The crowd of Britney Spears supporters seemed to being holding its breath as one in the moments before the news broke that James P. Spears had been suspended as her conservator after 13 years.
Robert Bordelon, 25, of Los Angeles was the first to tell the crowd the decision had been made, before instantly falling to his knees, sobbing.
“They thought we were crazy,” he said through tears. “They thought she was crazy.”
The crowd erupted, jumping and cheering. Many fans embraced, seeing it as vindication for the #FreeBritney movement.
Arthur Avitia, 30, clutched his black fur stole as he took in the news.
“I’m so relieved,” he said, breathless. “This is what Britney has wanted for 13 years, and it’s about damn time.”
The news also interested activists who are seeking to advance the cause of ending conservatorship abuse, including Angelique Fawcette, 51, who helped organize today’s “unity rally.”
“This is vindication on many levels for many people,” she said after being told the court’s ruling.
“It means so much for the hundreds of thousands of people who are locked into conservatorships — both legal and illegal,” she said.
As heart rates slowed and the tears stopped flowing, the crowd huddled in small groups, parsing what it means for the conservatorship going forward.
Kevin Wu, 37, a data analyst from Los Angeles, has been a fixture at courthouse protests since 2019.
“While Britney’s case has garnered attention all over the world, it’s not unique,” he said. “Nothing’s going to change without public awareness.”
Mathew S. Rosengart, Ms. Spears’s lawyer, thanked her supporters on her behalf. “She’s so pleased and she’s so thankful to all of you,” he told them outside the courthouse.
Source: Music - nytimes.com
