Supporters Call for Detainment of Person Who Seized Ariana Grande
Devoted supporters of the pop star are calling for that a man who leaped a barricade and grabbed the celebrity during yesterday's Wicked: For Good debut be taken into custody or removed from Singapore.
A circulating clip shows the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing photographers and rushing toward Grande while the cast proceeded down a event pathway accompanied by onlookers.
Fellow actress Cynthia Erivo promptly wrested the shocked performer away from Mr Wen, who was seen being escorted out of the event by guards.
Mr Wen posted on Instagram Thursday evening that he was "let go after being arrested", though official papers indicated 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 the first time for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Troll Most Hated", has crashed a celebrity gathering. His Instagram account features recordings of him disturbing other high-profile occasions, including rushing the platform at the pop singer's Sydney concert in recently and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the area last year.
"Measures must be taken applied against him as this is obviously a legal violation," wrote an Instagram follower, in a reply to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his act.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" one Instagram user questioned.
Supporters Voice Worry Over Grande's Safety
Numerous supporters blamed Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had spoken of dealing with PTSD after a devastating incident at the end of her May 2017 show in Manchester, claiming the lives of 22 people and wounding hundreds.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" wrote a further message on Instagram.
Some attendees also criticised event staff at the gathering for not being vigilant enough; while different individuals called for online networks to remove Mr Wen's videos.
Reaction and Event Details
In clips shared widely, Grande seemed shocked when she was touched by the intruder. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted reassuring her while Mr Wen was escorted away by staff.
Grande has not issued a statement on the situation, and the remaining proceedings carried on uninterrupted.
Many of attendees had congregated in a sea of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific debut in a Singapore venue, including several who had stood in line for as long as a significant duration before it started.
The film, to be premiered on the 21st of November, is the sequel of a two-part interpretation of the acclaimed theatrical production Wicked, which centers on the surprising relationship between two contrasting sorceresses.
The show itself is a derivative of the twentieth-century children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was dressed in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the premiere while Erivo, who plays the Elphaba, wore a elegant ensemble decorated with roses.
They were joined by co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The initial film, Wicked, was the most successful film of the previous year in the UK, and earned a dozen Oscar nominations, securing several for outstanding attire and set decoration.