SINGAPORE: When a man jumped over a barricade and rushed at American pop star and actress Ariana Grande on Thursday (Nov 13) night, fans were left questioning how the security breach could have occurred.
The incident took place during the The Wicked: For Good movie premiere at Universal Studios Singapore (USS). In videos circulating online, the man was seen putting his arm around Grande while jumping up and down.
He was subsequently tackled and removed by security. Australian Johnson Wen, 26, was charged in court for being a public nuisance on Friday afternoon.
What are the security risks associated with celebrity events?
At such events, the welfare and protection of the celebrity is a priority, while crowd control is also key, said Mr Gabriel Rumdej, director of event security management provider ASEC Security.
“When the celebrity comes up, the fans all get overly excited and start pushing each other,” he said, adding that this may cause a stampede.
The security team is trained to look out for anything that can be thrown or cause harm to the VIP, and has to plan the fastest evacuation routes in case of emergencies, he added.
Because of this, there are usually at least two layers of guards – one to protect the celebrity and another team to manage the crowd, said Mr Vigneswaran M, a director at security firm SecuriState.
“Sometimes, there may be a third layer also where we put a guard (who is not in) uniform within the crowd,” he added.
How do security teams balance fan engagement with celebrity safety?
At events that involve interaction with fans, it is all about taking a “very balanced approach”, said Mr Vigneswaran.
Security teams have to carry out risk assessments before the event, even coordinating with the organisers if there are persons of interest in the crowd to look out for.
Wen, who goes by the online handle Pyjama Man, has a history of running onto stages at concerts and sporting events.
However, resources may be limited to screen every attendee, said Mr Vigneswaran.
“Making sure that we have a proper deterrence … that will be the better strategy, versus screening everyone who comes in,” he said.
Mr Aby Al-Sofli, the representative director for Southeast Asia at security firm UCP Group, noted that celebrities may not always prefer bodyguards to stand closely, especially when cameras are around.
“So what (guards) can do is, they have the floor plan. They have to know in advance where the celebrity is going,” he said, stressing the importance of proper security planning.