Police investigating abuse of Covid-19 safe-distancing officer at Lau Pa Sat

SINGAPORE — The police are investigating a case of verbal abuse against a safe-distancing enforcement officer at Lau Pa Sat, the police said on Monday (May 10).

They responded after receiving a call for assistance to a case of dispute at 18 Raffles Quay on Saturday at 10.16pm.

It was the first day of tighter restrictions imposed for movement and activities, with the size of social gatherings reduced to a maximum of five people from eight.

The enforcement officer had explained the latest rule to a group of diners during the dispute, as seen in a video of the incident posted by Facebook user Max Mamba in the Facebook group Complaint Singapore.

The officers says in the video: "The regulation today is we cannot accept more than five." 

The diners then rebutted him, with one of them saying: "The table is two" (sic).

"Listen to me first," the officer said, prompting a man from the group to shout, "Who are you to ask me to listen to you?"

In the nearly three-minute-long video, several profanities are heard — some appearing to target the officer.

The police said that no one was injured during the dispute.

"Police investigations into an offence of verbally abusing a public servant who was performing his duties as a safe-distancing enforcement officer are ongoing," they added. CNA

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