Singapore — The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has denied allegations that its officers roughly manhandled a woman at Ang Mo Kio Hub, calling the accusations “categorically untrue”.
SPF said in a Facebook post on Thursday (Dec 23) that it was aware of a post circulating online alleging that police officers had roughly handled a woman when responding to an incident on Thursday morning in the area around the hub.
“These allegations are categorically untrue,” said SPF.
Video of the incident was apparently first posted on the Instagram account robinhoot.sg and showed four policemen surrounding a woman at the bus interchange.
The post has since been taken down, but images of the incident apparently continue to circulate online.
In them, the woman can be seen sitting on the ground, struggling and shouting for help while she was being restrained by several officers.
One officer was reportedly heard advising her to calm down, and saying that they were there to help her.
The Instagram post alleged that the woman asked for help “as she was flustered and confused when the police surrounded and kept badgering her”, as reported by TODAY.
Several officers “manhandled her to the ground as she started to cry and shout for passers-by to help her,” the post added.
The fracas appears to have begun in a supermarket. SPF said that the officers had responded because of an incident involving a 55-year-old woman who had repeatedly refused to wear a mask, as she was required to.
“Despite repeated reminders by the supermarket staff, the woman continued to refuse to wear a mask and was purportedly shouting in the supermarket,” said SPF.
When officers spotted her at the bus interchange, they advised her to wear a mask. She refused and “spoke to the officers in a hostile manner” and rejected the mask the police offered her.
“The officers had engaged the woman for more than 15 minutes before arresting her as her conduct posed a risk to herself and to public health,” said SPF.
SPF explained that officers supported the woman to the ground during the arrest because she resisted their efforts. She was later referred to the Institute of Mental Health for assessment.
The police emphasise that strict compliance with safe management measures, including wearing a mask in public, is key to safeguarding the health and safety of the public.
SPF said: “The Police would also like to urge members of the public to be responsible when posting or sharing any information online, and not spread unverified information or misrepresentations on any incident.
“The Police take a serious view of such malicious and false allegations, and the authorities are looking into the circulation of the falsehood.” /TISG
Read related: Man insists sitting on barricaded seat at Hillion Mall; shouts at security guard & resists police arrest