Beyoncé, Jay Z, Solange release statement over lift incident
By Nick Levine
Beyoncé, her husband Jay Z and sister Solange have released a joint statement in response to the now infamous “lift incident”.
This Monday (May 12), a video leaked in which 27-year-old Solange, Beyoncé’s younger sister by five years, can apparently be seen attacking her brother-in-law in a hotel elevator while her sister looks on.
The incident occurred in a lift at New York’s Standard Hotel following the Met Gala Ball on May 5, which all three had attended earlier in the evening.
Speculation about what caused the scuffle has since been rife, and while Solange deleted all photos showing her and Beyoncé from her Instagram account, Beyoncé chose to upload several new pictures of her and Solange to her own page on the picture-sharing website in an apparent show of sisterly solidarity.
In a statement released exclusively to the Associated Press last night (May 15), the trio insisted they “have moved forward as a united family” since the incident.
The full statement as reported by the AP reads:
“As a result of the public release of the elevator security footage from Monday, May 5th, there has been a great deal of speculation about what triggered the unfortunate incident. But the most important thing is that our family has worked through it.Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other and we have moved forward as a united family.”
“The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems and we’re no different. We love each other and above all we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.”
Meanwhile, the Standard Hotel has confirmed that it has fired the member of staff who chose to leak the video of the lift incident to the press.