Main Stories - Written on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 12:14 - 25 Comments

Video of arrest of 2 activists

Video by Ho Choon Hiong:


Singaporeans arrested for protest in support of Burmese Activists from choonhiong on Vimeo.
Read also: Two Singaporeans defending Burmese workers arrested by Mizzima.

Related posts:

  1. Activists call for halt to war in Sri Lanka (Updated with video)
  2. Singaporean activists protest orchid naming for Burma’s PM
  3. Sharing of information between 3 countries led to Mas Selamat’s arrest – Star Online
  4. Local activists commemorate International Human Rights Day
  5. Online politicization: Singapore’s source of new activists



25 Comments

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Zefly (aka Joshua Chiang)
Jan 13, 2009 12:32

Wah the cop who took Seelan Pillay away looks like Suhaimi Yusof’ from Police and Thief. Wonder where is Mark Lee…

gemami
Jan 13, 2009 12:53

It is a very good example of a peaceful protest. It would have been perfect if the police officer had been a wee bit courteous rather than trying to provoke a reaction from the activists.

Seelan Pillay did a very good job with his replies; nothing provocative, and very humble, to say the least, in putting across the reasons for the protest.

Citrus
Jan 13, 2009 16:11

Certis Cisco guards also protesting? Basically they don’t know how to handle such a protest. Only know how to show their backs.

Criminal Trespass. Question is did they enter the property? Who is the person the activists want to provoke, annoy or itimidate? Nobody… It was MOM. MOM is not a person!!!! Intention of the activists was not to annoy the owner of the property. The intention was to make aware of the plight of the Burmese!!!

Penal Code (Cap 224)
Criminal trespass
441. Whoever enters into or upon property in the possession of another with intent to commit an offence or to intimidate, insult or annoy any person in possession of such property, or having lawfully entered into or upon such property, unlawfully remains there with intent thereby to intimidate, insult or annoy any such person, or with intent to commit an offence, is said to commit “criminal trespass”.

Police very good. Senior officer also participate in the arrest. What a waste of resources! Look at them hide in the buses. Sad. Yup, they were being defensive unlike the certis cisco guards whose number one priority was to show off their backs and did not understand what was happening. At least the cops surveyed the situation before effecting arrest.

What a weird country, Singapore is…. I am Singaporean and I am saying this. Look at Thailand, protesters shutdown an entire international airport and the police & govt just stood back because the people had the power. That is extreme and we are at the other end of the cliff.

peace
Jan 13, 2009 18:39

Seelan Palay (right spelling) and partner did what was only right and truthful to act upon.

we need more effort and more initiative to seriously contribute as citizens of our own country.

tiredsingaporean
Jan 13, 2009 21:19

Shame on these so called police officers, they need 2 patrol cars with a bunch of them just to arrest this 2 innocent persons standing infront of the building. Funny thing why they have to handcuffed them? tot handcuffs are meant for those who are pose danger to the public, this 2 guys just stand there and they got handcuffed???? anyone knows any laws that allows these officers to use their handcuffs as and when like?

kk
Jan 13, 2009 21:38

Are they showing off their butts? Haha… weird people.

strangeleh
Jan 13, 2009 22:02

If somebody has committed a criminal offence, why does the police have to “advise” him to leave?

If a thief has stolen an apple in the presence of the police, can the police “advise” the thief to drop the apple and leave (and everybody forgets the whole matter)?

Something’s not quite right here…

Moral of the story
Jan 13, 2009 22:35

Morally, Seelan and his brave friend have stood up for the burmese’s. Those deported burmese , i wonder, will they be persecuted at home?

Legally, their act is not tolerated in singapore.

i , however, cannot be sure if their act is legal overseas since i never been abroad due to no money.

to save money, i do not even buy any newspaper.

