Britney Spears claims a radio station said she “deserved” to be hit after her clash with Victor Wembanyama’s security guard.
Britney Spears claims a radio station said she ‘deserved’ to be hit after her clash with Victor Wembanyama’s security guard
The ‘Toxic’ singer, 41, was seen on video being hit by the minder and filed a battery report after the incident at Catch restaurant in Las Vegas on 5 July, but cops later said no criminal charges were being pressed against 19-year-old NBA star Victor’s guard.
Britney said in an Instagram video on Tuesday (11.07.23) an unnamed radio station had been “talking s***” about her over the incident, adding it had said she “deserved to be smacked” and dismissed the assault as security “doing their job and protecting their client”.
She hit out: “I’ve been with the most famous people in the world. NSYNC at one time, girls would, like, literally throw themselves at them.
“On my way into the place, I was knocked down by, like, three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture. My security, not one time, touched them or even came near them.”
Britney added she “didn’t appreciate” people saying she “deserved to be hit because no woman ever deserves to be hit” – but the Grammy winner did not name the radio station or the host or hosts who allegedly made the comments.
The singer said she received an apology half an hour after the incident at Catch, but added she has “yet to receive a public apology” from Victor or the security guard in question, Damian Smith.
Britney was seen in mobile phone footage released by TMZ saying “excuse me, sir” moments before Damian Smith whipped back his arm onto her face, knocking off her sunglasses – causing Britney’s entourage to gasp in shock.
The singer’s husband Sam Asghari, 29, witnessed the incident and is seen in the video rushing towards Smith – while Britney bizarrely shouts in an English accent after composing herself: “That’s America for you! F*** you all!”
Spears and her entourage then continue walking into Catch.
Images also obtained by TMZ then showed her sitting calmly at her table and smiling.
But an eyewitness said she was “extremely agitated” over the altercation and appeared to be in disbelief.
Britney, who regained control of her multimillion-dollar fortune and various aspects of her life when a conservatorship arrangement was terminated in 2021, was said to have “grabbed” the sports player from behind when she spotted him.
But she claimed afterwards she only “tapped on him on the shoulder” as it was such a “loud” environment.
She wrote on Instagram: “Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them. I was not prepared for what happened to me last night. I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.”
Grammy winner Britney filed a police report for battery after she was allegedly smacked in the face for requesting to take a photo with Victor, who was signed to the San Antonio Spurs in June.
A spokesperson for the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said about finishing their investigation into the alleged battery incident: “No charges will be filed against the person involved.”
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