Fans Call for Custody of Individual Who Grabbed Ariana Grande
Passionate followers of Ariana Grande are demanding that a man who leaped a barrier and grabbed the celebrity during the recent Wicked: For Good debut be arrested or expelled from Singapore.
A widely shared footage shows the Australian man bypassing media personnel and charging at Grande while the actors walked down a yellow carpet surrounded by supporters.
Co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly pulled the shocked actress away from Mr Wen, who was seen being removed of the premiere by guards.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "released after being detained", though legal records indicated that he was set to be present on Friday morning. It is unknown if he was faced legal action.
History of Event Invasions
This is part of a pattern for Mr Wen, who labels himself a "Notorious Troublemaker", has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram feed features recordings of him interrupting other high-profile occasions, including jumping on stage at Katy Perry's Sydney performance in June this year and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers event in the same location last year.
"Steps should be implemented enforced against him as this is evidently a criminal offence," stated an Instagram commenter, in a response to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his behavior.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" another Instagram user wrote.
Followers Voice Worry Over Ariana's Past Trauma
Several fans blamed Mr Wen for "causing further distress" Grande, who had spoken of experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a devastating incident at the finale of her May 2017 performance in Manchester, killing 22 people and wounding hundreds.
"Ariana has been through so many scary things... and at her Manchester concert and you thought it would be fun to jump the barricade?" wrote a further comment on Instagram.
Several supporters also questioned event staff at the Thursday event for not being vigilant enough; while others called for social media platforms to block Mr Wen's content.
Aftermath and Event Details
In footage circulating online, Grande seemed startled when she was grabbed by the man. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted consoling her while Mr Wen was led out by security.
Grande has not commented on the incident, and the premiere activities proceeded as normal.
Many of fans had congregated in a crowd of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good regional debut in a Singapore venue, including a number who had stood in line for as long as a significant duration before it started.
The movie, to be launched on November 21, is the follow-up of a dual adaptation of the acclaimed Broadway and West End production Wicked, which centers on the unexpected friendship between two very different characters.
The show itself is a derivative of the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the good witch Glinda, was adorned in a champagne pink sparkling outfit at the event while Erivo, who portrays the wicked witch, wore a elegant ensemble featuring roses.
They were alongside cast member Jeff Goldblum.
The initial film, Wicked, was the highest-grossing film of last year in the UK, and received ten award recognitions, winning a pair for best costume and set decoration.