An Australian man who stormed a barricade and grabbed singer Ariana Grande at a movie premiere in Singapore has been deported and permanently banned from the country.
Johnson Wen, 26, was sentenced to nine days in prison after pleading guilty to being a public nuisance. Following his jail term, Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority confirmed he has been “barred from re-entering.”
The incident occurred on November 13 at the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good. Wen pushed past photographers and charged at Grande before being wrestled away by her co-star, Cynthia Erivo.
The court heard that Wen, who has a history of disrupting celebrity events, made two attempts to jump the barricades. District Judge Christopher Goh described Wen as “attention seeking” and noted his mistaken belief that he would face no consequences.
The attack caused significant outrage, with many noting it could have re-traumatized Grande, who has spoken publicly about her PTSD following the deadly 2017 bombing at her Manchester concert.
Erivo later stated her first instinct was to ensure her friend was safe. Grande has not publicly commented on the case.
By James Kisoo
