Fan videos of the moment went viral, showing the R&B singer leap from the stage at the city’s Riverfront Music Festival after calling out into the microphone, “Don’t you hit her like that!”
Monica told the Hollywood Reporter on Monday that she saw the altercation and tried to get the attention of security to de-escalate the situation but was unable to do so, which prompted her to jump into the crowd and intervene.
“And I did everything I could after seeing him strike her to prevent her from being hit again,” the “Boy Is Mine” singer said. “It was very triggering for me to see a woman be assaulted by a man, but I thank God that we were able to prevent it from going further than it did and everyone made it home safe.”
Video of the incident did not clearly show the alleged assailant or victim. The 42-year-old artist could be seen parting the crowd, alongside security, continuing to point toward the apparent altercation and yelling out, “‘You don’t hit no f— lady like that.” Fans cheered on the singer and began to chant, “Get his a— out of here!”
After returning to the stage, Monica apologized for the interruption and said she was “triggered” and had lost her temper. After addressing the crowd, she went on with her set, according to the Detroit Metro Times.
A spokesperson for the festival condemned “any form of violence, particularly against women” and shared they were working with law enforcement to “ensure that the individual involved is held accountable,” the Metro Times reported. It remained unclear what prompted the apparent altercation.
In the THR interview, Monica called on concertgoers to “start governing themselves a lot better” and be mindful of one another’s space in such “crowded situations” where there’s “going to be a lot of touching … a lot of interaction and maybe uncomfortable moments.”
In 2018, Monica reportedly intervened in a domestic violence situation in the parking lot of a Walgreens where she was shopping, according to BET. She shared on Instagram that she saw a man beat a woman inside their car. When Monica tried to stop the man, however, the singer claimed that she was turned away by the woman, which left her “floored” and “confused.”
In recent months, violent behavior at pop music concerts hasn’t been restricted to the audience but has extended to the stage. Some fans have acted out against artists by throwing objects at them during performances — such as phones or vapes.
In one case, pop singer Bebe Rexha got a black eye and needed stitches after a concertgoer pelted the singer in the face with a phone during a New York show on June 18. Shortly afterward, singer-songwriter Ava Max was slapped by a show attendee onstage during her L.A. concert.
Other artists who have been struck with objects while performing include Drake, Harry Styles and Kelsea Ballerini. Though Adele wasn’t among the victims, at a recent concert, she patrolled the stage armed with a T-shirt cannon, beckoning, “I f— dare you.”