Singapore— A minute-long video clip of skateboarding youths harassing an older man who spoke to them when they were practicing their stunts in public has gone viral on Twitter, with over 324,000 views.
“This is not your private property,” the older man, who was accompanied by a younger woman, can be heard telling the youths.
It seems that the young men themselves are the ones who put together, edited, and uploaded the clip, set to a hip-hop soundtrack.
In it, one of the young men can be seen raising his middle finger, while another screams expletives at the senior, interspersed with skateboard stunts.
The confrontation with the older man is said to have occurred outside The Cathay at Dhoby Ghaut.
In the video, the youth is seen trying to knock the older man’s mobile phone out of his grip as he uses it, and in another part of the clip, a youth hits the older man on the back of his head as he is seen walking away with the woman.
In yet another part, one young man is seen giving the older man a forceful shove in the chest.
And by the end of the video, another older man is seen holding up his hand in an attempt to stop the skateboarding boys’ stunts, which could indeed be dangerous since they were done in public.
The clip was uploaded to the Twitter account of @sg_trending on Dec 24, with the caption. “These clowns pushing the old man! Act big for what? #sg #singapore“
These clowns pushing the old man! Act big for what? #sg #singapore pic.twitter.com/NmpBFSVPxg
— sg.trending (@sg_trending) December 23, 2020
Many netizens have commented on the post, with some tagging the Singapore Police Force and asking if it’s a crime to push the old man.
Hello @SingaporePolice is pushing old man considerer a crime?
— Gooner AF💀 (@Ayidamnit) December 25, 2020
Others called out the young men for being so disrespectful.
They really think they did something… This isn’t aesthetic or retro in any way, it’s disgusting and fucking disrespectful. Couldn’t they have just simply talked to the old man, they didn’t have to get physical.
— manal (@manoww777) December 24, 2020
Yet other netizens encouraged the family of the older man to file charges against the youths.
Who’s dad or grandfather or uncle that is, I expect you guys to press charges against this group of people, this is assault no matter what the context is things could’ve turn for the worse if the guy fell and hit his head on the floor, remember the video circulating when –
— o (@unitreverse) December 24, 2020
The Singapore Police Force responded to some of the tweets where they were tagged by writing, “Hi, you may wish to submit more information via the i-Witness portal at police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential. Thank you.”
Hi, you may wish to submit more information via the i-Witness portal at https://t.co/vFaLcorhH5. All information will be kept strictly confidential. Thank you.
— SingaporePoliceForce (@SingaporePolice) December 25, 2020
Hi, you may wish to submit more information via the i-Witness portal at https://t.co/vFaLcorhH5. All information will be kept strictly confidential. Thank you.
— SingaporePoliceForce (@SingaporePolice) December 25, 2020