Britney Spears Slams Reports About Victor Wembanyama Incident: ‘No Woman Ever Deserves to Be Hit’

Britney Spears is speaking out against the people saying she “deserved to be hit” in a new Instagram video, following the incident involving NBA player Victor Wembanyama’s security. Last week, a security guard for the San Antonio Spurs allegedly slapped her when she approached Wembanyama from behind for a photo at a Las Vegas restaurant. She filed a police report alleging battery, but the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police ultimately decided not to press charges against the security guard.

The incident attracted widespread media attention and scrutiny, some of which rubbed Spears the wrong way. “I heard… this radio station talking smack and talking shit — that’s why I’m addressing it — saying that I deserved to be smacked, security was doing their job, and protecting their client,” she said in the clip. She said she’d been around famous people, so she knew the protocol and then addressed how her own security handled a similar incident that same night. “On my way into the place, actually, I was knocked down by three 12-year-olds trying to get my picture,” she said. “My security not one time touched them or even came near them. Point being is, I didn’t appreciate the people saying that I deserved to be hit, because no woman ever deserves to be hit.”

She also reiterated her side of what happened the night she approached Wembanyama, and expressed a plea for respect. “I simply tapped him on the back, and I was backhanded, hit in my face, came back on the floor,” she said, gesticulating what happened. “My best friend picked me up and held me. And I did get an apology at my table 30 minutes later, but I have yet to receive a public apology.”

Wembanyama told reporters that Spears didn’t tap him but “grabbed” him from behind.” “Security pushed her away,” he said. “I didn’t stop to look. I kept walking and enjoyed a nice dinner. That was a fun night.” He said he was surprised when he found out Spears was the one who’d approached him but didn’t express any remorse for what happened.

A police report explained why the authorities chose not to press charges. “Due to the fact that [the security guard] DID NOT willfully or unlawfully use any force or violence upon Britney and probable cause did not exist an Arrest was not made and a Citation was not given,” Officer John Santo wrote.

The policeman also gave his opinion of the security footage he reviewed. “Detectives and I were able to review surveillance footage of the event which showed Britney going to tap the Spurs player on the shoulder,” he wrote. “When she touched the player [the guard] pushes her hand off of the player without looking, which causes Britney’s hand to hit herself in the face.” The report included interviews with members of Spears’ staff who said that she and the guard mutually apologized to each other, and the staffers thought that that was the end of the incident.

In other news, Spears recently announced that she would be releasing her memoir, The Woman in Me, this fall.