21-11-2024 (SINGAPORE) A 23-year-old Singaporean man appeared in court on Thursday facing charges of public nuisance after allegedly deflating tyres of five vehicles in a Woodlands housing estate carpark, in what appears to be an environmental protest targeting SUV owners.
Benjamin Chia Yit Loong is accused of targeting vehicles parked at Blocks 517A and 519A Woodlands Drive 14 between 10am and 12pm on Tuesday. Along with deflating the tyres, he allegedly placed protest flyers on the vehicles’ windscreens.
The incident came to light when a female motorist alerted authorities around 12:50pm after discovering all four tyres of her vehicle had been deflated. Swift police investigation, aided by CCTV footage, led to Chia’s arrest the same day.
Images of the flyers, which later circulated on social media through the Complaint Singapore Facebook group, suggested links to an environmental activism movement that protests against SUV ownership, citing environmental concerns.
During Thursday’s court proceedings, prosecutors requested a week-long adjournment for further investigation. Chia was released on S$5,000 (US$1,500) bail and now faces potential penalties of up to three months’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both under Singapore’s public nuisance laws.
The case has sparked discussion about environmental activism methods in Singapore, where strict regulations govern public protests and demonstrations. The incident marks one of the first known cases in the city-state of climate activism targeting private vehicle owners through direct action.
