American singer Britney Spears assured her fans that she is not having a "mental breakdown" after they expressed concerns over her briefly deactivated Instagram account. In an Instagram post, the "Toxic" singer asked her fans to respect her privacy. She said that "prank phone calls" prompted a wellness check from police earlier this week.
The singer posted a note on Twitter as well on Thursday in which she addressed the police visit and said, "I love and adore my fans but this time things went a little too far and my privacy was invaded."
As per TMZ, Spears posted an Instagram video dancing and saying, "I changed my name to River Red." The singer then deleted her account, prompting concerned fans to call the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. According to Spears, "The police never entered my home and when they came to my gate they quickly realized there was no issue and left immediately," reported Variety.
Spears' statement continues, "This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media. During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward. All the love, B."
In an emailed statement to CNN on Wednesday, Sgt. Jason Karol from the Ventura County Sheriff's office confirmed that the department had "received some calls from concerned fans" after Spears deleted her Instagram account.
He said the wellness check was completed "out of an abundance of caution" and that it was "determined she was safe and in no danger."
Over the last two years, Spears has been in the spotlight due to legal battles over her conservatorship - which had been put in place in 2008 and was largely controlled by her father Jamie Spears until its dissolution in 2021 - and the ensuing #freeBritney movement, ANI reported.
Spears had used her Instagram platform as the primary conduit to communicate with her supporters but has taken breaks from social media in the past.
