Followers Urge Detainment of Man Who Touched Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande at Wicked premiere
Ariana Grande visited Singapore for the international launch of Wicked: For Good

Passionate fans of the pop star are calling for that a individual who jumped a fence and seized the actress during Thursday's Wicked: For Good launch be taken into custody or removed from Singapore.

A widely shared footage reveals the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing photographers and rushing toward Grande while the performers proceeded down a promenade accompanied by onlookers.

Co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly wrested the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was observed being led away of the event by security officers.

Mr Wen posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "free after being arrested", though court documents showed that he was due to be present on the next day. It is not clear if he was charged.

Pattern of Disruptions

This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has invaded a performance. His Instagram profile features videos of him disturbing other high-profile occasions, including breaching the performance area at Katy Perry's Sydney concert in earlier this year and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers performance in the area last year.

"Steps should be implemented applied against him as this is obviously a criminal offence," wrote an Instagram user, in a response to a video Mr Wen shared of his act.

"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" a different Instagram user wrote.

Followers Voice Worry Over the Star's Safety

Many supporters criticized Mr Wen for "triggering past anxiety" Grande, who had revealed suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a suicide bomb attack at the conclusion of her May 2017 performance in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and harming hundreds.

"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" wrote a further message on Instagram.

A number of attendees also criticised event staff at the gathering for not being adequately prepared; while some requested social media platforms to ban Mr Wen's uploads.

Response and Premiere Information

In clips circulating online, Grande looked shocked when she was grabbed by the individual. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen reassuring her while Mr Wen was removed by staff.

Grande has not commented on the incident, and the premiere activities continued without further issues.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Many of Singapore attendees had lined up to see the performers of Wicked

Many of supporters had congregated in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good regional debut in a Singapore mall, including some who had queued for as long as eight hours before it started.

The motion picture, to be launched on 21 November, is the second of a two-part interpretation of the well-known stage musical Wicked, which revolves around the surprising relationship between two contrasting witches.

The show itself is a derivative of the 1900 story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was adorned in a rosé glittering gown 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 initial film, Wicked, was the top-earning film of 2024 in the UK, and received 10 Academy Award nods, securing several for best costume and artistic direction.

Amanda Young
Amanda Young

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