Justin Bieber intensified his ongoing conflict with paparazzi Thursday evening, posting a video to Instagram showing photographers aggressively swarming him and his wife, Hailey Bieber, as they exited a private location. The 31-year-old pop star, who filmed the encounter himself, captioned the post: "This has to stop."
In the footage, Bieber is heard repeatedly saying, "Look at these guys, man," as relentless camera flashes illuminate the scene. A security guard attempts to shield the couple from photographers, urging, "Guys, can you back up please?" while another voice demands, "You guys done?"
Bieber has faced mounting scrutiny recently over his mental health and behavior, with public speculation fueled by incidents including his visible marijuana use near his 15-year-old brother, Jaxon, at the Coachella music festival. A source close to the couple told PEOPLE magazine, "Justin is having fun, vibing out and yes, he smokes weed like everyone else. But everything he does is being weaponized against him."
However, another insider expressed deeper concerns, revealing Hailey Bieber, 28, has become increasingly worried. "She's been in tears about his behavior lately," the source told PEOPLE. "Things have gotten bad quickly. She's genuinely scared something bad is going to happen to Justin."
The couple, who welcomed their son, Jack Blues, in August 2024, have faced persistent rumors of marital strain. Yet, a family insider strongly denied reports that Hailey might consider leaving Justin. "Hailey is not on the verge of wanting a divorce or leaving him. It's just completely untrue," the source stated, emphasizing that her focus remains on raising their child "in a stable environment."
Still, tensions have clearly affected the pair. "Hailey's very loyal to him. She's not walking away, but she knows something has to change," the insider added. "She's drawn a line around what she's willing to tolerate."
Justin addressed these personal struggles openly on Instagram Stories, writing candidly, "hurt people hurt people," acknowledging he can be "mean and hurtful too" when he's "really honest." Reflecting further, he admitted, "People told me my whole life 'wow Justin u deserve that' and I personally have always felt unworthy," confessing feelings of being "unequipped and unqualified."
This latest clash with paparazzi follows a similar confrontation outside a coffee shop in Palm Springs earlier this month, prior to Coachella's first weekend. Bieber previously criticized photographers there for trying to profit from him, underscoring his ongoing battle for privacy.
Fans reacted fiercely online, expressing sympathy and outrage. Comments flooded Bieber's Instagram post, labeling the paparazzi behavior as "disrespectful" and "anxiety-inducing." One fan lamented, "To think this has been happening to you since you were 13 is just absolutely insane," while another invoked the paparazzi-related death of Princess Diana, calling for greater legal protections against intrusive photography.
