Man, 49, held in connection with assault on teen blogger
By Melissa Lin, The Straits Times, 2 May 2015
By Melissa Lin, The Straits Times, 2 May 2015
A 49-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested in connection with an assault on teenage blogger Amos Yee outside the State Courts on Thursday.
Yee, in trouble for his allegedly offensive online postings, was slapped on the face by a man outside the courts, in an attack that was captured on video and widely shared online.
Yee, in trouble for his allegedly offensive online postings, was slapped on the face by a man outside the courts, in an attack that was captured on video and widely shared online.
"In response to media queries, the police confirm that a 49-year-old man was arrested in relation to the case," the police said in a statement yesterday, adding that investigations are ongoing.
The police had earlier said that a report had been lodged against the man who slapped Yee, 16.
Yee had been walking on his own to the State Courts for a pre-trial conference on Thursday when a man in a red polo shirt and cargo pants sneaked up and struck him hard on the left cheek, startling passers-by.
The attacker yelled "Sue me! Come and sue me!" before fleeing. A stunned Yee held his face as he walked into the State Courts building.
Law Minister K. Shanmugam has called the assault "unacceptable".
On March 31, he was charged with attacking Christianity, transmitting an obscene image and making an online video which included offensive remarks about the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew.
The prosecution has stood down the last charge for now.
On March 27, Yee posted the eight-minute video on YouTube and was arrested three days later. He was bailed out on April 21 by a youth counsellor, but was sent back to Changi Prison on Thursday for breaching the bail conditions.
Yee had been warned against posting anything online. But on Wednesday, he put up two vulgarity-laced posts on his blog.
At his pre-trial conference, he refused to take down the posts and the judge raised his bail from $20,000 to $30,000.
No one posted bail and he was sent back to remand.
JUST IN: A 49-year-old man has been arrested over the attack on teen blogger Amos Yee on Thursday. http://str.sg/3Xq
Posted by The Straits Times on Friday, May 1, 2015
Assault unacceptable, says Shanmugam
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 1 May 2015
LAW Minister K. Shanmugam has called yesterday's assault on Amos Yee "unacceptable", saying that taking the law into one's own hands cannot be condoned.
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 1 May 2015
LAW Minister K. Shanmugam has called yesterday's assault on Amos Yee "unacceptable", saying that taking the law into one's own hands cannot be condoned.
"If everyone starts taking the law into his or her own hands, then we will no longer be a civilised society," he wrote on his Facebook page. He hoped that the attacker who slapped the teenager would be caught quickly and dealt with.
Amos Yee was assaulted as he was going to court today. That is quite unacceptable. Amos made some statements which are...
Posted by K Shanmugam Sc on Thursday, April 30, 2015
The incident, which the police are investigating, occurred just outside the courthouse when 16-year-old Yee, dressed in his pyjamas, was making his way alone to the State Courts.
His parents had arrived separately just minutes earlier.
As Yee was smiling at the media cameras waiting for him at the steps leading to the State Courts, a man, who appeared to be in his 30s, lunged forward.
The stranger, dressed in a red polo shirt and cargo pants, slapped Yee hard on the left cheek. The sound of the blow startled passers-by. Before fleeing, the man yelled: "Sue me! Come and sue me!"
A stunned Yee could say only: "That hurt."
He gripped his face in pain as he walked into the State Courts building, his eyes red.
He gripped his face in pain as he walked into the State Courts building, his eyes red.
Yee's lawyer, Mr Alfred Dodwell, said his parents planned to file a police report.
A spokesman for the State Courts said it would "assist in any police investigation".
The police confirmed that a report had been lodged and investigations are ongoing.
The attack, which was captured on video and made its rounds online, attracted a flurry of opinions.
Some claimed that Yee had it coming, while others condemned the attacker for taking the law into his own hands. Many called him a coward for running away.
"We may disagree with the views, the approach and the stances taken by Amos Yee. But it does not give us the right to inflict violence on him," said Ms Braema Mathi, president of human rights group Maruah.
Video of man hitting #AmosYee while he was on his way to the court for his pre-trial conference. cna.asia/1IpXVV0
Posted by Channel NewsAsia Singapore on Thursday, April 30, 2015
Yee back in prison after more posts and a slap
His bailor walks out on him after he refuses to abide by bail conditions
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 1 May 2015
ON A dramatic day for blogger Amos Yee, he was found to have breached his bail conditions, slapped by a stranger, dumped by his bailor and ended up back in Changi Prison.
His bailor walks out on him after he refuses to abide by bail conditions
By Danson Cheong, The Straits Times, 1 May 2015
ON A dramatic day for blogger Amos Yee, he was found to have breached his bail conditions, slapped by a stranger, dumped by his bailor and ended up back in Changi Prison.
The youth counsellor, who had bailed out Yee last week when his own parents refused to do so, washed his hands of the teenager.
"He refused to abide by the bail conditions. Why should I bail him out?" said Mr Vincent Law, 51, who had posted $20,000 bail for the 16-year-old last Tuesday, and is now at risk of losing part or all of the money.
As part of his bail, Yee had been warned not to post anything online. But on Wednesday, he put up two vulgarity-laced posts titled "The Ridiculous Terms of my Bail" and "My Abusive Father" on his blog. He also shared these posts on his Facebook page yesterday morning.
In the posts, Yee called the bail conditions "ridiculous", and insulted the prosecutor, judge and police. He also alleged that his father had grabbed his head and banged it on a concrete floor, hours before his first court appearance.
As he made his way to court yesterday, a mystery man slapped Yee, who looked shaken.
But at his pre-trial conference, he refused to take down the posts despite being repeatedly asked to do so by District Judge Kessler Soh. The judge then raised bail to $30,000.
With no one posting it, Yee was sent back to remand where he is expected to stay until his trial, which could begin as early as Thursday.
Meanwhile, the prosecution has, for now, stood down the charge that Yee made an online video which included offensive remarks about the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew, which distressed viewers. It will instead proceed with charges of him attacking Christianity and transmitting an obscene image.
Yee posted his eight-minute YouTube video on March 27. He was arrested three days later, following a spate of police reports.
While on the initial $20,000 bail posted by his parents, he went online to ask for donations to fund his legal fees, and re-posted his rant against Christianity.
On April 17, Judge Soh set new bail conditions, including having him report at 9am daily to Bedok Police Division. His parents declined to put up the new bail, and Yee spent four days in remand until Mr Law came forward.
One of Yee's pro-bono lawyers, Mr Alfred Dodwell, was heard asking him not to post anything online until next Thursday.
"If you don't accept, you'll go into remand and can't post anyway," Mr Dodwell said.
He told reporters that Yee had told him that he could not abide by the rules of his bail. Yee's parents both stood silently by the side, and refused to speak to the press.
He told reporters that Yee had told him that he could not abide by the rules of his bail. Yee's parents both stood silently by the side, and refused to speak to the press.