her tanned legs facing out onto a calm sea, the other showed a crowd of people who were blocking her ocean view.
The caption read: "Heaven and hell."
Fans responded to the image with supportive comments such as "We all love n respect u" and "I'm sorry to hear about what happened try and have fun despite of it though".
Australian fans apologised for both the alleged indecent assault, which left Hyland in tears on Thursday night, and the over-enthusiastic fans.
"Aussies are pretty bad at mobbing celebrities," one fan wrote on the Instagram image. "We have no tact. Sorry!!"
Another wrote: "Unfortunately there are a select few creeps in Aus, sorry you experienced the company of one of them last night."
Fans on Twitter called the man a "creep" and an "idiot".
The star's boyfriend, actor Matt Prokop, tweeted his frustration at the "asshole" who allegedly assaulted Hyland.
After copping some online criticism over the comment from locals, Prokop defended himself, tweeting: "A comment I made was taken out of context if you had people going after your girl you would get defensive as well."
NSW Police told AAP on Friday a 29-year-old Sydney man had been arrested on Hickson Road in The Rocks and charged with assault with an act of indecency.
He has been granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on March 14.
