Louis Tomlinson: Have One Direction Fans Ruined Briana’s Life?

Louis Tomlinson has reasons aplenty to be the happiest man in the world right now. One Direction star Louis has supposedly become a father to little Freddie Tomlinson and has a new woman in his life. The success of One Direction over the past six years has given Tomlinson a bank balance that should see him on easy street for the rest of his life. Louis has countless millions of fans around the world, and One Direction’s hiatus gives Tomlinson the freedom to follow his heart and ambition until the band decides the time is right for them to reunite.

Yet for Louis, things are not as straightforward as his wealth and fame would seem to suggest. Despite One Direction’s hiatus, Tomlinson is still in the gossip columns on a daily basis. It seems that anything Tomlinson does is newsworthy. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, even the fact that Louis pops into Starbucks for a coffee is big news in some of the tabloids.

Since the Sun revealed last July that Tomlinson was to become a father, One Direction fans have been at odds with each other over the issue. Many of Louis fans believe that Tomlinson’s baby is part of an attempt to keep the singer closeted. The reasons for these beliefs are wide-ranging and complex, but there can be no doubt that Tomlinson’s refusal to discuss the matter was a major factor. Many of Louis’ fans also point to the behavior of Briana Jungwirth’s family as yet another factor that suggests the whole pregnancy story was a PR disaster for Tomlinson.

Meet my little lad, Freddie ? pic.twitter.com/nec7OqwuQR

— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) January 28, 2016

Jungwirth’s cousin Ashley Clark has now given an interview to Now Magazine in which she claims that Tomlinson’s fans have ruined the lives of her family. Ashley claims that she has been followed by photographers, verbally attacked while shopping, and that Louis’ fans have called her family racist.

“We’ve been branded liars, racists, fame hungry and accused of faking it all,” she explained.

There is no question that Briana’s family have had a tough time from some of Louis’ fans, but some people would argue that they have brought it upon themselves. After all, in the same interview, Ashley reveals that once the story that Briana was carrying Tomlinson’s child hit the press, they were “all given classes on how to help us deal with social media and handle everything that was happening too.”

It would seem that those lessons were in vain because Tomlinson’s fans would argue that Jungwirth’s family have not treated them with respect. The more high-profile members of Jungwirth’s family made their social media accounts private, but throughout the baby drama, they would periodically make public posts attacking either Louis or his fans. Tomlinson’s management surely made it clear that fighting with Louis’ fans on social media could only end one way. However, Ashley demonstrated in her interview that she totally fails to understand Tomlinson’s fans.

“Louis’ fans are all very young, very immature and haven’t grown up and seen the world. They need to learn that we’re all human beings and we all make mistakes and have regrets.”

In one sentence, Ashley makes it clear that she simply does not understand Tomlinson’s fans or the One Direction fandom. Those fans who have grown up with One Direction are of a similar age to her and Briana. Ashley also accuses Louis’ family of being naive and even claims that Tomlinson’s mother shouted at her in a hotel she works in.

Louis’ fans have seen members of Briana’s family make thinly disguised attacks on Tomlinson, painting him as a deadbeat dad and accusing him of evading his responsibilities. Ashley may now be saying that Louis is an amazing dad, but the damage has already been done. When it comes to Louis and his family, Tomlinson’s fans will not easily forgive what they deem as a slight on the singer.

Of course, most of Tomlinson’s supporters would accept that a tiny minority of Louis’ fans have acted in a way that is totally unacceptable. Social media bullying is never acceptable, and the Daily Mail reported in February that Jungwirth’s family were set to take legal action against those responsible for the worst cases.

There is no excuse for bullying, but Louis’ fans would say that if you wish to be treated with respect, then you must also extend the same courtesy to others. Ashley has shown that she is guilty of stereotyping Louis Tomlinson’s fans, and that will earn her no respect whatsoever.

[Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP Images]