18 hours ago
5
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.
How do security teams usually prepare and plan for such events?
Planning for events of this scale typically takes months, experts said.
Security teams need to understand who the celebrity they are protecting is, in order to know what kind of crowd to expect, said Mr Rumdej.
"As security providers, we want to have that little paranoia in us that something is going to happen, but we don't know where and when, so we always prepare for contingencies," he added.
"We plan for the worst, hope for the best, but then it's always down to venue and budget," he said, adding that they also have to meet the organiser’s expectations.
To become a security officer in Singapore, individuals have to apply for a Security Officer Licence with the Singapore Police Force. Those deployed to work at such events should also have a Conduct Crowd and Traffic Control certification.
What could have gone wrong at the Wicked USS premiere?
Experts told CNA that they were not privy to the security setup at the event. But based on the fact that the incident occurred, there is room for improvement, they added.
Mr Al-Sofli said the issue could be a lack of quality manpower. Others, like Mr Rumdej, noted that the officers around Grande could have "reacted better".
"But then, it also boils down to the crowd control. Were there sufficient people looking at the crowd?" he asked.
Mr Vigneswaran pointed out that in Singapore, crowds are generally more orderly.
"You don't get people suddenly running and jumping in … So the officers’ reaction, the bodyguards’ reaction, may not be used to this," he said.
CNA has reached out to Universal Pictures and Resorts World Singapore for comment.
What steps can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future?
Mr Vigneswaran said that putting up multiple barriers or having more manpower could deter such incidents from happening again.
His team also carries out role-playing training exercises before events so the guards are aware of how to deal with different situations.
"Celebrities, sometimes, they don't follow the script. They suddenly veer towards the fans … So we just got to be more reactive," he said.
Mr Rumdej also stressed the need for security teams to always be on their toes.
"When you start planning, yes, of course, there is a template to do it, but then there are so many permutations to this template," he said. "It's the variables that you’ve got to look at."
