Man in CCK Restrained by Police for Refusing to Wear a Mask to Buy Coffee

It’s already been a year since Singapore announced its first confirmed case of the coronavirus, and through a lot of gruelling change and confusion, we’ve become more or less used to life as we know it now in the pandemic.

We can’t travel, we can’t meet up with more than seven of our friends, we can’t go for karaoke, but most of all, our masks have almost become a part of our faces to the point that we feel bare without it outside the house.

Yet, it seems like some people have been unable to adjust to this day.

Man Refused To Wear Mask

It’s a headline you might’ve expected to see in the early days of the Circuit Breaker, but it still happens in 2021, surprisingly.

A 62-year-old man was recently arrested by the police for refusing to wear a mask and putting up a struggle when asked to do so.

On 14 Feb, the man had patronised a coffeeshop near Block 673B Choa Chu Kang Crescent, and tried to purchase coffee from a drink stall.

Upon seeing him not wearing a mask, the stall assistant asked him to put one on, but was met with extreme agitation from the man, who threw a straw at her while shouting loudly.

Stepping into the commotion to attempt to mediate was a 52-year-old taxi driver, who unfortunately received more abuse from the other man.

Unable to subdue him, they then called the police.

“He has such a bad temper, it makes people helpless,” said the 58-year-old stall assistant, who added that she only asked him to put on a mask in the interest of other customers.

Police Tried To Convince Him

Once the police arrived, they tried their best to get him to wear a mask, yet he still refused and continued to struggle against them, which lasted for about an hour.

Eventually, the police had to subdue him after much difficulty, handcuffing him and making him sit on the ground with his hands behind his back.

He continued to fight against the police as they were taking him into the patrol car.

It’s unclear why he was so adamant against putting on a mask, but his wife later showed up at the scene for their understanding, saying that he was only acting out due to stress.

Well, it’s either that or maybe he believes that he’s a sovereign, too.

This wasn’t his only dispute involving the refusal to wear a mask – he’s apparently been in over 10 different clashes for the same reason before, making a scene every time he was asked to comply.

He was arrested for public nuisance and injuries to public officials, and the police are still investigating the case.

The sooner we all wear our masks and hang on a little bit more, the sooner we’ll be able to return to a mask-free life, okay?

Featured Image: Shinmin Daily