In a video that was uploaded to Singapore Uncensored, it abruptly cuts to a scuffle among 8 men, with 2 women shuttling in between and trying to stop the fight.
Apparently, the skirmish happened near the shopping mall Katong Square on East Coast Road, but which day and what time the fight broke out is unclear.
The Messy Brawl
Whoever the video taker was, they clearly wanted to remain anonymous since they chose to give themselves the pseudonym of “Hello Its me” on Singapore Uncensored.
Additionally, because the audio was completely taken out, it’s unknown how or why the fight broke out.
Nevertheless, when the camera is turned on, we immediately catch sight of a man with a strip running down the sides of his pants lunging at a bigger fellow on the right side of the screen, though he’s quickly pulled away by the others.
Nearer to the white building at the back, another scuffle seems to be taking place, where three men in denim blue, beige, and black shorts are shoving at each other.
The entire scene is a mess, because the only man in white shirt, who was initially running up with hands raised like he was trying to stop them from fighting, suddenly gets thwacked in the back of the head before someone’s arm slings around his neck to bring him into a chokehold.
And it’s evident that there was some force used, because white-shirted man is knocked back to his butt and heels, and struggles to clamber up, going as far as needing someone to grapple the back of his shirt to drag him to his feet.
Honestly, with all the black shirts, it’s hard to differentiate who is on whose side, but being a part of the violence is still wrong either way.
Meanwhile, the bigger fellow goes to his car to grab something.
Owing to the poor quality of the video, it’s hard to make out what the pixels are visualising, though it can be perceived that it’s a switchblade or flick knife of sorts, judging from the wide swing before a pointed, silver edge appears.
Thankfully, the scuffle ends quickly as the group realises that they’re drawing a lot of attention, and they hastily go their separate ways.
All the while, the bigger fellow lingers around his car before turning and seeing the person filming the whole sequence of events.
The video might be silent, but his threatening posturing and gesticulation, plus his fierce glare and large mouth movements, leaves little to imagination: it’s more than likely that he was shouting something vulgar at the video taker and telling him to stop taking the video.
Judging from the high angle of the video, the video taker is likely on a higher floor or ledge where the bigger fellow can’t reach, because they continue filming anyway, unfazed.
Better yet, they also managed to capture the car plate of the bigger fellow’s Honda Civic.
The Police Are On the Case
The Singapore Police Force have confirmed that a report was lodged and that they are currently looking into the matter.
Like the many confounding questions in this short one-minute video, it’s hard to say who actually filed the official complaint to the police.
It’s definitely not the bigger fellow though. If anything, he was probably the first one to be brought in, because Registered Vehicle Numbers (RVN) attached to driving licences are very helpful.
This is one among the many fights with weapons that have occurred in the past month.
For example, there was the 37-year-old man who was armed with a sword near Buangkok Square mall, standing in the middle of the road and damaging cars, before he attacked a pedestrian.
You can watch this video to know more about the blade-related incidents recently:
Then there was that random attack along Keng Cheow Street, Clarke Quay, which left the victim bleeding profusely due to the three long gashes inflicted on the back of his head.
In the last week of March, a 64-year-old man brandished a knife at the police officers, and he refused to stand down even after taking three taser shots.
Feeling personally threatened, one of the police officers fired his pistol at the man, hitting him in the chest. The man was taken to the hospital and subsequently pronounced dead.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ Response
In total, there have been at least eight blade cases in the last month alone.
In light of that fact, it isn’t surprising the Member of Parliament (MP) Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim from Chua Chu Kang GRC asked about measures to protect the public from the recent crimes on Monday (4 Apr).
Additionally, Mr Zhulkarnain inquired if there could be a blanket ban on carrying a knife, razor, or other sharp objects in any school or public premises.
To address the concerns regarding public safety, Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan stated that the number of knife-related crimes including murder, robbery, rioting, and serious hurt have remain consistent in the recent years.
Despite the spate of cases, Mr Tan stated that there have been an average of 150 blade cases every year on average annually for the past five years.
The pandemic must have made people stir-crazy, because nearly a one-fifteenth of the supposed “quota” has been filled in the last 30 days or less.
Mr Tan also reaffirms the competence of the police force by stating that the police are usually capable of arriving at the scene within 15 minutes of the call.
Regulated Arms Under The Arms and Explosives Acts
Currently, swords, spears, spearheads, daggers, bayonets and dangerous bows and arrows are prohibited.
The government plans to include items such as knuckle dusters and flick knives when the more comprehensive Guns, Explosives, and Weapons Control Act takes over its predecessor this year.
The regulated items will be subjected to strict control, and this extends to the sales of weapons on e-commerce platforms.
The Government is most definitely leaving no stones unturned.
Lastly, Mr Tan addresses the fatal shooting of the knife-wielding man on 26 March.
In the eyes of the law, if a person refuses to comply with the police’s demand—like dropping their weapon and putting their hands up—thus posing a threat to the lives of those around him and the police officers, the police are allowed to use lethal force to subdue him.
Featured Images: Singapore Uncensored