Police behaviour away from public eye

Poh Ah Pak SG

Police behaviour away from public eye

Singapore Democrats
17 Mar 08

Far from the good guys that they try to portray of themselves, police behaviour on 15 Mar 08 was despicable.

For one they treated Mr John Tan, SDP's assistant secretary-general, without regard for his safety. As Mr Tan had difficulty getting into the police vehicle several officers, thinking that they were away from the public eye, dragged him in a very rough manner (see video).

Inside the police van, despite being told that Mr Tan was suffering from a frozen shoulder, they forced his hands behind his back to handcuff him. Mr Tan turned pale with pain.

In the meantime, one of the protesters kept shouting that Mr Tan was diabetic and asked the officers to take it easy.

When he arrived at the station, Mr Tan was obviously in need of medical assistance.

The officer who arrested Ms Chee Siok Chin got ahold of her finger and bent it. Ms Chee cried out "You're breaking my finger! You're breaking my finger!" which was recorded on video.

Another protester was treated in a similarly shameful manner. Mr Seelan Palay fell over as he was led to the police vehicle. The officers proceeded to drag him by the arms into the van, causing him to hit his head against the steps of the van.

Mr Chong Kai Xiong, another one of the protesters who was arrested, had three of his left fingers sprained when an officer grabbed and twisted them during the arrest.

At the police station, the police demanded that the protesters remove their "Tak Bolen Tahan" T-shirts and hand them over for investigation.

In the first place, did the police not have enough video footage and photographs showing the protesters wearing their T-shirts?

Secondly, could they not have taken photographs of those arrested while they were in custody? Why the insistence that the shirts be seized?

Mr John Tan asked to call lawyer Mr M Ravi for legal advice first to see if the police had the right to seize the T-shirts.

The Investigating Officer refused and called in four of his colleagues, who proceeded to pin Mr Tan against the wall and literally ripped the shirt off. As a result, Mr Tan sustained scratches to his arm.

The police also demanded that the protesters hand over their cellphones. When Mr Chia Ti Lik initially refused, four officers were called in.

But there was one officer who stood out in his utter lack of respect for the uniform he wore. Station Inspector Tan Kok Ann, a stout man with a crew cut, was flippant as he was dishonest.

When the protesters were standing around and talking with each other in the holding celling, SI Tan insisted that everyone had to be seated. Dr Chee Soon Juan asked that the officer leave the cell as they were in the midst of a private conversation.

But SI Tan refused and stood right in front of the group.

Later in the evening, the Station Inspector came in and told the group that everyone was free to leave after bail was posted. All except Ms Chee Siok Chin whom he said was being held back for further investigation.

Upon hearing this, the group decided not to post bail in order to remain in the police station with Ms Chee. They asked to see her as she was kept separate from the men.

Officer Tan Kok Ann turned down the request as, according to him, those arrested could not communicate with each other. This was obviously a fabrication as all the male protesters were kept in the same room and were freely talking among themselves.

In addition, when Ms Chee was arrested in September last year over the Burmese issue and was taken to the Tanglin Police Division, she was allowed to communicate with Mr John Tan, Mr Gandhi Ambalam, and Dr Chee who were also arrested.

However, after hearing that the rest would not post bail if they did not get to see Ms Chee first, Officer Tan quickly returned and told the group that everyone, including Ms Chee, would be released together.

As if pleased with himself for his great performance that day, SI Tan Kok Ann did a little jig in front of those in the holding cell. Yes, in full uniform.

http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/articleWCRDprotest16.html

laoda99 SG

Please, shoot the government if you want, but leave the officers alone. Dun break their rice bowl.

pearlie27 SG

they don’t deserve to keep their rice bowl if they don’t behave professionally!

kramnave SG

Roll out the red carpet and invite them up the vehicle instead of manhandling !! While i don't think the police are very professional ( from experience as a victim), what were these law breakers ( whether law is justified is another issue) expecting ?

bananaking SG

dude..it's always these guys.

caleb_chiang SG

those they arrest do not actually pose a threat to public and to the officiers involved in the arresting. So, they could have treated them a bit nicer... and who knows... with the next election, the Lee dynasty would be over thrown and those they handcuff so frequently might be their next boss.?

oxford mushroom SG

These SDP goons deserve it! They know what they were doing is illegal and yet they insist on testing the law, wasting the time of public servants. Handcuff them? I'd say cane them, throw them into and the slammer and throw away the key :)

purpledragon84 SG

"The officer who arrested Ms Chee Siok Chin got ahold of her finger and bent it. Ms Chee cried out "You're breaking my finger! You're breaking my finger!" which was recorded on video."

goodness.. they really know how to wayang.. watched the video.. her voice wasn't even anywhere higher den typing on my keyboard.. nice exclamation marks..

before watching the video i was cringing in pain from visualizing how hurtful it will be to get ur fingers twisted..

after watching the video i was cringing in pain from seeing how wayang these people can get.. just spoilt the credibility of the whole article.. wait. what credibility?

