🔗 Share this article

Devoted followers of Ariana Grande are demanding that a individual who jumped a barricade and touched the celebrity during Thursday's Wicked: For Good debut be taken into custody or removed from Singapore.

A circulating video shows the person identified as Johnson Wen bypassing media personnel and charging at Grande while the actors made its way down a event pathway flanked by fans.

Fellow actress Cynthia Erivo promptly guided the surprised actress away from Mr Wen, who was seen being escorted out of the premiere by event staff.

Mr Wen posted on Instagram recently that he was "released after being detained", though court documents revealed that he was due to attend court on the following morning. It is unknown if he was charged.

Pattern of Event Invasions

This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who describes himself as a "Troll Most Hated", has invaded a performance. His Instagram profile features clips of him disturbing other high-profile occasions, including breaching the performance area at the pop singer's Sydney show in earlier this year and in a similar way during The Chainsmokers performance in the city last December.

"Measures must be taken applied against him as this is obviously a punishable act," wrote an Instagram follower, in a reply to a video Mr Wen shared of his act.

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

Supporters Show Disapproval Over Ariana's Past Trauma

Numerous supporters blamed Mr Wen for "triggering past anxiety" Grande, who had spoken of experiencing trauma-related anxiety after a terrorist explosion at the conclusion of her spring 2017 concert in Manchester, resulting in the death of 22 people and wounding numerous individuals.

"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 another response on Instagram.

Several attendees also faulted security officers at the gathering for not being vigilant enough; while some called for social media platforms to remove Mr Wen's uploads.

Response and Event Details

In clips spreading on the internet, Grande appeared startled when she was approached by the intruder. Her cast members Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen consoling her while Mr Wen was removed by security.

Grande has remained silent on the incident, and the premiere activities continued without further issues.

Hundreds of fans had congregated in a sea of colorful attire at the Wicked: For Good regional launch in a Singapore shopping center, including a number who had waited for as long as eight hours before it started.

The motion picture, to be released on the 21st of November, is the sequel of a two-film adaptation of the popular theatrical production Wicked, which revolves around the unexpected bond between two very different witches.

The musical itself is a derivative of the classic book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Grande, who acts as the benevolent sorceress Glinda, was adorned in a rosé sparkling outfit at the gathering while Erivo, who portrays the wicked witch, wore a black tube gown embroidered with roses.

They were accompanied by fellow actor Jeff Goldblum.

The previous installment, Wicked, was the most successful motion picture of last year in the UK, and scored a dozen award recognitions, securing a pair for outstanding attire and artistic direction.