Fans Call for Detainment of Man Who Touched Ariana Grande
Passionate supporters of Ariana Grande are calling for that a person who jumped a barricade and touched the celebrity during yesterday's Wicked: For Good premiere be arrested or removed from Singapore.
A widely shared clip depicts the person identified as Johnson Wen pushing past photographers and lunging at Grande while the cast proceeded down a yellow carpet flanked by fans.
Co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly pulled the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was seen being escorted out of the premiere by guards.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "let go after being detained", though official papers showed that he was set to be present on the following morning. It is not clear if he was charged.
Pattern of Incidents
This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Controversial Figure", has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram profile features recordings of him interrupting other celebrity events, including rushing the platform at the pop singer's Sydney concert in earlier this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers concert in the city last year.
"Measures must be taken applied against him as this is clearly a criminal offence," commented an Instagram commenter, in a response to a video Mr Wen shared of his behavior.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" another Instagram user questioned.
Followers Voice Worry Over the Star's Past Trauma
Several supporters 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 concert in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and harming 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?" commented another comment on Instagram.
A number of attendees also faulted security officers at the premiere for not being sufficiently alert; while others called for online networks to ban Mr Wen's content.
Aftermath and Premiere Information
In footage spreading on the internet, Grande seemed startled when she was touched by the individual. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen consoling her while Mr Wen was escorted away by security.
Grande has not commented on the situation, and the remaining proceedings carried on uninterrupted.
Hundreds of fans had gathered in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific debut in a Singapore shopping center, including some who had waited for as long as a significant duration before it started.
The film, to be launched on November 21, is the sequel of a dual adaptation of the acclaimed stage production Wicked, which focuses on the unlikely bond between two contrasting witches.
The production itself is a adaptation of the twentieth-century story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was decked out in a rosé sparkling outfit at the gathering while Erivo, who plays the wicked witch, wore a sleek black dress decorated with roses.
They were alongside fellow actor Jeff Goldblum.
The first movie, Wicked, was the highest-grossing film of last year in the UK, and earned 10 award recognitions, earning a pair for excellent wardrobe and set decoration.