Alec Baldwin says he was arrested because he is famous

New York - Alec Baldwin believes he was arrested because of his celebrity status.

The 56-year-old actor was handcuffed and taken away in a police car on Tuesday last week after he was caught riding his bicycle the wrong way down Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, but he denies claims he shouted at the two female officers.

He said: "They recognised me immediately. I saw the white female cop whisper to the Hispanic cop about who I was, and then they handcuffed me."

The former 30 Rock star went on to tell the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column he felt he was targetted because of his fame and vowed to put up a legal fight.

He added: "There's a process hearing 24 July, when all of this will come out."

The actor - who has eight-month-old daughter Carmen with wife Hilaria, and 18-year-old daughter Ireland with ex-wife Kim Basinger - also joked New York police take cycling offences as seriously as terrorism.

He said: "Now write this down carefully - as I was stepping out of my car tonight outside the Four Seasons, a delivery guy on a bike going the wrong way down the street rode right in front of me and my wife.

"I joked to a police officer outside the restaurant, 'There is only one crime worse in New York than riding a bike the wrong way down a street, and that's terrorism.' The police officer laughed."

Following his arrest, Alec was taken into custody and given two summons, one for traffic violation and a second for disorderly conduct, after he failed to provide identification.

He was released shortly afterwards.