Chris Brown, aged 36, was arrested in the early hours of May 15, 2025, at The Lowry Hotel in Manchester by the Metropolitan Police. The arrest is linked to an alleged assault that occurred on February 19, 2023, at Tape nightclub in Mayfair, London, where Brown is accused of attacking music producer Abe Diaw with a tequila bottle and further assaulting him.
Brown arrived in Manchester on a private jet on May 14, 2025, and was detained shortly after 2:00 AM the following day at the five-star Lowry Hotel. The Metropolitan Police took him into custody on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, and he remains there as of 9:06 PM +06 on May 15, 2025, with no updates on his release or formal charges. The investigation is being handled by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.
“He has been taken into custody, where he remains,”
the Metropolitan Police confirmed in a brief statement.
“The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on Feb. 19, 2023.”
The incident in question took place over two years ago at Tape nightclub, a high-profile venue in London’s Mayfair district. According to reports, The alleged victim, music producer Mr. Abe Diaw, claims that Brown launched an unprovoked attack on him inside the nightclub with a bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila before punching and kicking him while he was on the ground. Diaw claims he was knocked unconscious for approximately 30 seconds.
In an interview with The Sun, Diaw said,
“He hit me over the head two or three times with a bottle… then he kept punching and kicking me while I was on the ground.”
Following the incident, Diaw was taken to the hospital and left with injuries so severe he needed crutches to walk. He has since filed a civil lawsuit against Brown, seeking $16 million (£12 million) in damages for physical and emotional trauma, as well as lost income.
As of the latest updates, Brown is still in police custody undergoing questioning. Authorities have not indicated whether formal charges will be filed or when he might be released, leaving the situation unresolved as the investigation continues.
The timing of the arrest is particularly significant, occurring just weeks before the launch of Brown’s Breezy Bowl XX world tour. The tour is scheduled to begin on June 15, 2025, at Co-op Live in Manchester, with additional performances planned in Birmingham, London, Glasgow, Cardiff, and Ireland, concluding back at Co-op Live on July 3, 2025. The legal proceedings could potentially disrupt these plans, depending on their progression and outcome.
This is not the first time Brown has faced legal trouble. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to felony assault after attacking his then-girlfriend Rihanna. He was sentenced to community labor, five years of probation, and mandatory domestic violence counseling. The recurrence of violent allegations has reignited public and media scrutiny of his behavior, drawing parallels to his past.
News of the arrest has spread rapidly, with extensive coverage from outlets. Social media posts on platforms like X have garnered significant attention, with view counts reaching into the hundreds of thousands.
The incident has also sparked broader conversations about domestic abuse, with some reports including support resources such as the National Domestic Abuse Helpline (UK): 0808 2000 247 and the US Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).ce Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
👍👍