Man Charged After Disrupting Ariana Grande Event in Singapore
SINGAPORE – A man who rushed teh stage during a promotional event for the upcoming musical Wicked in singapore, grabbing Ariana Grande, has been charged in court, local media reports. The individual, identified as Mr. Wen, who self-describes online as a “Troll Most Hated,” intends to plead guilty, according to reports.
The incident, which occurred Thursday, prompted concern for Grande, particularly given her history with trauma following the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. The event,attended by Grande and co-stars Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Erivo,was briefly disrupted as security escorted Mr. Wen away after he made contact with Grande. Yeoh and Erivo were seen comforting Grande immediately following the incident.
Mr. Wen has a documented history of disrupting public events and concerts. His Instagram feed features videos of similar incidents, including stage invasions at concerts by Katy Perry in Sydney in June and The Chainsmokers last December.
The charge carries a potential fine of up to S$2000 (approximately $1540 USD or £1170). social media users have expressed outrage over the incident, with many calling for his arrest and deportation.
“There needs to be action [taken] against him as this is clearly a criminal offense,” one Instagram user commented on a video posted by Mr. Wen. Others questioned how he had not been apprehended previously, writing, “Oh wow so you do this a lot…how aren’t you in jail?”
Many fans also voiced concern for Grande, referencing the May 2017 suicide bombing at her Manchester concert which killed 22 people and injured 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?” one user wrote.
Some attendees criticized security at the event, while others called for social media platforms to remove Mr. Wen’s videos. Grande has not publicly commented on the incident, and the event resumed as scheduled.
The BBC has reached out to Singapore’s police and immigration authority for comment.
