A man who jumped over a barricade and grabbed actress Ariana Grande at a Wicked: For Good premiere in Singapore has been charged with being a public nuisance.
A now viral video shows the Australian man, Johnson Wen, pushing past photographers and charging at Grande while the cast made its way down a yellow carpet surrounded by fans. Co-star Cynthia Erivo could be seen wrestling the stunned actress away from Mr. Wen.
The 26-year-old had posted on Instagram late on Thursday that he was free after being arrested. However, on Friday afternoon, he was charged with being a public nuisance by a Singapore court. The incident caused massive outrage in the city state.
Local media reports say Mr. Wen, who was unrepresented, intends to plead guilty. This is not the first time Mr. Wen, who describes himself as a Troll Most Hated, has invaded a concert or event. His Instagram feed includes clips of him disrupting other celebrity events, including jumping on stage at Katy Perry's Sydney concert in June this year. He did the same at a concert by The Chainsmokers last December.
If found guilty, he may be fined up to S$2000 ($1540; £1170). Fans had earlier called for him to be arrested and deported. Several comments on social media criticized Mr. Wen for his actions, stating that he could re-traumatize Grande, who has previously spoken about suffering from post-traumatic stress after a terrorist attack at her concert in Manchester.
In clips circulating online, Grande appeared shocked when she was grabbed by the intruder. Her co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Erivo can be seen comforting her while Mr. Wen was escorted away by security. Despite the incident, Grande proceeded with the event, which was attended by hundreds of enthusiastic fans.
With tensions running high, the incident has spurred discussions on the effectiveness of security measures at high-profile celebrity events, as well as the responsibility of social media platforms regarding the sharing of disruptive content.
