A man was arrested on 7 August (Wednesday) for burning the Singapore flag, said the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in a statement. SPF was alerted on Sunday afternoon around 12.40pm when burnt flags were found at Block 774 Woodlands Crescent.
The police managed to identify the 25-year old with the help of CCTV images. He is believed to have been involved in other similar cases in Woodlands, said the police. The man is due in Court today to be charged with mischief by fire. If convicted, he can be fined and jailed for up to seven years.
Back in 2018, a man was sentenced to six months in jail for setting fire to the Singapore flag. The 63-year old who has schizophrenia and history of substance abuse pleaded guilty to a mischief charge relating to the flag burning which he did just days after being released from prison for a different conviction.
More recently, there was another flag related incident when the Choa Chu Kang Town Council lodged a police report after a China national flag was displayed at a HDB block. A resident had alerted the council about the incident. The town council told the Straits Times that the flag has been been taken down as of 7 August, Wednesday, but they would not be making further comments as the police are still investigating.
According to the National Emblems (Control of Display) Act, it is an offence to display the flag or national emblem in public which is not that of Singapore. The offence carries a punishment of six months jail time or a fine of up to $500 or both.
Singapore does not have specific laws against the burning or destruction of the national emblem and flags.
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