Police refute allegation that cops manhandled woman at AMK Hub, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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Police refute allegation that cops manhandled woman at AMK Hub

This article is more than 12 months old

Allegations in a social media post that police officers had manhandled a 55-year-old woman at AMK Hub on Wednesday (Dec 22) are untrue, said the police.

In a statement on Thursday, the police said that the officers had responded to an incident at 9.19am on Wednesday where a woman had repeatedly refused to put on a mask in a public place.

When the officers arrived, they were informed that the woman had refused to wear a mask when she was in the supermarket despite being told repeatedly to do so by staff.

She allegedly also shouted while inside the supermarket.

Subsequently, the officers spotted the woman at the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange and advised her to wear a mask.

Despite the officers' continued and repeated advice for her to wear a mask, the woman refused to comply, and refused to accept the mask they offered her, said the police.

She also spoke to them in a hostile manner, shouted loudly, and attempted to walk away, they added.

The officers engaged the woman for more than 15 minutes before arresting her as her conduct posed a risk to herself and to public health, said the police.

The woman resisted arrest and appeared to want to sit down, and officers supported her to the ground, the police added.

She was later referred to the Institute of Mental Health for assessment.

In a video posted on Instagram, the woman is heard saying "Somebody help me" repeatedly while surrounded by four police officers. One of them replied, "We're here to help you".

The video appears to be filmed at the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange.

On Thursday, the police said they take a serious view of malicious and false allegations and are looking into the circulation of the falsehood.

The police urged the public to be responsible when posting or sharing any information online, and not spread unverified information or misrepresentations of any incident.

Singapore Police Forcecoronaviruscovid-19Ang Mo Kio