Diana Ross' bizarre defence of her "magnificent, incredible" friend Michael Jackson.

Supremes singer Diana Ross has defended her friend Michael Jackson in a tweet that has been slammed by many as insensitive to his alleged victims.

The 74-year-old Motown singer tweeted at the weekend that she did not “believe” the allegations of child sexual abuse made by James Safechuck and Wade Robson in the documentary Leaving Neverland.

James and Wade have separately alleged that as young boys they were subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of the pop icon that lasted years. Their testimonies have been described as “compelling”. Many within the entertainment community have either stayed silent on the issue, or come out in support of his alleged victims.

But Ross decided to come out in support of Michael, tweeting: “This is what’s on my heart this morning. I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others.
STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE.”

This is what’s on my heart this morning. I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others.
STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE

— Ms. Ross (@DianaRoss) March 23, 2019

While she doesn’t mention the alleged child abuse, many have taken her reference to The Supremes’ hit song Stop! In The Name of Love as her pleading for people to ‘stop’ besmirching Michael Jackson’s name.

On Twitter, the tweet was liked and retweeted thousands of times, but it was also condemned by hundreds of users, who implored Ross to consider that Jackson could have been a brilliant musician, but also a paedophile.

No Diana, just no. Just because you knew and liked someone doesn’t mean they’re innocent. You saw him with those boys and never thought it was strange for an adult to not have friends his age? One of the boys was 7 when the grooming and abuse started! What’s wrong with you?

— Vote Dem for the Planet (@Brasilmagic) March 23, 2019

It’s duality. A person can be incredibly talented and apparently fabulous and still be a damaging, terrible abuser and ruin people’s lives.

— Jane Slavin (@JaneSlavin) March 24, 2019

Diana, a person could still do brilliant things and be an awful or sick person. Just because he was your friend, a friend who settled with one accuser, doesn’t mean you are right. Stop living in REFLECTIONS and turn the other way. These men have everything to lose.

— Danny Deraney (@DannyDeraney) March 24, 2019

Much respect to you but you’re wrong and insensitive. It must be nice never having been sexually molested yourself as a child and having no clue whatsoever about nature of this kind of abuse. I do. You will never understand but you can acknowledge that.

— Chase Holden (@thechaster) March 24, 2019

Meanwhile, Barbra Streisand has also faced criticism for her comments about Michael Jackson’s accusers during an interview published in The Times.

“You can say ‘molested’, but those children, as you heard say, they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them,” she said.

“I feel bad for the children. I feel bad for him. I blame, I guess, the parents, who would allow their children to sleep with him.”

Many have taken issue with her seemingly blaming parents instead of Jackson himself and diminishing the life-long impacts child sexual abuse has on victims, with absolutely no expertise to back up her opinion.

After receiving backlash online, the singer said she was “profoundly sorry” for her remarks.

“I didn’t mean to dismiss the trauma these boys experienced in any way,” she said in a statement on Twitter.