Beverly Hills Police Shutdown of NBA Star's Event Sparks Renewed Debate Over Racial Profiling

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown rejected Beverly Hills’ apology after police shut down his private All-Star Weekend event on Valentine’s Day, citing financial and reputational harm from the incident that has reignited scrutiny of the city’s policing practices.

Brown was hosting an invite-only gathering for his 741 Performance brand at a Beverly Hills mansion on Trousdale Place when police arrived at 7 p.m. to shut down the event, according to a video posted on social media that quickly went viral.

“We’re just trying to have an event — a panel talking about culture, talking about future, talking about leadership, and for whatever reason I feel like we’re being targeted,” Brown said in the video as he spoke with an officer.

When Brown asked why the city was shutting down the event, the officer replied, “It’s beyond my pay grade. They want it shut down,” according to the video.

Beverly Hills officials initially defended their actions but later reversed course, issuing an apology to Brown and event host James Jannard, founder of Oakley, for initially putting out inaccurate information. However, the city maintained that the shutdown was justified.

Brown told ESPN he is considering legal action against the city, saying the episode tarnished his and his brand’s image. “I feel offended by it,” he said. “It’s hard to say that you were not being targeted.”

Beverly Hills Deputy City Manager Keith Sterling said in an email that police responded to a resident’s report of “excessive vehicles on the street.” A traffic control officer then found “high vehicular traffic, numerous parking violations (including a vehicle blocking a driveway and several vehicles parked in the wrong direction) and numerous people congregating in the driveway,” according to Sterling.

Code enforcement observed what they believed to be more than 50 people at the event, which would require a public assembly permit for safety reasons, Sterling said. He also cited the presence of a generator requiring a permit, a check-in table, a metal detector and a temporary branded wall.

Sterling noted that six other NBA-related events occurred in Beverly Hills during All-Star Weekend. “The City was aware that the event was timed to coincide with NBA All-Star Weekend but did not have details on who was sponsoring or participating in the event,” he wrote. “The event was shut down for safety reasons alone without regard to the event sponsor or participants.”

The incident has renewed focus on Beverly Hills Police Department’s treatment of Black people, particularly amid an ongoing $500-million class-action lawsuit alleging systemic racial profiling. The predominantly white city, where Black residents make up about 2% of the population, has faced decades of racial tensions dating back to restrictive covenants and including a 1995 “driving while Black” lawsuit.

Beverly Hills officials insist the city did not unfairly single out Brown and stressed the incident was a code-enforcement matter rather than a policing issue. However, the viral video and Brown’s high-profile rejection of the city’s apology have intensified debate about whether the response was proportionate and fair.

The controversy comes as Beverly Hills continues to grapple with its image regarding racial issues, with advocates previously raising concerns about the treatment of Black shoppers and visitors in the wealthy enclave.

Brown’s event was described as a calm gathering focused on culture and leadership discussions, with the music having been turned off well before police arrived at 7 p.m., according to the social media video that sparked the widespread debate.