InstagramLouis Tomlinson is calling for privacy for his five-month-old son Freddie Reign, saying the increased paparazzi attention on the boy spurs "potential security issues" and also takes place during his visitation time with him, as he begins a custody battle with his ex and the child's mother.
Tomlinson's rep says in a statement posted by multiple outlets, including People, that the pop star feels media attention has greatly inhibited Freddie's right to have "a normal, private and protected childhood."
Photographers have photographed his son during his visitation time with him and at the boy's doctor's appointments, the rep says.
Since Freddie was born, paparazzi have photographed Tomlinson with the boy nearly a dozen times while the two were out and about in Los Angeles. His ex and the child's mother, Briana Jungwirth, has also been snapped with Freddie in public, but not as often.
"The persistent and increasing levels of paparazzi and media intrusions into Freddie's life of late are not only posing potential security issues but are also crucially invading the privacy to which Freddie is undoubtedly entitled as a child," the statement says. "The levels of paparazzi attention on Freddie are intolerable and completely unjustifiable."
"Louis appreciates, respects and values his relationship with the media and we hope he and his son are afforded the same respect on this matter," the statement adds.
The 24-year-old British One Direction singer had several days ago filed for joint physical and legal custody of Freddie. Jungwirth, a Los Angeles stylist who dated the singer briefly last year, has not commented publicly on his custody bid.