18-3-2024 (SINGAPORE) A man who aided another individual in illegally entering Taylor Swift’s concert in Singapore has been sentenced to two weeks in jail on Monday (Mar 18).
Wu Zhihong, aged 54, attempted to deceive security officers into believing that 20-year-old Yan Shuqing possessed a valid Singapore Eras Tour concert ticket.
He then facilitated a distraction while Yan followed a concertgoer through a turnstile gate at the National Stadium on March 7, 2024. However, Yan was apprehended and promptly removed from the venue.
Wu, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty to intending to deceive security officers into believing that Yan had a valid concert ticket to gain entry.
American pop star Taylor Swift performed six concerts at the National Stadium as part of The Eras Tour in early March. Tickets for these highly sought-after events sold out within eight hours, attracting over 368,000 attendees to the Singapore Sports Hub between March 2 and March 9, 2024.
Concert attendees were subject to two security checks at the Singapore Sports Hub before entering the National Stadium – a Person Check Security and a turnstile gate where tickets were scanned.
The court heard that Yan sought resold Singapore Eras Tour tickets and came across an offer to purchase one for 3,000 yuan (S$557). Yan transferred the money and arranged to meet Wu, who provided him with a lanyard and a Taylor Swift poster.
Despite not holding a VIP ticket, Wu supplied Yan with a lanyard marked “VIP” and “Taylor Swift The Eras Tour”. Wu also provided Yan with a wristband.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Darren Ang stated, “The accused informed Yan that he could tailgate any concertgoer through the turnstile gate, and if stopped, Yan could still enter the National Stadium by presenting the lanyard and wristband and claiming he had friends inside.”
Yan attempted to enter the turnstile gate while Wu distracted a security officer with his phone. Yan was spotted and escorted out, an incident captured by CCTV cameras.
After Yan’s removal, Wu transferred money to him and instructed him not to disclose the transactions to the police.
Wu’s actions caused disruption and disquiet among other concert attendees. He is not the only individual charged with facilitating illegal entry into the concert venue.
Mr Ang sought a two to four-week jail term for Wu, emphasising the importance of safety and security at such events.
“A person convicted of criminal trespass may be jailed up to three months, or fined up to S$1,500, or both,” he added.
