Supporters Urge Arrest of Person Who Grabbed Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande at Wicked premiere
Ariana Grande was in Singapore for the international debut of Wicked: For Good

Loyal fans of Ariana Grande are urging that a person who jumped a barricade and grabbed the celebrity during Thursday's Wicked: For Good launch be detained or expelled from Singapore.

A widely shared footage shows the person identified as Johnson Wen pushing past camera operators and charging at Grande while the cast made its way down a yellow carpet accompanied by fans.

Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly guided the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was seen being led away of the event by event staff.

Mr Wen posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "released after being taken in", though official papers showed that he was due to attend court on Friday morning. It is not clear if he was formally accused.

Pattern of Incidents

This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Notorious Troublemaker", has crashed a celebrity gathering. His Instagram profile includes clips of him interrupting other star-studded functions, including rushing the platform at Katy Perry's Sydney concert in June this year and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the same location last December.

"Steps should be implemented applied against him as this is obviously a legal violation," stated an Instagram commenter, 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.

Supporters Express Concern Over the Star's Past Trauma

Many fans accused Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had spoken of dealing with trauma-related anxiety after a suicide bomb attack at the conclusion of her 2017 show in Manchester, resulting in the death of 22 people and wounding many.

"Ariana has been through so many scary things... and at her Manchester concert and you thought it would be fun to jump the barricade?" wrote another comment on Instagram.

Several fans also questioned guards at the premiere for not being adequately prepared; while some called for digital services to block Mr Wen's videos.

Response and Premiere Information

In videos shared widely, Grande looked shocked when she was grabbed by the man. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen reassuring her while Mr Wen was led out by security.

Grande has not issued a statement on the event, and the remaining proceedings proceeded as normal.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Numerous of Singapore supporters had lined up to see the performers of Wicked

Numerous of attendees had congregated in a sea of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good international launch in a Singapore venue, including some who had waited for as long as many hours before it commenced.

The motion picture, to be released on 21 November, is the follow-up of a two-part version of the well-known theatrical production Wicked, which revolves around the unlikely friendship between two very different sorceresses.

The musical itself is a derivative of the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who acts as the character Glinda Glinda, was decked out in a light pink glittering gown at the gathering while Erivo, who plays the villainous character, wore a elegant ensemble featuring roses.

They were accompanied by fellow actor Jeff Goldblum.

The initial film, Wicked, was the top-earning movie of the previous year in the UK, and received 10 Oscar nominations, earning a pair for best costume and production design.

Tim Black
Tim Black

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