Justin Bieber Mobbed at New Zealand Airport; Police Shut Down Fan Frenzy
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (CBS/AP) Justin Bieber fans... all of you... seriously... calm down!
Hundreds of frenzied teens mobbed the 16-year-old pop star and knocked down his mother as he arrived in New Zealand, stealing his hat as he was rushed through the airport to escape the fans.
The heartthrob Canadian singer tweeted his 2.1 million fans Wednesday to report: "Finally got to New Zealand last night. The airport was crazy. Not happy that someone stole my hat and knocked down my mama. Come on people."
The star's mother, Pattie Mallette, tweeted that she was "OK" after being pushed over by rampaging fans at Auckland Airport late Tuesday. "Thanks for all ur support!! I'm ok thank you!!!," she wrote.
It was his mother's posting of videos of Bieber singing on YouTube that first caught the attention of the music industry. His song "Baby" became a top-ten hit on iTunes earlier this year, and his popularity has grown to teen idol status.
Before arriving at the airport, the singer had told fans that he wanted to sign autographs and have pictures taken. But police and security had to shut the opportunity down because fans were pushing.
The frenzy followed similar scenes in Sydney, Australia, earlier in the week, where police canceled a Bieber concert after surging crowds crushed some fans. The most serious injury was a fractured kneecap.
A similar situation occurred at a mall in Long Island, New York, in November. Bieber's free concert was canceled at the 11th hour when hundreds of fans stampeded after a reported sighting of the teen star.
In New Zealand, a mob of mainly teen girls screamed their welcome and swarmed toward Bieber at the airport. Escorted by security, police and minders, Bieber quickly left the airport out a side door.
A waiting black SUV whisked him away, leaving some fans sobbing with disappointment.
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