Supporters Demand Custody of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande
Loyal fans of the actress are calling for that a man who jumped a fence and grabbed the actress during the recent Wicked: For Good launch be arrested or deported from Singapore.
A circulating footage depicts the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing camera operators and charging at Grande while the performers walked down a yellow carpet flanked by fans.
Cast member Cynthia Erivo promptly wrested the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was seen being led away of the gathering by event staff.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram Thursday evening that he was "released after being detained", though court documents indicated that he was scheduled to appear on the next day. It is not clear if he was formally accused.
History of Disruptions
This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Notorious Troublemaker", has crashed a concert or event. His Instagram account contains videos of him interrupting other star-studded functions, including jumping on stage at the pop singer's Sydney show in recently and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers event in the city last year.
"There needs to be action taken against him as this is evidently a criminal offence," commented an Instagram user, in a response to a video Mr Wen posted of his behavior.
"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" another Instagram user wrote.
Fans Voice Worry Over Grande's Past Trauma
Several fans accused Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had spoken of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder after a suicide bomb attack at the conclusion of her May 2017 performance in Manchester, killing 22 people and wounding many.
"After everything she's faced... including the Manchester attack, you considered it entertaining to rush the barrier?" wrote another message on Instagram.
Some fans also questioned security officers at the premiere for not being sufficiently alert; while different individuals requested social media platforms to remove Mr Wen's videos.
Aftermath and Premiere Information
In videos spreading on the internet, Grande seemed shocked when she was touched by the intruder. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted reassuring her while Mr Wen was led out by staff.
Grande has not commented on the incident, and the rest of the event carried on uninterrupted.
Hundreds of attendees had gathered in a crowd of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific launch in a Singapore venue, including several who had waited for as long as many hours before it commenced.
The film, to be released on November 21, is the follow-up of a dual adaptation of the acclaimed theatrical musical Wicked, which revolves around the unlikely bond between two very different witches.
The musical itself is a adaptation of the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was decked out in a champagne pink glittering gown at the gathering while Erivo, who portrays the villainous character, wore a sleek black dress embroidered with roses.
They were accompanied by co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning motion picture of 2024 in the UK, and scored a dozen Oscar nominations, winning several for best costume and set decoration.