Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston’s ex-husband, briefly appeared at the singer’s funeral on Saturday afternoon, according to reports.
But the R&B singer ended up leaving just 20 minutes into the funeral service after he was repeatedly asked to move while inside New Hope Baptist Church in New Jersey.
The Associated Press reported that Brown walked to his ex-wife’s casket, touched it and then walked to the back of the church.
The singer released a statement to People magazine, saying: “My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us to move.”
TMZ reported that Brown was invited, along with two guests, but then got into an argument with Houston’s family after showing up to the New Jersey church with nine people, the entertainment website said, citing unnamed sources.
“I am at Whitney’s funeral,” the Rev. Al Sharpton tweeted Saturday afternoon. “I spoke with Bobby Brown trying to calm him down and not distract from the services. Today is about Whitney!”
He then sent out another message on Twitter, saying, “We are out of the service. I don’t want anyone distorting Bobby Brown. He has shown love and respect today. Stop hatin’.”
Whitney Houston died last week inside her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The cause of her death has yet to be determined. Houston was 48 when she died.
Brown and Houston were married for 15 years before getting divorced in 2007.
