Fans Call for Custody of Man Who Grabbed Ariana Grande
Passionate supporters of Ariana Grande are calling for that a man who breached a fence and seized the actress during the recent Wicked: For Good launch be detained or removed from Singapore.
A widely shared clip shows the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and charging at Grande while the actors walked down a yellow carpet accompanied by fans.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly guided the stunned actress away from Mr Wen, who was observed being led away of the gathering by security officers.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "released after being arrested", though official papers showed that he was set to attend court on the following morning. It is unknown if he was charged.
Pattern of Disruptions
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who describes himself as a "Notorious Troublemaker", has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram feed features videos of him disturbing other star-studded functions, including breaching the performance area at the artist's Sydney show in recently and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the same location last year.
"There needs to be action applied against him as this is evidently a criminal offence," commented an Instagram user, in a message to a video Mr Wen posted of his actions.
"Oh wow so you do this a lot... how aren't you in jail?" one Instagram user remarked.
Followers Voice Worry Over Ariana's Safety
Numerous fans criticized Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had revealed experiencing PTSD after a devastating incident at the conclusion of her 2017 concert in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and injuring many.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" said a further response on Instagram.
Some attendees also questioned guards at the gathering for not being vigilant enough; while different individuals called for online networks to remove Mr Wen's content.
Reaction and Premiere Information
In clips circulating online, Grande looked shocked when she was grabbed by the man. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be observed consoling her while Mr Wen was escorted away by staff.
Grande has not commented on the event, and the rest of the event carried on uninterrupted.
Hundreds of attendees had assembled in a sea of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific premiere in a Singapore venue, including a number who had waited for as long as eight hours before it started.
The movie, to be launched on 21 November, is the sequel of a dual interpretation of the popular stage show Wicked, which focuses on the unexpected bond between two distinct witches.
The show itself is a derivative of the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was adorned in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the event while Erivo, who acts as the villainous character, wore a elegant ensemble embroidered with roses.
They were alongside co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning motion picture of 2024 in the UK, and scored ten Oscar nominations, winning several for excellent wardrobe and production design.