The 'Angel of Mine' songstress admits she was 'so triggered' after watching a man punching a lady in the face at her show and decided to take matters into her own hands because 'no one would take action.'
- Jul 24, 2023
AceShowbiz - Monica has explained why she jumped into the audience to confront a fan during her recent concert. After videos of the incident went viral over the weekend, the singer/actress has apologized once again while also defending her action.
"I apologized there & I'm apologizing here for my actions but no one would take action!" she commented on a video posted on The Shade Room's Instagram page. "I was so triggered, I watched & she didn't appear to even know him! It appeared to be about space during a packed concert! He punched her with ALL his strength!"
The R&B star explained, "My intentions were to prevent her from being hit again & she wasn't! I asked for help, it fell on deaf ears! It was like seeing my mother or an aunt be assaulted!! This woman was 50+ I pray she's ok! Happy Sunday to everyone!"
On Saturday, July 22, Monica performed at Hart Plaza as part of Riverfront Music Festival in Detroit when she noticed the ruckus in the crowd. She paused her performance to warn the man, "Don't you hit her like that!"
Seemingly getting heated, "The Boy Is Mine" hitmaker then jumped off the stage to confront the man with a bodyguard quickly following her. It's unclear what she said to the man, but she was soon escorted back to the stage.
"You don't hit no f**kin' lady like that," the 42-year-old said while moving back to the stage. She then apologized to the audience, "That s**t triggered me. I seen him punch that lady in the face, I lost my f**kin' temper. I apologize ya'll, I apologize from the bottom of my heart."
Monica has since been hailed for her action. Andrus Macdonald, the Riverfront Musical Festivals' spokesperson, thanked her for intervening in an emailed statement. "We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Monica for her courage and decisive intervention during an unfortunate incident at our Festival. Her actions demonstrated a commitment to the safety and respect of her fans, reinforcing our belief that she is not just an extraordinary talent, but an extraordinary individual as well," the email read.
He continued, "We are truly saddened that an event meant to bring joy and unity to our community was marred by an act of violence. We strongly condemn any form of violence, particularly against women, and we are actively working with local law enforcement to ensure that the individual involved is held accountable."
"To our festival-goers, the well-being and safety of our audience, artists, and staff are always our top priority. We would also like to commend our attendees for their patience and understanding throughout this event. Your cheers of support for Monica truly embodies the spirit of our community and the music we celebrate," Andrus concluded.
Others urged Monica not to feel sorry for defending the female fan. "Apologize for what?!? You did what needed to be done for women!" one commented. Another fan supported her, "Auntie you did nothing wrong! No apology needed!!!" A third social media user penned, "Don't apologize, Goonica. All men in attendance near that woman should be apologizing."
