Singer Justin Bieber has refuted an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in 2014, saying he doesn't take "sexual abuse lightly". He also provided evidence in the form of receipts, emails, social media and press reports, reports variety.com.
A woman posted from an anonymous Twitter account, claiming that the alleged assault happened at a hotel in Austin on March 9, 2014, when Bieber made a surprise appearance at the South By Southwest music festival.
Reacting to the allegations, Justin Bieber wrote on Twitter: "I don't normally address things as I have dealt with random accusations my entire career but after talking with my wife and team I have decided to speak up on an issue tonight."
"Rumours are rumours but sexual abuse is something I don't take lightly. I wanted to speak out right away but out of respect to so many victims who deal with these issues daily I wanted to make sure I gathered the facts before I made any statement," he added.
Bieber wrote "there is no truth to this story" and provided emails, receipts and articles showing that he stayed at an Airbnb on the night of the alleged assault and at another hotel the next night. The singer says he stayed with his then-girlfriend, Selena Gomez, and their friends at the time.
Bieber shared that it is impossible that the alleged incident took place, and added that he plans to take legal action against the claim. "Every claim of sexual abuse should be taken very seriously and this is why my response was needed. However this story is factually impossible and that is why I will be working with twitter and authorities to take legal action," he wrote.
This article from 2014 talks about Selena being there with me. https://t.co/Jr2AE0brY2
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
These photos clearly show me on stage with my assistant sidestage and the other with both of us in the streets of Austin afterwards on March 9 2014 pic.twitter.com/WlC6KAvJOZ
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
Here is article that shows we didn't arrive in Austin that night from Selena's show in Houston until late in the night. https://t.co/BsxCoMasqa
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
The other reason this story might say I was staying at the four seasons was because a tweet from 2014 on March 10th not the the 9th says they saw me there . This is that tweet pic.twitter.com/piTHxjajvi
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
However I never stayed at the four seasons on the 9th or the 10th. This person put another tweet up earlier saying they saw me at the restaurant the following night not the hotel pic.twitter.com/K4WHNRlC6k
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
Furthermore I stayed with Selena and our friends at an airbnb on the 9th and on the 10th stayed at a Westin because our hotel reservation at LÀ Quinta and not the four seasons was messed up. Here are the receipts for the hotel on the 10th pic.twitter.com/hLNHnvJ6XS
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
The Pics I showed of me and Selena march 9 in Austin should make it clear that we were together that night and went from the venue to our Airbnb and never went to the four seasons. This is our airbnb receipt where we crashed with our friends pic.twitter.com/4ZDIqjeCIQ
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020
On march 10th selena left for work and I stayed at the Westin as the receipts clearly showed with my friends nick and john before I left town. Once again not at the four seasons. We booked it for a couple days to stay for the defjam show but I bailed on the 11th to head back home pic.twitter.com/Ku15SCYz91
— Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) June 22, 2020