🔗 Share this article

Passionate fans of Ariana Grande are demanding that a person who jumped a barricade and seized the performer during Thursday's Wicked: For Good debut be detained or expelled from Singapore.

A circulating video depicts the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing camera operators and charging at Grande while the performers made its way down a event pathway surrounded by fans.

Cast member Cynthia Erivo promptly guided the stunned star away from Mr Wen, who was spotted being escorted out of the gathering by security officers.

Mr Wen shared on Instagram recently that he was "let go after being arrested", though court documents showed that he was due to be present on the next day. It is not clear if he was faced legal action.

Record of Incidents

This is part of a pattern for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has invaded a performance. His Instagram profile includes clips of him disrupting other celebrity events, including breaching the performance area at Katy Perry's Sydney performance in June this year and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers concert in the city last year.

"There needs to be action enforced against him as this is obviously a legal violation," stated an Instagram follower, in a message to a video Mr Wen uploaded of his actions.

"You've done this repeatedly... how are you not behind bars?" a different Instagram user remarked.

Supporters Express Concern Over the Star's Safety

Several supporters accused Mr Wen for "triggering past anxiety" Grande, who had revealed suffering from trauma-related anxiety after a suicide bomb attack at the end of her spring 2017 performance 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?" commented one more comment on Instagram.

Some supporters also questioned guards at the Thursday event for not being vigilant enough; while some demanded social media platforms to remove Mr Wen's content.

Response and Premiere Information

In clips shared widely, Grande appeared surprised when she was touched by the man. Her fellow actors Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen comforting her while Mr Wen was led out by staff.

Grande has not commented on the situation, and the rest of the event proceeded as normal.

Numerous of attendees had gathered in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good international premiere in a Singapore shopping center, including a number who had waited for as long as eight hours before it began.

The film, to be launched on 21 November, is the follow-up of a two-part version of the well-known theatrical production Wicked, which centers on the unexpected relationship between two contrasting characters.

The show itself is a spin-off of the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who acts as the good witch Glinda, was adorned in a rosé sequin dress at the gathering while Erivo, who portrays the wicked witch, wore a sleek black dress featuring roses.

They were accompanied by cast member Jeff Goldblum.

The previous installment, Wicked, was the highest-grossing motion picture of the previous year in the UK, and scored 10 Academy Award nods, earning two for best costume and production design.