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Fan Ejected from Lady Gaga Concert After Earlier Incident with Ariana Grande

Johnson Wen, known for his disruptive behavior, faced removal from a Lady Gaga concert in Brisbane due to a prior incident involving Ariana Grande.

Source: bbc.co.uk2 min read
Fan Ejected from Lady Gaga Concert After Earlier Incident with Ariana Grande
Image via bbc.co.uk

In brief

Johnson Wen, a 26-year-old man with a history of disruptive behavior at concerts, was ejected from the Lady Gaga show in Brisbane after being identified as a potential risk. Wen was previously jailed in Singapore for grabbing Ariana Grande during an event, leading to heightened security concerns at the concert. Despite Wen's claims that he would not repeat his past actions, venue officials acted to ensure the safety of attendees and the artist, indicating a proactive stance towards potential disturbances.

An Australian man who was jailed in Singapore and deported for charging at pop star Ariana Grande has been ejected from a Lady Gaga concert in his home country.

Johnson Wen said on Instagram that he was 'kicked out' of the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Tuesday night before the Lady Gaga show had started.

The 26-year-old, who has a history of disrupting concerts and celebrity events, was sentenced to nine days in jail by a Singapore court last month for grabbing Grande during the Asian premiere of Wicked: For Good.

Wen, who told the Singaporean judge in mitigation that he would 'not do it again', had not disrupted the performance in Brisbane, but was removed because of his history of public nuisance.

Videos on social media showed security guards holding Wen by the arm and leading him out of the venue as the crowd both cheered and booed. The BBC has contacted Suncorp Stadium for comment.

In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, the venue said it was made aware that 'a known serial offender may attempt to attend and disrupt' the concert by Lady Gaga, who is around halfway through her Mayhem World Tour.

'In the interest of the artist's safety, this individual was deemed a person of interest and not to be allowed to attend,' it said.

Wen has gained notoriety since grabbing Grande at the Wicked: For Good premiere in the South East Asian city state, which is known for its strict laws, including on public behaviour.

'You seem to be attention-seeking, thinking only of yourself and not the safety of others when committing these acts,' Singaporean judge Christopher Goh reportedly told Wen.

Wen was also banned from Singapore following the incident.

Other videos on Wen's social media accounts show him jumping on stage and disrupting performances by global stars like Katy Perry and The Weeknd.

The incident with Grande sparked outrage in Singapore. Fans accused Wen of 're-traumatising' the pop star and actress.

Grande has spoken of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder after a suicide bomb attack at her May 2017 concert in Manchester, killing 22 people and injuring hundreds.

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