When a 55-year-old man wore a cap bearing the Israeli emblem on a public bus, he was allegedly assaulted by another man, aged 30.
The 30-year-man will be charged with voluntarily causing hurt, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a news release on Wednesday (3 June).
The incident took place on a public bus along Rivervale Drive in Sengkang on 27 Oct last year, SPF said.
The two men involved did not know each other, but the younger man allegedly snatched the cap that the older man was wearing.
The 30-year-old also allegedly assaulted the other man.
Source: Google Maps. Photo for illustration purposes only.
This resulted in the older man sustaining injuries and seeking medical attention.
SPF received a call for assistance at about 10.40pm that night.
Police officers conducted ground enquiries and used images from police cameras to identify the 30-year-old man.
On Thursday (4 June), he will be charged in court with the offence of voluntarily causing hurt under Section 323 of the Penal Code 1871.
If convicted, he faces up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to S$5,000.
SPF takes “a serious view” of any act of violence, it said.
As for the 55-year-old man, he was issued a stern warning in lieu of prosecution for wearing the cap.
He could have been prosecuted for an offence under Section 8(1) of the Foreign National Emblems (Control of Display) Act 1949.
The Act states that no person shall display any foreign national emblem in public.
Source: Singapore Statutes Online
Offenders may be jailed for up to six months or fined up to S$500.
SPF advised members of the public not to display or wear articles associated with foreign conflicts in public.
The public was also reminded not to “import overseas conflicts into Singapore” and to express their views lawfully and responsibly.
It pledged to deal with offenders “sternly” in accordance with the law.
Also read: Activists unfurl anti-Israel banner at Gardens by the Bay aerial walkway
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Featured image adapted from Google Maps. Photo for illustration purposes only.