Fans Call for Custody of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande
Passionate supporters of Ariana Grande are urging that a man who leaped a barrier and touched the celebrity during the recent Wicked: For Good premiere be arrested or deported from Singapore.
A circulating video shows the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and lunging at Grande while the actors walked down a yellow carpet surrounded by fans.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly pulled the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was spotted being led away of the event by security officers.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "free after being arrested", though legal records indicated that he was set to attend court on Friday morning. It is not clear if he was charged.
History of Incidents
This is part of a pattern for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Notorious Troublemaker", has invaded a performance. His Instagram profile includes recordings of him disrupting other star-studded functions, including jumping on stage at the artist's Sydney concert in June this year and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers concert in the same location last December.
"Measures must be taken taken against him as this is obviously a punishable act," wrote an Instagram user, in a reply to a video Mr Wen shared of his act.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" a different Instagram user questioned.
Supporters Voice Worry Over Ariana's Well-being
Several fans criticized Mr Wen for "triggering past anxiety" Grande, who had revealed dealing with trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the finale of her 2017 concert in Manchester, resulting in the death of 22 people and injuring hundreds.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" wrote another comment on Instagram.
A number of attendees also criticised guards at the gathering for not being sufficiently alert; while different individuals requested online networks to ban Mr Wen's content.
Response and Event Details
In videos shared widely, Grande appeared startled when she was grabbed by the man. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted reassuring her while Mr Wen was escorted away by security.
Grande has remained silent on the situation, and the rest of the event proceeded as normal.
Hundreds of attendees had gathered in a crowd of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good regional debut in a Singapore venue, including a number who had queued for as long as many hours before it started.
The motion picture, to be launched on November 21, is the follow-up of a two-film adaptation of the popular Broadway and West End show Wicked, which centers on the unexpected friendship between two distinct witches.
The production itself is a adaptation of the twentieth-century book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was dressed in a champagne pink glittering gown at the premiere while Erivo, who portrays the wicked witch, wore a sleek black dress featuring roses.
They were accompanied by cast member Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning motion picture of last year in the UK, and received 10 Oscar nominations, winning several for outstanding attire and artistic direction.