Man Who Grabbed Ariana Grande during Movie Premiere Prohibited from Singapore
A man from Australia who vaulted across a fence and reached for actress Ariana Grande has been deported and banned from Singapore.
Johnson Wen, twenty-six, was given a sentence to nine days in detention for being a public nuisance and has now been "prohibited from returning to Singapore," the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority informed Singaporean press.
He forced his way past photographers and charged at the actress and singer, who was attending the regional launch for Wicked: For Good on the thirteenth of November. Co-star Cynthia Erivo wrestled him away from Grande.
He has a background of interrupting performances and celebrity events, including rushing the stage at the pop star's Australian show in the past June.
The event provoked strong reactions in Singapore, with numerous people accusing him of causing further distress to the star.
The celebrity has mentioned suffering from PTSD after a suicide bomb attack at her performance in Manchester in spring of 2017 resulted in the deaths of over twenty people and injured hundreds.
During Wen's trial, the court heard he had tried to gain access on the movie's debut twice, according to local news sources.
He then made a follow-up try to jump the barricades. Event security prevented him and restrained him.
The man subsequently shared video clips appreciating the celebrity for permitting his access and said he was "released."
Authorities detained him the following day and brought charges against him with causing a disturbance, to which Wen pleaded guilty.
The District Judge the judicial official was quoted by Channel News Asia as remarking that Wen was "attention seeking", noting that he was mistaken to think he would not face any penalties.
The actress has not spoken about the incident.
Erivo spoke about the situation to a media outlet, saying that she "just wanted to make sure my co-star was protected."
"I'm sure he had no intention to us injury, but you never know with such situations, and I aimed to confirm that she was alright. That was my immediate response," she said.
