Supporters Call for Arrest of Individual Who Seized Ariana Grande
Passionate followers of Ariana Grande are urging that a man who jumped a barricade and seized the performer during Thursday's Wicked: For Good debut be taken into custody or deported from Singapore.
A widely shared footage depicts the Australian man bypassing photographers and lunging at Grande while the actors made its way down a event pathway flanked by fans.
Co-star Cynthia Erivo quickly wrested the surprised star away from Mr Wen, who was observed being escorted out of the event by security officers.
Mr Wen shared on Instagram late on Thursday that he was "let go after being arrested", though court documents indicated that he was scheduled to appear on Friday morning. It is uncertain if he was formally accused.
History of Event Invasions
This is not an isolated incident for Mr Wen, who calls himself a "Controversial Figure", has crashed a celebrity gathering. His Instagram feed features clips of him interrupting other star-studded functions, including rushing the platform at Katy Perry's Sydney show in recently and in a like fashion during The Chainsmokers event in the same location last year.
"Measures must be taken enforced against him as this is evidently a legal violation," commented an Instagram user, in a reply to a video Mr Wen posted of his actions.
"This appears to be a habit... why are you not imprisoned?" one Instagram user remarked.
Followers Show Disapproval Over Grande's Past Trauma
Numerous supporters accused Mr Wen for "re-traumatising" Grande, who had discussed dealing with PTSD after a devastating incident at the end of her May 2017 performance in Manchester, resulting in the death of 22 people and harming many.
"The star has endured numerous terrifying experiences... including the Manchester tragedy, and you believed breaching security was amusing?" commented another response on Instagram.
Several supporters also criticised security officers at the Thursday event for not being sufficiently alert; while some called for social media platforms to block Mr Wen's uploads.
Aftermath and Event Details
In footage spreading on the internet, Grande appeared surprised when she was approached by the intruder. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be spotted reassuring her while Mr Wen was removed by security.
Grande has not issued a statement on the event, and the rest of the event proceeded as normal.
Many of attendees had gathered in a sea of green and pink at the Wicked: For Good regional premiere in a Singapore venue, including several who had stood in line for as long as a significant duration before it commenced.
The motion picture, to be premiered on 21 November, is the sequel of a dual adaptation of the acclaimed theatrical musical Wicked, which focuses on the unlikely relationship between two very different characters.
The show itself is a spin-off of the classic children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Grande, who plays the character Glinda Glinda, was dressed in a champagne pink glittering gown at the event while Erivo, who acts as the wicked witch, wore a black tube gown embroidered with roses.
They were alongside co-star Jeff Goldblum.
The first movie, Wicked, was the highest-grossing motion picture of 2024 in the UK, and earned a dozen Academy Award nods, earning a pair for outstanding attire and set decoration.