Troy437 SG

I agree with you.

Why can they write out their solutions to the problems they highlighted in the newspaper? What they are doing is not helping in any way. Dun go around yelling thats a problem...tell us the workable solution.

deathbait SG

I actually sat through the pain of watching the entire saga on youtube. It was horrible. I had to take several breaks throughout the 3 short clips just to regain my composure.

No, I'm not talking about brutality. I'm talking about how embarrassed I was to be born on the same rock as these people.

Here are a few things to note:

1) When asked to disperse, they claimed to be dispersing, but carried on with their intended march. Did they not know the difference between dispersing and leaving the scene?

2) The officer in charge told them repeatedly to disperse(3 attempts if i'm not wrong). In reply to the officer threatening to arrest them if they continue to march, Dr Chee invited the officer to arrest him, which the officer eventually did. And all of a sudden, everyone's going like "wtf, why are you arresting him? What did he do?" Collective amnesia? Really?

3) They resisted arrest. Quite obviously. I'm actually amazed and a little dissappointed the police didn't use more force to break it up. If you force people to forcefully move you, it's hardly a valid complaint that they are using too much force. All you had to do was WALK to the van on your own free will. I saw at least one sensible protestor do just that. He was not touched at all. If people have to CARRY you, be prepared to knock your head.

4) The most horrible part of the entire thing was that children were involved. Now that's just fighting dirty. You knowingly commit a crime, hope to be arrested, and the BRING YOUR CHILDREN? What, sympathy vote? That's just irresponsible parenthood.

Or course, the rest of the report came from the gang who got arrested. I'm not going to even bother to explain why their statement is not exactly super trustworthy.

annoy-you-must SG

Lol...for a momment of time when I read the article, I actually believed that the police were so unprofessional in their handling of the arrested. But as I looked at the video...I went LOLOLOL!

It's pretty obvious who's the one making more commotion, more noises and trouble in that video isn't it?

As for involving children into the process...well, the Chees had always been involving their children into politics and their protest all these while isn't it? Why involve children in adult's affairs? It's as if they don't know such protest will ultimately end up being chaotic and such...how safe it will be for the children, man...

t_a_s SG

The police think they are very great, I was shouted at by the officer when I reported my money stolen, their attitude is really bad, not all but some. Police can bully innocent people,but when they see robber or gangster they pretend not to see.

deathbait SG

really?

coz when i reported my wallet stolen, I was just told to write a report. What exactly did this supposed officer shout at you?

ceecookie SG

Such is the state of the corrupted Singapore Police Force and the PAP Party.

purpledragon84 SG

it's not even politics here come on.. have you seen the video? how retarded they behave? they dun even sound like normal humans.. making a commotion there like the police did a freaking chokeslam on them or sth.. i mean seriously la.. "you're breaking my finger!! argh!!" and there was a dickhead shouting "policewoman molesting me!" if u heard carefully..

a perfect source of entertainment..

fishbuff SG

i salute to these brave men and women! courageous people!

annoy-you-must SG

i salute to these brave men and women! courageous people!

Well said! I couldn't agree more with you!

The police are just so brave and courageous! If it was me, I would not even have the face to be seen handling such lame 'protesters'

purpledragon84 SG

Well said! I couldn't agree more with you!

The police are just so brave and courageous! If it was me, I would not even have the face to be seen handling such lame 'protesters'

my fingers! they breaking from my typing!!

i think the bugger who was lifted into the police van really wanted to know how it feels like to die and be carried into the singapore casket van.. he was just lying there, like emperor waiting for his concubine to bed him..

fishbuff SG

i think alot of people in SG are suffering from stockholm syndrome.

cant believe sporeans are so bloody stupid and blinded.

eagle SG

I hv a female friend who got molested. Then she was very scared and angry. She asked her piano teacher, a middle age uncle, to accompany her to the police station. When she reported to the police, the first thing they do is to ask her whether is it her piano teacher who did it. They questioned, stressed, and suspected her, till she broke down and just walked out of the police station without completing the report.