Shanmugam Addresses Swatch-Omega Shouting Incident
As the highly anticipated MoonSwatch collection – a collaboration between Omega and Swatch – launched on Saturday (26 Mar), crowds flocked to shopping malls, hoping to get their hands on these prized timepieces.
Masses of people were seen at ION Orchard, and things soon got messy, causing tempers to flare. One man, frustrated at the queue organisation, started yelling at police, even telling them to ‘shoot’ him.
On Sunday (27 Mar), Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam stressed that we should not shout at the police.
He added that there’s no need to ‘lose our minds’ over these situations. After all, “it’s not life and death.”
Shanmugam says there’s no need to shout at police in Swatch-Omega incident
On Sunday (27 Mar), Mr Shanmugam said the video of the man shouting at the police at ION Orchard shows an ‘ugly incident’.
He explained that the man queueing for the MoonSwatch collection watches got angry over the queue management system and shouted at the police like it was their fault.
Mr Shanmugam opined that we need to have a sense of perspective at this time. Currently, there’s an ongoing war, and people are suffering in many places.
We don’t need to lose our minds over these situations. It’s not life and death.
Acknowledging that it can be frustrating when time is wasted, Mr Shanmugam said shouting at the police will not solve anything.
Man tells police to ‘use your gun & shoot me’ on 27 Mar
The incident Mr Shanmugam referred to was captured in a viral TikTok video on 27 Mar. It has since garnered over a million views.
Man Queuing For Swatch-Omega Tells Police To ‘Shoot’ Him, People Say It’s Just A S$300 Watch
In a very cramped and crowded ION Orchard on B2, the man was seen shouting at the police, criticising them for separating the people who allegedly queued since 4am.
Enraged, he yelled in Mandarin at the police, “Use your gun and shoot me lor!”.
His words shocked many in the crowd, causing audible murmurs throughout. Another man later commented, “Bro, this one S$300 only leh”.
Be respectful of police officers
In such situations, it’s only natural that frustrations will mount, and tempers may flare.
However, as Mr Shanmugam said, it is important to have perspective on what is important and remain respectful to the police who were trying their level best to keep the crowds organised.
As Singapore opens up further, we might see more crowds in the coming days at various events. Hopefully, everyone will keep in mind that we should always be civil towards authorities and one another.
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Featured image adapted from ruitianbear on TikTok, MCI Singapore on YouTube, and K Shanmugam Sc on Facebook.
