Singapore – A 60-year-old man was apprehended by the police for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the authorities and not wearing a mask while walking about Tampines.
A video of the man’s arrest is circulating on social media, such as the Facebook page Complaint Singapore. “Dear all, please wear your mask at all cost. What happens if you don’t? At your own risk,” wrote the individual who shared the footage on the community page.
The video showed two police officers pinning a man to the ground.
The man could be seen struggling and shouting for help. He was also heard saying he lived nearby and didn’t do anything.
A few moments later, the man yelled that he was in pain.
According to the Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News, the man was arrested on Saturday (May 15) at 8 pm for not wearing a mask.
The incident is reported to have happened at the walkway between Block 201D and 201E at Tampines Street 21.
Stall owners in the area told Shin Min that the man would often walk about without a mask.
Staff from a bakery claimed that the man would enter their stall and refuse to wear a face mask even if they offered it to him.
When asked to leave the store, the man would allegedly swear at the staff.
Once, when they refused to sell him any bread, the man went out and told others not to patronise the shop.
The police confirmed that the man had been arrested under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act.
The man did not cooperate with the authorities and spoke to them arrogantly, reported Shin Min.
In a comment, one Stephen Tong noted that the man was his uncle. “He is currently suffering from very severe dementia that he can’t remember what his home address is (however he knows how to go back home himself),” said Mr Tong.
He noted that his uncle carries his IC all the time. “I can’t understand why our nation’s most respectable law enforcers didn’t follow standard operating procedures and check his identity to know that he was actually registered in the government data that he’s a dementia person (sic).”
His uncle did not hurt anyone, he said. “He just didn’t wear a mask, and that’s all.”
“I still believe the police can do a better job than just treating and pushing anyone violently on the ground,” added Mr Tong./TISG
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