Justin Bieber apologises for past racist behaviour with Instagram post

Justin Bieber urged his fans to stand against racism after video footage emerged from when he was fourteen. Photo / Getty Images

Justin Bieber regrets making racist remarks when he was younger.

The 25-year-old singer was caught on camera using offensive terms when he was just 14 years old - including one clip where he changed the chorus to his song 'One Less Lonely Girl' by substituting 'girl' for the N-word - and he has admitted he didn't truly realise "the power" of what he had to say.

Alongside an Instagram post bearing the words 'STAND AGAINST RACISM', he wrote: "When I was young I was uneducated and found myself saying really hurtful things not knowing the power of my words. Racism Is still very prevalent and I want to use my voice to remind we are all human being and all of EQUAL VALUE BEFORE GOD!"

The 'Love Yourself' hitmaker - who is married to model Hailey Bieber - previously issued an apology five years ago after TMZ shared a video of him telling a racist joke when he was 15.

View this post on Instagram

When I was young I was uneducated and found myself saying really hurtful things not knowing the power of my words. Racism Is still very prevalent and I want to use my voice to remind we are all human being and all of EQUAL VALUE BEFORE GOD!

A post shared by Justin Bieber (@justinbieber) on Dec 3, 2019 at 3:59pm PST

The website explained they had received the clip - which was shot backstage at a promotional event - four years prior to that but decided not to post it because of Justin's age and because he "immediately told his friends what he did was stupid."

After it was published, the Canadian singer apologised for his "inexcusable mistake".

He said: "As a young man, I didn't understand the power of certain words and how they can hurt. I thought it was OK to repeat hurtful words and jokes, but didn't realise at the time that it wasn't funny and that in fact my actions were continuing the ignorance.

"I take my friendships with people of all cultures very seriously and I apologise for offending or hurting anyone with my childish and inexcusable mistake. I was a kid then and I am a man now who knows my responsibility to the world and to not make that mistake again."