Celtics Star Jaylen Brown Criticizes Beverly Hills After Police Shut Down Private Event

Brown claims the city is "trash" and he was "offended" by the police response.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown is speaking out after a private event he was hosting in Beverly Hills during NBA All-Star weekend was shut down by the city. Brown says he was hosting a networking event featuring talks about 'leadership' and the 'future' at a home in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood of Beverly Hills on Saturday when he was 'targeted' by police. Brown called the city 'trash' and said he was 'offended' by the police response, while the city claimed the event was unpermitted.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between celebrities, event organizers, and local authorities over the permitting and regulation of private events. It also raises questions about the extent to which public figures can freely host events in private residences without obtaining the proper permits and approvals.

The details

According to Brown, he was hosting a networking event featuring talks about 'leadership' and the 'future' at a home in the Trousdale Estates neighborhood of Beverly Hills on Saturday when police shut down the event. Brown shared a video on Instagram of an interaction he had with a Beverly Hills police officer, saying 'We're just trying to have an event, a panel, talking about culture, talking about the future, talking about leadership, and for whatever reason, I feel like we're being targeted.' In another social media post, Brown called the city 'trash' and said he was 'offended.' The City of Beverly Hills responded that the event was unpermitted, and that a previous permit application had been denied due to 'previous violations associated with events at the address.' Brown disputed this, claiming he didn't need a permit because he was friends with the homeowner.

  • The event was scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 15, 2026 during NBA All-Star weekend.
  • Brown spoke about the incident after the NBA All-Star game on Sunday, February 16, 2026.

The players

Jaylen Brown

A star player for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.

Beverly Hills Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that shut down Brown's private event.

City of Beverly Hills

The local government that denied a permit for Brown's event and defended the police response.

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What they’re saying

“We're just trying to have an event, a panel, talking about culture, talking about the future, talking about leadership, and for whatever reason, I feel like we're being targeted.”

— Jaylen Brown (Instagram)

“An event permit had been applied for and denied by the City due to previous violations associated with events at the address. Despite the fact that the permit was denied, organizers still chose to proceed with inviting hundreds of guests, knowing that it was not allowed to occur. BHPD responded and shut down the unpermitted event.”

— City of Beverly Hills (Statement)

“We didn't need a permit because the owner of the house, that was his space. We were family friends. He opened up the festivities to us, so we didn't have to. We never applied for one. I didn't have to pay for the house or anything. They just opened it up. I had to pay for the build-out, but it was hundreds of thousands of dollars wasted for an event that was supposed to be positive.”

— Jaylen Brown (ESPN)

What’s next

It is unclear if Jaylen Brown plans to take any further legal or public action against the City of Beverly Hills over the shutdown of his private event.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the complex relationship between celebrities, event organizers, and local authorities when it comes to hosting private events. It underscores the importance of obtaining the proper permits and approvals, even for high-profile individuals, and the potential consequences of proceeding with an unpermitted event.