Global music sensation Chris Brown was arrested in Manchester, UK, at The Lowry Hotel, charged with grievous bodily harm.
The arrest, executed by the Metropolitan Police around 2am, stems from an alleged assault at Tape nightclub in London’s Mayfair on February 19, 2023.
Unprovoked attack
Music producer Abe Diaw accuses Brown of attacking him unprovoked with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila, causing severe injuries.
Brown, 35, appeared at Manchester Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Judge Joanne Hirst ordered him to remain in custody until his next hearing at Southwark Crown Court on June 13, 2025.
Diaw, in a $16-million civil lawsuit, alleges Brown struck him multiple times on the head. He punched and kicked him while down, resulting in lacerations, a collapsed knee, and emotional trauma.
“The attack was sudden and brutal,” Diaw stated in court documents. He also claimed permanent damage and financial losses.
The Crown Prosecution Service, authorising the charge, urged restraint in public commentary to ensure a fair trial.
“We have a duty to uphold justice without prejudice,” a CPS spokesperson said.
Tour thrown into jeopardy
Brown’s arrest has thrown his Breezy Bowl XX tour, celebrating his 20-year career, into uncertainty. The tour is set to begin in Amsterdam on June 8, with Manchester shows on June 15, 16, and 24. However, it now faces potential cancellations.
This incident adds to Brown’s troubled legal history, including his 2009 assault on his then-girlfriend Rihanna and other allegations.
“His past follows him, and this arrest reignites scrutiny,” said legal analyst Sarah Thompson.
The Metropolitan Police’s Central West Area Basic Command Unit continues to investigate. Brown remains detained as proceedings advance. His team has remained silent, leaving promoters and ticketholders in limbo.
SA tour protests
In 2024 the non-profit group Women For Change, which opposes gender-based violence and keeps track of South African women’s and children’s deaths, urged the government, promoters, and concert organisers to reconsider their decision to allow Chris Brown to perform in Johannesburg on December 14.
They claimed that a performance would be a blatant insult to the millions of women and girls affected by violence both domestically and internationally.
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