Celtics' Jaylen Brown criticizes police for shutting down panel during NBA All-Star Weekend

Brown says police ended an event for his 741 brand, costing him 'hundreds of thousands of dollars'

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Celtics player Jaylen Brown criticized the Beverly Hills police department for shutting down an event he was hosting at a private mansion during NBA All-Star Weekend. Brown said the police ended the panel discussion about 'culture, talking about the future of independence, creative control, et cetera' despite there being no issues or inconveniences to the neighborhood. The city of Beverly Hills said the event did not have the required permit, but Brown disputed this claim.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing tensions between law enforcement and the Black community, especially during high-profile events. Brown's criticism of the police's actions raises questions about whether the shutdown was racially motivated, as he suggested, or if the police were simply enforcing permit requirements.

The details

According to Brown, the event was held at 7 p.m. on Saturday night at a private mansion in Beverly Hills. Brown said the event, which featured a panel discussion about 'culture, talking about the future of independence, creative control, et cetera', was shut down by police despite there being no issues or inconveniences to the neighborhood. The city of Beverly Hills stated that the event permit request was denied due to previous violations at the address, but Brown disputed this, saying his team never applied for a permit because they didn't need one.

  • The event was held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 14, 2026 during NBA All-Star Weekend.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A player for the Boston Celtics who was hosting an event for his 741 footwear and apparel brand during NBA All-Star Weekend.

Beverly Hills Police Department

The law enforcement agency that shut down the event hosted by Jaylen Brown, citing a lack of required permits.

True 90210 LLC

The owner of the private mansion where Jaylen Brown's event was being held.

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What they’re saying

“The owner seemed like he was pretty upset. He wants to file a lawsuit because it's his house. They've done multiple events there, and there's never been an issue. He's done four or five events even that week, he said, and it was never an issue. So it seems like, I don't know, from the information that I've gathered from my team, it just seemed it's only one conclusion you can make.”

— Jaylen Brown, Celtics Player (New York Times)

What’s next

The owner of the private mansion where Jaylen Brown's event was held plans to file a lawsuit against the city of Beverly Hills over the shutdown of the event.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between law enforcement and the Black community, especially during high-profile events. Brown's criticism of the police's actions raises questions about whether the shutdown was racially motivated or simply due to permit issues, underscoring the need for greater transparency and accountability in how law enforcement interacts with marginalized groups.