Spotlight: Justin Bieber Attempted Robbery Claim And Relationship With Fans

Justin Bieber and his lawyer have denied a new allegation of attempted robbery made against the singer. Bieber says he was “harassed” by a woman who refused requests to stop taking photos. An eyewitness agrees.

Justin Bieber is an unsympathetic figure these days.

Such is the level of anti-Bieber sentiment, most media coverage of this latest accusation has either overtly or implied the singer’s “guilt,” despite alleged eyewitness testimony denying the claim.

Hit with a new allegation of attempted robbery of a woman’s cellphone, details so far suggest Bieber was “harassed” by an “overly aggressive” female who refused to stop taking pictures of the singer at the Castle Park entertainment complex in Sherman Oaks, California.

Los Angeles police spokeswoman Rosario Herrera said a woman reported Bieber attempted to take her cellphone on Monday, May 12, at around 10:30 pm.

However, an employee at the miniature golf/batting cage center claimed she witnessed the brouhaha and has countered it.

During a May 14 TMZ “Live” show, the employee phoned in and said the accuser’s claims — that Bieber demanded to see her cellphone to check for photos of an alleged altercation involving his crew, then went into her purse to take the cell, at some point even wrestling with the woman — didn’t happen.

The witness said Bieber was upset when the woman kept taking photos despite bodyguards’ requests to stop, but claims the singer only told her, “Just stop, just stop… with the pictures.”

The witness specifically said Bieber “never touched” the accuser and also denied claims he spoke harshly, which allegedly made the woman’s teenage daughter cry.

Instead, the employee said the 13-year-old cried because the singer didn’t want to pose for pictures.

The LAPD’s Robbery/ Homicide Division and Robbery Special Section are investigating and have appealed to the public for information.

Meanwhile, Bieber’s Los Angeles lead attorney Howard Weitzman told the Associated Press the singer was trying to hit baseballs in a cage, when the accuser began aggressively taking photos then tried to get a shot of him with her daughter.

He said Bieber asked the woman to stop harassing him, and offered the eyewitness’ account that no attempted robbery or other claims of intimidation took place.

“I would think this would fade away, given the facts here,” Weitzman added.

In addition to the employee and Weitzman’s statements, a source close to Bieber told ABC News, The New York Daily News and CNN that:

“Justin was just enjoying hanging out with friends at the batting cage and playing mini-golf.”

“This just wasn’t a big deal,” the insider added. “This is another example of someone making an issue where there isn’t one.”

The alleged incident has brought the topic of Bieber and his relationship with fans under the spotlight.

Given that over Bieber’s six year career – which includes touring, pressers, meet and greets and the overwhelming majority of off-duty moments – he has dealt graciously with thousands of fans who generally act like lunatics, it’s remarkable that this latest, melodramatic instance is being taken on face value.

As seen on a recent video from Cannes, South of France, people become hysterical around Bieber and refuse to take no for an answer.

Prudence suggests reporting on the alleged attempted robbery should resist presumptions of Bieber’s “guilt” while the LAPD investigation proceeds.

Comparing a snapshot of Bieber’s fan encounters and recent damning assertions based on one apparently breaking point moment at a California stables, it seems the 20-year-old has plenty of time for considerate fans who employ a modicum of self-restraint.

“I never not want to stop, it’s just the paparazzi,” Bieber tells fans during impromptu ‘Meet and Greet.’

The singer having fun with a fan outside the Four Seasons Beverly Hill Hotel earlier this month.

Bieber granting his 200th Make-A-Wish Foundation request in August 2013.