A Singapore court has sentenced an Australian man to nine days in jail for grabbing Hollywood star Ariana Grande at a movie premiere.
Johnson Wen, 26, was found guilty of being a public nuisance during the high-profile incident last Thursday at the Asia premiere for Wicked: For Good.
Videos posted on social media show Wen jumping the barriers, charging at a visibly shocked Grande, and grabbing her shoulders while jumping up and down.
The incident sparked outrage in Singapore, where many called for Wen's arrest and deportation due to his history of disruptive behavior at concerts and celebrity events.
Several accused him of 're-traumatizing' Grande, who has spoken about experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following a suicide bombing at her concert in Manchester in May 2017, which killed 22 people.
During the trial, the court learned Wen had attempted to intrude on the premiere twice. After grabbing Grande, her co-star Cynthia Erivo intervened, and security staff escorted him out. Wen tried to jump the barricades again but was subdued by security.
Despite his actions, Wen later posted videos thanking Grande, stating he was 'free.' He was arrested the following day and charged with public nuisance, which he pleaded guilty to.
Prosecutors recommended a week in jail, labeling Wen a 'serial intruder' who disrupted events for online popularity. His record includes interruptions at concerts and sporting events, leading to bans and fines in Australia.
Wen stated in court that he would 'not do it again.' Under Singapore's laws on public nuisance, he could have faced three months of jail time or a fine of up to S$2,000.
Grande has not publicly commented on the incident, but has been seen attending events in Los Angeles since then. Erivo appeared to reference the incident in discussions about their bond, noting they have faced challenges lately.
