Police advise protest organiser against defacing poster of PM Lee

SINGAPORE — The police have contacted social activist Gilbert Goh (picture) regarding his Facebook post calling on the public to deface a poster of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at a planned Labour Day demonstration at Hong Lim Park today.

In a statement to the media, the police said Mr Goh, who organised the protest, was advised against carrying out such activities during the demonstration, as they could be considered offences under the Penal Code and the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act.

“Mr Goh was also advised to remove any online postings that called on participants of his demonstration to conduct activities that might be against the law,” the police said.

“The Speakers’ Corner is a designated outdoor area for Singaporeans to express their views in public. Mr Goh is free to hold his planned demonstration at the Speakers’ Corner, but it is also his responsibility to ensure that any activities conducted during the demonstration do not contravene the law,” added the police.

In a Facebook post dated April 19, Mr Goh had spoken out against Mr Lee’s comment that he was “appalled” to read about the harassment of organisers of the Philippine Independence Day celebrations in Singapore.

“We want to showcase (Mr Lee) on our labour day protest by putting up a huge poster for protesters to vent their anger. You can spit, throw eggs, splash dog poo, draw graffiti and kick at the poster of our Prime Minister,” wrote Mr Goh. The post was still on his Facebook page yesterday evening.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr Goh also said in a post: “A police inspector called me earlier, asking us not to deface our Prime Minister’s photo tomorrow or else ... but that doesn’t mean we can’t scold him for his errant pro-foreigner policies right?”

Mr Goh received a similar warning in January when he proposed burning an effigy of Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew at a demonstration against a public transport fare hike.