R&B superstar Chris Brown has been arrested at Manchester Airport in connection with an alleged bottle attack on a music producer.
The 36-year-old American singer was detained by Met Police detectives early today, just weeks before he was set to embark on his worldwide Breezy Bowl XX Tour.
Brown is accused of assaulting producer Abe Diaw at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, London, in February 2023.
The arrest comes after Brown flew into Manchester on a private jet yesterday afternoon.
Met Police detectives arrested Brown just after 2am at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester.
The Met said: “A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 02:00hrs on Thursday, 15 May on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.”
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“He has been taken into custody where he remains. The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on 19 February 2023.”
Complainant Mr Diaw alleges Brown launched an unprovoked attack on him at around 3am while the star and his entourage were at a Dirty Martini club night.
He claims Brown smashed him over the head with a bottle and then punched and kicked him as he lay on the floor.
“He hit me over the head two or three times. My knee collapsed as well,” Mr Diaw told The Sun.
The producer had to be taken to hospital and needed crutches to walk when discharged.
Diaw has launched a civil claim against Brown for $16 million (£12 million) in damages.
The arrest could throw Brown’s upcoming tour plans into chaos. The two-time Grammy winner was set to embark on his Breezy Bowl XX Tour, celebrating his 20-year career in music.
Brown was planning to perform at several UK venues, including Manchester’s Co-Op Live stadium, Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur’s Stadium in London.
The tour was to feature R&B superstar Summer Walker opening the North American leg, with multi-platinum selling artist Bryson Tiller joining for Europe and UK dates.
Brown had expressed excitement about the tour on Instagram, writing: “CELEBRATING 20 years of CB.”
Brown has a history of legal troubles, most notably his 2009 assault on then-girlfriend Rihanna, for which he received five years probation.
The singer is one of the most commercially successful R&B artists of his generation, having sold over 140 million records worldwide.
Last year, Brown surpassed Elvis Presley for the most RIAA gold-certified singles among male vocalists.
His 2024 concerts have been highly successful, with his 11:11 tour grossing $82 million.
Brown’s representatives have not yet commented on his arrest or how it might affect his upcoming performances.