Protesting for transgender rights outside the Ministry of Education can get you arrested. Holding up a sign reading “support our hawkers” can get you investigated. Displaying a board showing only a smiley face can also get you into trouble with the police.
What about holding up a placard in front of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) building?
Well, you get into trouble with the police. Welcome to Singapore.
Activist Investigated for Demonstrating in Front of ICA Building
Last Saturday (1 May), local activist Gilbert Goh staged a lone protest in front of the ICA building, holding up a placard and later posting a picture on Facebook of the act.
The placard urged stronger immigration controls in a rather unsubtle fashion, reading “Please ban all flights from India we are not racist! Just being cautious”.
You know, when someone says they aren’t racist, chances are that what they are about to say is pretty racist.
Anyway, because a one-person protest is apparently also considered a public assembly, Goh has become implicated in taking part in a public assembly without a permit, which is an offence under the Public Order Act.
I hope I’m not getting arrested for shouting “I hate cai fan” on my solitary way back from lunch. It’s not my fault there are only three food choices near the Goody Feed office.
This provision became viral earlier in the year when Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng was investigated for the same offence after holding up a sign reading “Support Them” in front of hawker stalls.
The Straits Times explained that a demonstration by a person alone can also fall under “publicising a cause”, an act regulated by the law.
Goh’s Facebook post remains available for viewing, and has been shared more than 1,500 times at the time of writing (3 May). You can read the post below.
In case you’ve forgotten, Goh isn’t just an activist: he has taken part in recent GEs, and contested under a Peoples Voice team in GE2020 in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, whereby his team garnered 12.18% of the votes.
So… What About Flights from India?
Instead of banning flights, the Government has prohibited everyone with travel history from India in the last fortnight from entering Singapore, including transferring flights at Changi Airport.
This is, of course, due to the uncontrollable surge in COVID-19 cases in India.
Singaporeans and permanent residents are, however, excluded from the ban. The policy, compared to a flight ban, therefore provides a way for Singapore residents to return home, commonly viewed as an essential right of citizenship.
Australia, according to The Guardian, came under flak for banning its own residents from entering the country after staying in India. Legal challenges are looming that its policy breached its obligations under international law.
This measure was announced on 23 April at the beginning of the infection spike in India, and has since expanded to include other South Asian countries, including Sri Lanka and Nepal.
Featured Image: Facebook (Gilbert Goh)