Followers Call for Custody of Person Who Touched Ariana Grande
Devoted followers of Ariana Grande are calling for that a man who jumped a fence and seized the performer during Thursday's Wicked: For Good premiere be detained or removed from Singapore.
A widely shared clip reveals the person identified as Johnson Wen pushing past camera operators and lunging at Grande while the actors walked down a event pathway accompanied by onlookers.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly pulled the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was observed being led away of the premiere by event staff.
Mr Wen stated on Instagram Thursday evening that he was "let go after being arrested", though official papers revealed that he was due to attend court on the following morning. It is not clear if he was formally accused.
Record of Incidents
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram feed contains recordings of him disturbing other high-profile occasions, including jumping on stage at the pop singer's Sydney show in recently and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers event in the area last December.
"Measures must be taken taken against him as this is clearly a criminal offence," wrote an Instagram follower, in a response to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his behavior.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" another Instagram user wrote.
Fans Express Concern Over Grande's Safety
Several fans blamed Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had revealed suffering from trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the end of her 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and injuring numerous individuals.
"Ariana has been through so many scary things... and at her Manchester concert and you thought it would be fun to jump the barricade?" commented another response on Instagram.
Some fans also faulted event staff at the gathering for not being sufficiently alert; while different individuals called for online networks to block Mr Wen's content.
Reaction and Premiere Information
In videos spreading on the internet, Grande seemed surprised when she was grabbed by the individual. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen reassuring her while Mr Wen was removed by security.
Grande has remained silent on the incident, and the premiere activities carried on uninterrupted.
Many of fans had congregated in a crowd of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good regional launch in a Singapore mall, including a number who had queued for as long as a significant duration before it started.
The motion picture, to be premiered on 21 November, is the follow-up of a dual adaptation of the well-known Broadway and West End show Wicked, which revolves around the unexpected friendship between two contrasting characters.
The musical itself is a adaptation of the twentieth-century book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who portrays the good witch Glinda, was adorned in a champagne pink sequin dress at the gathering while Erivo, who plays the villainous character, wore a black tube gown decorated with roses.
They were accompanied by co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The initial film, Wicked, was the top-earning film of 2024 in the UK, and earned a dozen Oscar nominations, securing two for excellent wardrobe and set decoration.