A drunken heckler has been arrested after throwing a banana peel at Dave Chappelle in an attack the comedian claims was racially motivated.

Christian Englander, who was in the audience during Chappelle’s Monday night performance in Santa Fe, New Mexico, shocked the crowd when he threw the peel on stage.

Heckler arrested after tossing banana peel at Dave Chappelle

"I can't believe that not only did somebody throw a banana on stage, I can't believe they had a banana on them the entire time,” Chappelle told the audience.

According to Santa Fe police, the incident started when Chappelle made jokes about Englander’s friend who claimed to be an artist called “Johnny Appleseed”.

Englander became angry and threw the peel, hitting the comedian in the leg.

Arresting officers said Englander, 30, was intoxicated when they escorted him outside.

He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor disorderly conduct and battery.

Christian Englander arrested after throwing banana peel at Dave Chappelle

Authorities said Chappelle decided to press charges against him because he believed it was a “racially motivated” attack.

Chappelle joked about the incident afterwards on stage, saying: “Je Suis Charlie, that’s what he said when the threw the banana peel.”

Audience member tweeting about the a man tossing a banana peel at Chappelle