After video surfaced of Britney Spears approaching San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama in Las Vegas, and allegedly getting slapped by a member of his security detail, the singer released a statement saying her behavior in the viral footage was “a cry out on all levels.”
TMZ published the video online Friday, once the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said it had closed the case.
The footage showed the “Toxic” singer chasing Wembanyama, yelling “sir, sir” in a British accent, and touching his back.
One member of the French basketball player’s security detail tried to elbow Spears aside as she pushed her way closer to the NBA star. A second security guard then shoved her arm away from Wembanyama and the man’s hand appeared to hit her face. Spears reacted by screaming “This is f–king America!!!”
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In a lengthy Instagram post on Friday, July 7, Spears said she believes the NBA draft pick’s security team overreacted.
“I’ve been working in the industry for years and have been with some of the most famous people in the world … NSYNC at one point were like The Beatles … girls would throw themselves at them everywhere we went … not one time in my life has a security guard ever hit another person!!!” her post began.
She went on to call her reaction to getting hit in the face “priceless.”
“I’m not sharing this to be a victim … I SIMPLY GET IT HONESTLY … my reaction was priceless … BAD ??? YES … I’ve had documentaries done about me and none of which I approved … I have felt helpless in most situations and my experience in Vegas and my reaction was a cry out on all levels … I will say it !!!” she wrote.
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The singer praised the people who rushed over to make sure she was OK.
“No, I don’t feel like I have been treated as an equal person in this country … of course when I watched the video myself … the people who actually swarmed around me when they heard me get hit made me feel like I mattered !!!” Spears shared.
She concluded, “I wasn’t aware of that at the time … all people could hear was me saying f–k you all … which was WAY BETTER THAN HITTING HIM BACK!!! Either way I’m still a huge fan of the NBA player … it’s not his fault his security hit me … sh-t happens!!! I hope you’re all having a wonderful Friday!!!
The incident between Spears, 41, and Wembanyama, 19, happened outside Catch restaurant in the Aria Hotel on July 5.
The singer filed a police report. But after launching an investigation, LVMPD issued a statement to Urban Hollywood 411 on Friday, saying: “No charges will be filed against the person involved.”
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the police report which said surveillance footage showed Britney Spears inadvertently “hit herself in the face.”
On Thursday, Wembanyama told reporters she “grabbed” him from behind.
Later in the day, Spears took to Instagram to say she approached the teenager to “congratulate” him on his success and “simply tapped him on the shoulder.”
She added, “His security team then backhanded me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses [to fall] off my face.”
See her most recent post on the incident below:
