Fans Call for Arrest of Person Who Grabbed Ariana Grande

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

Devoted fans of the pop star are urging that a man who breached a barricade and grabbed the actress during Thursday's Wicked: For Good debut be arrested or removed from Singapore.

A circulating clip shows the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and lunging at Grande while the cast proceeded down a yellow carpet flanked by supporters.

Cast member Cynthia Erivo immediately wrested the stunned performer away from Mr Wen, who was seen being led away of the event by guards.

Mr Wen stated on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "free after being detained", though legal records indicated that he was due to attend court on Friday morning. It is uncertain if he was charged.

History of Incidents

This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Troll Most Hated", has disrupted a celebrity gathering. His Instagram feed features videos of him disturbing other high-profile occasions, including jumping on stage at the pop singer's Sydney concert in earlier this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers event in the city last winter.

"Measures must be taken enforced against him as this is clearly a criminal offence," commented an Instagram user, in a response to a video Mr Wen shared of his act.

"Oh wow so you do this a lot... how aren't you in jail?" a different Instagram user wrote.

Supporters Show Disapproval Over Grande's Well-being

Many supporters accused Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had revealed experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a suicide bomb attack at the conclusion of her May 2017 performance in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and injuring numerous individuals.

"After everything she's faced... including the Manchester attack, you considered it entertaining to rush the barrier?" commented one more message on Instagram.

Several supporters also criticised guards at the Thursday event for not being vigilant enough; while different individuals called for social media platforms to ban Mr Wen's uploads.

Reaction and Event Details

In clips circulating online, Grande appeared startled when she was approached by the man. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted consoling her while Mr Wen was escorted away by staff.

Grande has not commented on the incident, and the remaining proceedings proceeded as normal.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Many of Singapore supporters had waited to greet the cast of Wicked

Many of fans had congregated in a sea of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific debut in a Singapore mall, including a number who had stood in line for as long as many hours before it commenced.

The movie, to be launched on the 21st of November, is the second of a two-film version of the well-known theatrical show Wicked, which revolves around the surprising friendship between two contrasting witches.

The production itself is a derivative of the 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who portrays the good witch Glinda, was decked out in a light pink sequin dress at the premiere while Erivo, who acts as the Elphaba, wore a sleek black dress featuring roses.

They were accompanied by fellow actor Jeff Goldblum.

The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning movie of the previous year in the UK, and received 10 Academy Award nods, winning several for excellent wardrobe and production design.

Christopher Johnson
Christopher Johnson

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in casino game reviews and responsible gaming advocacy.