Chaos broke out as Britney Spears checked into the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills on Monday night. The pop star, who has reportedly been tipping the paparazzi off to her whereabouts, was being followed by an entourage of photogs when members of one of the photo agencies broke into the hotel and attacked a security guard.

“It was pure chaos outside the five star hotel last night, with panicked security chasing photogs off the property as Spears checked in,” says a witness.

A former Spears aide claims:

“Even though her professional career and personal life are train wrecks and she seemingly is paying little attention to her appearance, she is doing everything she can to make sure she’s photographed almost daily….”

“Britney is obsessed with keeping herself in the public eye. She has told me several times, “If they don’t see you [in the media], they forget you…. I’m not going to let that happen!’ “