RED-man
Jan 13, 2009 22:54

Maybe because MOM is very near to the court. So they were mistaken for challenging the court. LOL

parent
Jan 13, 2009 23:54

Like Tiredsingaporean, I wonder why the two demonstrators needed to be handcuffed.

From the video, it is clear that they did not resist arrests.

And

the Two Demonstrators did not harm anyone or anything.

RIDICULOUS!

patriot

tua kee
Jan 14, 2009 0:31

I wonder what do you guys think about the liberalising of political filming?

Anonymous
Jan 14, 2009 11:14

8) Moral of the story :

“i , however, cannot be sure if their act is legal overseas since i never been abroad due to no money.”

This is surely legal in England. Before appartheid was ended in South Africa, the British people kept a multiyear protest (24/7 all time protest for 14 years – if I remember correctly) outside the South Africa Embassy right in front of the Trafagar Square, one of the sight where tourists must see in central London .

CelluloidReality
Jan 14, 2009 12:29

It depends on the laws of the city in question. I’m not sure if one can do this in NYC without getting into trouble with the boroughs for public nuisance these days..

m
Jan 14, 2009 13:15

“criminal trespass into the building”. What building?

Dictionary.com: a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level, used for any of a wide variety of activities, as living, entertaining, or manufacturing.

henry
Jan 14, 2009 14:28

Someone should upload this video on Youtube for the world to judge the
state of political repression we are living in.
Personally I think both had done no wrong. In fact what they are pushing are
values we’ve been learning from civic lessons when we were young.
Its is the moronic unjust laws that self serving political party in power makes that
make a mockery of the state we are in.

KingMaker
Jan 14, 2009 16:10

<>

I agree with you. Why was Mas Selamat not handcuffed when he went to the toilet some 11 months ago?

Our police force is pathetic!

observer
Jan 14, 2009 16:11

the won the battle but lost the war. When will they realize it is not what the laws says, but what the people decide that really matters.

jefj0901
Jan 14, 2009 16:20

Actually, they need not be arrested, since it’s a very peaceful protest. Very brave but somehow misplaced it seems..Singaporeans protesting for justice for another nationality. Where are the Burmese? Did they know this is going down?
Let’s hope the best for both of them..

angry_one
Jan 14, 2009 16:40

Wow the police are out in force! But nowhere to be found when a killing breaks out in Geylang, or gangs gather at void decks, or neighbours fight.

Sylvester Lim
Jan 14, 2009 16:54

Why did the two officers block the banner? Is the message too dangerous for the fragile minds of Singaporeans? Pavement belong to MOM? So, walking there also trespassing? Singapore got some hope with young Singaporeans like Seelan and Kai Xiong.

teo soh lung
Jan 14, 2009 17:08

Unless they stretch the law, Seelan and his friend have not committed any offence. Indeed, the minister of home affairs should be taken to task for causing embarrassment to them with the use of handcuffs.

Komnenos
Jan 14, 2009 19:35

I guess they will be charged with “public disturbance”

#19) Ya. There are a lot of gangs hanging around Void decks recently. My friends and I have walked pass 1 group of gangsters that has weapons (a few long sticks) in their possession and they were clearly going to have a fight or “negotiation”

smallvice585
Jan 14, 2009 19:44

tiredsingaporean (#5)

Remember how the police reacted to the 4 protesters campaigning for the transparency of HDB, CPF, GIC, NKF and Singapore’s financial reserves on 11 August 2005? 12 policemen in riot gears turned up. I have observed riot police in action before and their tactics include provoking protesters so that the protesters’ action would produce the justification needed to arrest the protesters.

RED-man
Jan 15, 2009 1:40

So this is what the tax payers had been paying for. Well done PAP

Scroobal
Jan 16, 2009 10:54

Lets face it, no activists turned up when PRC people or the Indian contract workers turned up at MOM to protest. Burmese cause is more fashionable to to western NGO and Govt.

There will also be more invitations paid or partially paid at times to to visit these nice western cities to talk about your activism for the burmese cause.

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