- Rihanna recently posted photos of herself to promote her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty.
- Her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown — who was convicted of assaulting her in 2009 — left three identical comments using the blushing face emoji.
- Rihanna's fans immediately went into protective mode, telling Brown to "leave her alone."
Chris Brown was recently spotted lurking in the comments section of Rihanna's Instagram.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.Brown commented three separate times on two photos Rihanna posted of herself to promote her lingerie line, Savage x Fenty. Each identical comment was wordless, as Brown simply used the blushing face emoji.
—Pop Crave (@PopCrave) November 25, 2018Brown and Rihanna stepped out as a couple in 2008. In February 2009, Brown assaulted Rihanna during an argument that led to "visible injuries" and her hospitalization.
Brown turned himself into the police and later pled guilty to felony assault. He was sentenced to serve five years probation and more than 1,400 hours in "labor-oriented service," as well as ordered to undergo domestic violence counseling.
Police investigating the February 8 attack "learned of two earlier incidents related to domestic violence that went unreported," the probation report said — which included Brown allegedly pushing Rihanna into a wall and allegedly smashing her car windows with her inside.
Presumably because of Brown's history, Rihanna's fans immediately went into protective mode on social media. Many told Brown, in no uncertain terms, to "leave her alone."
—gina sarkisian (@rihftperry) November 25, 2018—🃏 Yes or ʎǝs 🃏 (@Enrique46205311) November 25, 2018—michael (@michaelupset) November 25, 2018Many replied directly to Brown's comments on Instagram — although his comments also racked up thousands of likes.
Brown and Rihanna continued to date on and off until 2013. He has been accused of assault, violent threats, stalking, and sexual assault throughout the years since, including by his recent ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran, who has a permanent restraining order against the singer.
If you or someone you love suffers from domestic abuse, you can visit The National Domestic Violence Hotline or call its hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to receive confidential support from a trained staff member.
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