Chris Brown was arrested early Thursday morning in Manchester, England, on suspicion of grievous bodily harm in connection with a 2023 nightclub incident in which the singer allegedly attacked music producer Abe Diaw with a tequila bottle. The arrest comes just weeks before the Grammy-winning artist was scheduled to begin his Breezy Bowl XX Tour across Europe and the United Kingdom.
"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," London's Metropolitan Police stated. "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."
The incident, which allegedly occurred during a Dirty Martini club night at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, London, was first made public when Diaw filed a civil lawsuit in October 2023. According to the complaint, Brown struck Diaw multiple times over the head with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila before punching and kicking him while he lay on the floor unconscious.
"He hit me over the head two or three times. My knee collapsed as well," Diaw told The Sun. The producer said he sustained lacerations to the head and torn ligaments in his leg, requiring hospitalization and the use of crutches during his recovery.
The lawsuit, filed in London, seeks $16 million (£12 million) in damages. Diaw also claims Brown engaged in defamatory conduct after the alleged assault by spreading false rumors, including accusations of theft, to damage his reputation in the music industry.
Brown, who has sold more than 140 million records globally, was scheduled to perform in major U.K. venues including Manchester's Co-Op Live stadium, Cardiff's Principality Stadium, and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. His 2024 11:11 Tour has already grossed $82 million, with sold-out shows and a lineup featuring Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller for the North American and European legs, respectively.
The singer's representatives have not issued a statement on the arrest or confirmed whether his upcoming tour dates will be impacted. Brown had previously posted about the milestone event on Instagram, writing: "CELEBRATING 20 years of CB."
This arrest adds to Brown's long history of legal troubles. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to felony assault after attacking then-girlfriend Rihanna. In 2017, a court granted actress Karrueche Tran a five-year restraining order against him, citing threats and aggression.
Brown had arrived in Manchester on a private jet Wednesday afternoon and was staying at The Lowry Hotel when police executed the arrest warrant. The Metropolitan Police's Central West Area Basic Command Unit is leading the ongoing investigation.
