Followers Urge Custody of Person Who Seized Ariana Grande
Passionate followers of Ariana Grande are urging that a man who leaped a barrier and seized the celebrity during yesterday's Wicked: For Good premiere be taken into custody or removed from Singapore.
A widely shared footage reveals the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing photographers and charging at Grande while the cast walked down a promenade accompanied by supporters.
Co-star Cynthia Erivo promptly wrested the stunned performer away from Mr Wen, who was seen being escorted out of the gathering by security officers.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "free after being detained", though court documents revealed that he was due to appear on the following morning. It is unknown if he was formally accused.
Pattern of Event Invasions
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Notorious Troublemaker", has disrupted a concert or event. His Instagram feed contains clips of him disturbing other star-studded functions, including jumping on stage at the artist's Sydney show in earlier this year and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the city last winter.
"Steps should be implemented enforced against him as this is clearly a legal violation," commented an Instagram user, in a reply to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his act.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" one Instagram user wrote.
Fans Express Concern Over Ariana's Well-being
Many fans criticized Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had discussed experiencing PTSD after a terrorist explosion at the conclusion of her May 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and harming 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?" said a further response on Instagram.
Some attendees also faulted event staff at the Thursday event for not being sufficiently alert; while different individuals requested social media platforms to block Mr Wen's uploads.
Response and Premiere Information
In footage spreading on the internet, Grande seemed startled when she was grabbed by the individual. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be observed reassuring her while Mr Wen was removed by security.
Grande has not issued a statement on the situation, and the rest of the event proceeded as normal.
Numerous of fans had assembled in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific premiere in a Singapore shopping center, including several who had waited for as long as eight hours before it commenced.
The film, to be released on the 21st of November, is the follow-up of a two-film adaptation of the well-known stage show Wicked, which focuses on the surprising bond between two contrasting characters.
The musical itself is a derivative of the twentieth-century story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who portrays the good witch Glinda, was dressed in a rosé sparkling outfit at the gathering while Erivo, who portrays the villainous character, wore a black tube gown decorated with roses.
They were alongside cast member Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the most successful film of last year in the UK, and scored 10 Academy Award nods, winning several for outstanding attire and production design.