Demonstration of support for Britney Spears on March 17, 2021 in Los Angeles -

David Buchan / Shutterstock / SIPA

Several dozen people gathered on March 17, 2021, in front of the Supreme Court of Los Angeles, where a hearing was taking place bringing together members of the Spears family.

All fervently displayed their signs and t-shirts stamped "#FreeBritney" to demand the "release" of their idol, placed under the tutelage of his father, James Spears in 2008 following psychological disorders.

For more than 10 years, these self-proclaimed vigilantes grouped behind a hashtag have been trying to clarify the gray areas that hover around the hold exerted by his father on Britney Spears.

At 39, the singer is not allowed to go out, make purchases, get married, have children or buy a house without the consent of her father.

While the #FreeBritney movement started out mostly with fans accusing James Spears of holding his daughter hostage and taking advantage of her fortune, the release of the documentary 

Framing Britney Spears

, now available on Amazon Prime Video, directed by Samantha Stark, has allowed to bring the subject of placement under guardianship back to the forefront and to make it today a serious cause to defend which goes beyond the simple admiration for the music of Britney.

A hunt for clues

In 2019 already, the #FreeBritney movement had experienced a resurgence on social networks when the interpreter of

Baby One More Time

announced the cancellation of a series of concerts in Las Vegas before being admitted to a mental institution, "against at will, ”according to a testimony broadcast by the Britney's Gram podcast dedicated to Britney Spears' Instagram account.

From then on, fans learn the news and mobilize on social networks, the only place where the singer is accessible.

Like the Marina Joyce affair, a YouTuber suspected of being held hostage at home, comments are emerging under the pop star's Tiktok and Instagram posts.

His supporters try to decipher the coded messages, emojis and other outfits perceived as so many calls for help.

"Britney if you are in danger, dress in yellow in your next post", claimed a user.

And a few days later, Britney Spears posted a Tiktok message where we see her wearing ... a yellow top with flowers.

In this hunt for clues, which sometimes goes very far, everything is subject to interpretation.

Supports and apologies

At the end of March, the pop star who never spoke directly on the case reacted to the documentary 

Framing Britney Spears

 : "I did not watch it but from what I saw, I was embarrassed… I cried for two weeks and I still cry sometimes!

She wrote in an Instagram post.

Since the documentary aired in the United States, stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, Courtney Love and Miley Cyrus have spoken to express their support.

Elected officials from California and Trumpist Congressman for Florida Matt Gaetz also called for reform of the trusteeship system in the United States.

Singer Justin Timberlake, former companion of the singer from 1998 to 2002, questioned by fans following the documentary also apologized to Britney Spears in an Instagram post: "I am deeply sorry for the times in my life when my actions have contributed to the problem, where I spoke without thinking or did not stand up for what was right.

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Culture

# FreeBritney… What you need to know about the guardianship of Britney Spears and the docu "Framing Britney Spears",

Television

Stars React and Support 'Framing Britney Spears' Documentary

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