Followers Demand Custody of Man Who Seized Ariana Grande

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

Passionate followers of Ariana Grande are demanding that a person who leaped a barricade and touched the celebrity during Thursday's Wicked: For Good premiere be taken into custody or deported from Singapore.

A widely shared video shows the person identified as Johnson Wen shoving aside media personnel and charging at Grande while the performers made its way down a event pathway accompanied by onlookers.

Cast member Cynthia Erivo quickly wrested the shocked star away from Mr Wen, who was observed being led away of the event by guards.

Mr Wen stated on Instagram recently that he was "released after being detained", though court documents revealed that he was set to be present on the next day. It is uncertain if he was faced legal action.

Pattern of Disruptions

This is not the first time for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Troll Most Hated", has disrupted a celebrity gathering. His Instagram profile contains videos of him interrupting other star-studded functions, including jumping on stage at the artist's Sydney performance in earlier this year and in a comparable manner during The Chainsmokers event in the area last year.

"Measures must be taken enforced against him as this is clearly a legal violation," stated an Instagram commenter, in a response to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his behavior.

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

Followers Show Disapproval Over Ariana's Safety

Many supporters criticized Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had spoken of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a suicide bomb attack at the finale of her 2017 show in Manchester, killing 22 people and harming hundreds.

"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" wrote one more comment on Instagram.

Several fans also questioned event staff at the gathering for not being sufficiently alert; while others demanded online networks to ban Mr Wen's content.

Aftermath and Event Details

In footage circulating online, Grande seemed startled when she was approached by the man. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen consoling her while Mr Wen was led out by security.

Grande has not issued a statement on the incident, and the remaining proceedings continued without further issues.

Fans at Wicked premiere
Many of Singapore attendees had queued up to greet the performers of Wicked

Hundreds of attendees had assembled 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 a significant duration before it started.

The film, to be premiered on 21 November, is the second of a dual interpretation of the popular Broadway and West End musical Wicked, which focuses on the unexpected relationship between two very different sorceresses.

The show itself is a derivative of the classic story The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who portrays the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was adorned in a light pink glittering gown at the event while Erivo, who acts as the wicked witch, wore a sleek black dress decorated with roses.

They were joined by co-star Jeff Goldblum.

The previous installment, Wicked, was the top-earning movie of the previous year in the UK, and scored 10 Oscar nominations, earning two for best costume and production design.

Deborah Miller
Deborah Miller

Maya is a tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering digital trends and innovations.