Chris Brown’s 2025 Arrest Stems From His History of Abuse Allegations
The singer was arrested in London in May 2025 ahead of his "Breezy Bowl XX World Tour."
Published May 19 2025, 4:28 p.m. ET
Singer Chris Brown's career has lived his life in front of the world since he shot to fame in the early 2000s as a teenager. His fame has included him being known for his bouts with the law, which followed him into May 2025. At the time, Chris was arrested in the UK.
The "Poppin" singer's arrest came one day after he defended fellow singer Tory Lanez, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by writing "Free Tory!!!!" on his Instagram, per HotNewHipHop. Chris's jail stay after years of controversy had many of his fans wondering what he did to get locked up again. Here's the scoop.
Why is Chris Brown locked up?
Chris was arrested in a Manchester, U.K., hotel on Thursday, May 15. According to the New York Daily News, he was charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm in what prosecutors called an “unprovoked attack … in a nightclub full of people.”
AP News further shared that Chris was on tour in the U.K. in February 2023, when the alleged attack occurred. He allegedly struck producer Abe Diaw with a bottle of Don Julio Tequila at the Tape nightclub. Chris then allegedly chased the producer and punched and kicked him.
“The defendant then pursued him to a separate area of the nightclub where the victim was punched and kicked repeatedly by him and another,” prosecutor Hannah Nicholls said.
Nicholls added the crime against Chris was "extremely serious" and should be considered as such by the court. Defense attorney Grace Forbes argued that he wasn’t a flight risk and should be released.
Chris Brown was denied bail after his May 2025 arrest.
Prosecutors felt Chris's assault case made him a threat to society. Following his arrest, a Manchester judge ruled that the "Kiss Kiss" singer should remain behind bars in London until his next hearing on June 13, 2025. The case occurred the same day Chris was expected to be in Frankfurt, Germany, for a performance with the "Breezy Bowl XX World Tour." The singer's U.S. leg of the tour is set to kick off on June 30.
The tour is also expected to include Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, and Bryson Tiller. Because it will occur soon after Chris's likely prolonged case commences, many of the R&B singer's fans wondered if he would cancel the tour altogether. However, despite his being in jail, neither Chris nor his team cancelled the show immediately following his arrest.
The "Under The Influence" singer's 2025 legal battle came after nearly two decades of arrests. He was infamously arrested for the first time in 2009 following a domestic dispute with his former girlfriend, Rihanna. Chris has also faced multiple assault violations, including sexual assault allegations, which were discussed in the 2024 Max documentary, Chris Brown: A History of Violence.