Supporters Urge Arrest of Man Who Touched Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande at Wicked premiere
Ariana Grande was in Singapore for the Asia-Pacific launch of Wicked: For Good

Devoted followers of the actress are urging that a man who leaped a barricade and grabbed the actress during the recent Wicked: For Good debut be detained or expelled from Singapore.

A circulating video shows the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside photographers and rushing toward Grande while the performers walked down a yellow carpet flanked by onlookers.

Cast member Cynthia Erivo promptly pulled the shocked actress away from Mr Wen, who was observed being led away of the gathering by security officers.

Mr Wen stated on Instagram Thursday evening that he was "released after being detained", though court documents revealed that he was scheduled to appear on the following morning. It is not clear if he was formally accused.

Record of Incidents

This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Troll Most Hated", has crashed a concert or event. His Instagram profile includes recordings of him interrupting other star-studded functions, including jumping on stage at the pop singer's Sydney concert in June this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers concert in the city last winter.

"There needs to be action enforced against him as this is obviously a punishable act," commented an Instagram follower, in a response to a video Mr Wen shared of his actions.

"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" one Instagram user wrote.

Supporters Express Concern Over Grande's Safety

Many followers blamed Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had discussed experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the end of her 2017 performance in Manchester, claiming the lives 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?" commented one more message on Instagram.

Several supporters also faulted guards at the gathering for not being vigilant enough; while different individuals called for social media platforms to block Mr Wen's uploads.

Aftermath and Premiere Information

In videos spreading on the internet, Grande looked surprised 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 guards.

Grande has remained silent on the event, and the remaining proceedings carried on uninterrupted.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Numerous of Singapore fans had waited to see the cast of Wicked

Many of attendees had assembled in a mass of emerald and rose at the Wicked: For Good Asia-Pacific launch in a Singapore mall, including several who had waited for as long as many hours before it began.

The film, to be released on the 21st of November, is the follow-up of a two-part version of the popular stage musical Wicked, which revolves around the surprising friendship between two contrasting witches.

The musical itself is a adaptation of the 1900 book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who acts as the good witch Glinda, was dressed in a light pink sequin dress at the premiere while Erivo, who plays the wicked witch, wore a sleek black dress featuring 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 10 Oscar nominations, earning several for best costume and artistic direction.

Arthur Chavez
Arthur Chavez

A tech journalist and software developer with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital trends.