Chris Brown’s world tour status unclear as U.K. judge orders singer to remain in custody
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Looks like embarking on a transatlantic tour this summer won’t be so easy, Breezy.
R&B star Chris Brown must remain in custody in London until mid-June as he faces prosecution for allegedly using a tequila bottle to attack a man in a U.K. nightclub, a British judge ordered on Friday. The “Kiss Kiss” singer was set to launch his upcoming Breezy Bowl tour in Amsterdam on June 8 but will be held until his next hearing in London on June 13.
The judge handed down the order a day after police arrested the 36-year-old musician early Thursday morning at a hotel in Manchester, England. He was arrested on suspicion of causing “grievous bodily harm,” a count that stems from a February 2023 “incident at a venue in Hanover Square,” officials confirmed to The Times on Thursday.
During Friday’s hearing, Manchester Magistrates’ Court Judge Joanne Hirst rejected the controversial “Under the Influence” singer’s bail request after prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said that the crime was “extremely serious.”
A representative for Brown did not respond to The Times’ request for comment on Friday. Representatives for Live Nation, an organizer for the tour, did not immediately respond to The Times’ inquiry about the status of Brown’s concerts.
Though police did not reveal additional details about Thursday’s arrest — including the detainee’s identity and the nature of the incident or the venue — the charge echoes allegations music producer Amadou “Abe” Diaw raised against Brown in a civil lawsuit filed in October 2023.
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Brown “brutally assaulted” Diaw by “beating him over the head” with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 Tequila on Feb. 19, 2023, at the TAPE nighclub in London, alleges the lawsuit reviewed by The Times. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, accuses Brown of assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The co-defendants include Live Nation, Sony, RCA Records, and another musician, among others.
In the 13-page complaint, Diaw claims he and a friend entered the nightclub and noticed Brown and the other artist “approaching them in a seemingly friendly manner.” The encounter took a turn when Brown allegedly began beating Diaw “on top of the head” with the tequila bottle, striking the top left side of his head three times, the lawsuit said. Diaw claims Brown — whose music career has been marred by numerous allegations of assault (he notably pleaded guilty to assaulting ex-girlfriend Rihanna) — “inflicted severe and lasting injuries” by smashing his head with the bottle and “continued to ruthlessly stomp on” him as he lay unconscious on the nightclub floor following the bottle attack. The other artist who was with Brown also allegedly kicked Diaw in the stomach and legs.
Nightclub staff intervened and brought Diaw out of the venue. Diaw was hospitalized “with lacerations on his head and torn ligaments on his leg,” according to the suit. He continues to suffer “double vision and significant pain in his legs” and needs continued treatment and therapy.
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The bottle attack was captured by nightclub surveillance cameras and Metropolitan Police obtained the footage, the complaint said. Diaw also accuses Brown and the other co-defendants of engaging in “defamatory conduct by spreading false rumors about” his clients and claiming he “is a thief in an effort to sabotage professional relationships.”
Diaw seeks an unspecified amount in damages exceeding $25,000 including medical expenses, loss of earnings and other relief deemed appropriate by the court. The next hearing in the civil case is set for May 30. A jury trial is also set to begin in June 2026, according to a legal database.
Ryan J. Daneshrad, an attorney for Diaw, said in a statement shared with The Times on Thursday: “We can confirm that Chris Brown was involved in an incident with our client, and the injuries sustained are serious.
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“We are pursuing all legal remedies to hold him accountable,” Daneshrad added. “At this time, we will let the facts speak for themselves through the proper legal channels.”
Brown announced his Breezy Bowl 20th anniversary tour in March, revealing he would kickoff his latest slate of live performances in early June. The European leg of his tour — which would also feature Jhené Aiko, Summer Walker and Bryson Tiller — was set to run from June to July. Brown’s tour was scheduled to come stateside beginning July 30 in Miami and include shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium on Sept. 13 and 14.
According to the initial announcement, Brown was set to perform three shows in Manchester on June 15, 16 and 24. Now it seems he will spend more time at the English hub than expected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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