Supporters Call for Detainment of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande
Devoted followers of the pop star are urging that a man who leaped a fence and touched the performer during the recent Wicked: For Good debut be taken into custody or expelled from Singapore.
A widely shared footage shows the person identified as Johnson Wen pushing past camera operators and rushing toward Grande while the cast proceeded down a promenade surrounded by onlookers.
Fellow actress Cynthia Erivo immediately wrested the shocked star away from Mr Wen, who was spotted being led away of the event by event staff.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram Thursday evening that he was "let go after being detained", though court documents revealed that he was scheduled to attend court on the next day. It is uncertain if he was formally accused.
History of Disruptions
This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has disrupted a performance. His Instagram account features recordings of him disrupting other high-profile occasions, including breaching the performance area at the artist's Sydney concert in earlier this year and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers performance in the area last year.
"Steps should be implemented taken against him as this is clearly a punishable act," stated an Instagram follower, in a message to a video Mr Wen shared of his behavior.
"Oh wow so you do this a lot... how aren't you in jail?" a different Instagram user questioned.
Fans Show Disapproval Over Grande's Safety
Several fans criticized Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had spoken of dealing with trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the finale of her spring 2017 performance in Manchester, killing 22 people and harming many.
"After everything she's faced... including the Manchester attack, you considered it entertaining to rush the barrier?" said one more response on Instagram.
Several fans also questioned event staff at the gathering for not being adequately prepared; while some called for social media platforms to remove Mr Wen's uploads.
Aftermath and Premiere Information
In clips shared widely, Grande looked shocked when she was grabbed by the man. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen reassuring her while Mr Wen was removed by security.
Grande has not commented on the incident, and the rest of the event proceeded as normal.
Hundreds of supporters had assembled in a crowd of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific debut in a Singapore venue, including a number who had stood in line for as long as many hours before it began.
The movie, to be premiered on November 21, is the sequel of a two-part adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway and West End show Wicked, which centers on the unlikely bond between two distinct characters.
The musical itself is a adaptation of the 1900 story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was adorned in a light pink sequin dress at the gathering while Erivo, who portrays the villainous character, wore a sleek black dress embroidered with roses.
They were joined by fellow actor Jeff Goldblum.
The first movie, Wicked, was the top-earning movie of last year in the UK, and earned 10 Academy Award nods, winning a pair for excellent wardrobe and artistic direction.