Video by Ho Choon Hiong:
Read also: Two Singaporeans defending Burmese workers arrested by Mizzima.
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Wah the cop who took Seelan Pillay away looks like Suhaimi Yusof’ from Police and Thief. Wonder where is Mark Lee…
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.
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.
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.
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?
Are they showing off their butts? Haha… weird people.
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…
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.
Maybe because MOM is very near to the court. So they were mistaken for challenging the court. LOL
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
I wonder what do you guys think about the liberalising of political filming?
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 .
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..
“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.
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.
<>
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!
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.
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..
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.
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.
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.
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”
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.
So this is what the tax payers had been paying for. Well done PAP
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.