Singapore jails ‘attention seeking’ Australian who rushed at singer Ariana Grande

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A Singapore court has sentenced a 26-year-old Australian man, Johnson Wen, to nine days in jail for rushing at pop star Ariana Grande during the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good last week.

The incident occurred at Universal Studios Singapore during the opening night of the film, where Grande and co-stars, including Cynthia Erivo, were present. Video clips shared widely online show Wen jumping a barricade, wrapping his arm around a visibly shocked Grande, and waving excitedly at the crowd before security personnel pulled him away.

Erivo is seen stepping in to shield Grande as guards forcefully removed Wen from the area. He was arrested a few hours later and charged with being a public nuisance.

Presiding District Judge Christopher Goh described the act as premeditated, noting Wen’s history of similar disruptions at international sporting events and concerts. The judge said Wen displayed “a pattern of behaviour” and was “attention seeking,” adding that he had acted without regard for the safety of others.

Wen, appearing via videolink in a white T-shirt, initially seemed confused when the charge was read but pleaded guilty shortly after. He told the court: “I won’t do it again, Your Honour. I am going to stop getting into trouble.”

In sentencing him to nine days, significantly below the three-month maximum, Judge Goh said the punishment was necessary to “send a signal to like-minded individuals” and protect Singapore’s reputation as a safe, orderly country.

Wen had already served four days in detention at the time of sentencing and will complete the remaining five in custody. Authorities have not disclosed whether further action will follow.

Despite the disturbance, the premiere continued as scheduled, with cast members gathering protectively around Grande before moving on with the event. The 32-year-old singer, who rose to fame as a teen before launching a global pop career, has previously spoken about the lasting trauma from the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people during one of her concerts.