Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Read more
Backstreet Boys member Brian Littrell is facing social media backlash over a video of him arguing with a man over beach access.
Footage recently came to light of Littrell, 51, getting into a heated argument with a beachgoer named Kyle Gallagher outside of his multimillion-dollar mansion in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, last month.
Littrell stormed out of his house to record a video of Gallagher lying on the beach behind his home. He called the man “gay” and a “p****” as he accused him of trespassing on his private property.
Gallagher is seen in the video pushing Littrell’s phone camera away and insisting that he was on the wet sand, which is considered public access in the state.
The boy band singer then called 911 and alleged that Gallagher committed battery against him by striking his hand and said that he wanted to seek charges.
Backstreet Boys star Brian Littrell is facing backlash over a dispute he had with a beachgoer that he accused of trespassing (Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
However, the plan backfired when Littrell submitted the video evidence in an attempt to press criminal charges against Gallagher.
Walton County authorities decided to drop the case and said the video evidence did not show enough criminal intent to pursue charges, which led Littrell to sue the county, accusing them of not protecting him against trespassers.
After the video was released, social media users have criticized Littrell for disrespecting public beaches.
“Brian has been claiming he ‘owns’ that part of the beach when he doesn’t. It’s a public beach,” one person wrote on X. Another said, “That a**hole does not own the Gulf of America, nor the wet sand adjacent to it. He shouldn’t sneak up behind someone & stick a phone in their face on public property. I’m sure the Sheriff’s Office hates getting his BS calls. They should charge Littrell for false emergency calls.”
In the video, the beachgoer tells Littrell to get “out of his face” while the singer tells Gallagher to stop grabbing his phone.
“This is what I deal with,” Littrell says in the video. “This is what I deal with. People like this.”
Gallagher fires back: “You reached around me from behind my back, dude, I got you on video…You’re never gonna — you bought a house next to private property.”
“You touched me, dog,” Littrell says. Gallagher responds, “No, I didn’t touch you.”
Littrell appears to say, “You want to be gay? Want to be a p****?” He later adds, “Public access doesn’t grant you public beach.”
“You’re done for, bro,” Gallagher replies. “You’re not gonna get privacy. You’ll never get privacy here.”
Littrell’s attorney, Peter Ticktin, told The Independent: “Mr. Littrell and his family purchased what they saw as their dream home, only to discover an ongoing pattern of trespassing and harassment targeting private property owners along their and their neighbors’ stretch of beach. These actions are not about public access, public beaches exist on both sides of the neighborhood and remain open and uncrowded. Instead, certain individuals appear intent on challenging the very concept of private property rights.”
He emphasized that despite several online claims, Littrell did not use a homophobic slur in the video.
“It is deeply troubling that these incidents have been allowed to escalate due to a lack of enforcement by the local Sheriff’s office. Homeowners are entitled to safety and privacy on their own property, and Mr. Littrell is no exception,” Ticktin said.