7-4-2024 (SINGAPORE) A distressing incident unfolded outside Singapore’s National Stadium on April 5, marring the celebratory atmosphere of Bruno Mars’ highly anticipated concert. A woman was caught on camera spitting on someone in the queue, allegedly after being called out for attempting to cut the line.
The unsavoury encounter, captured in a viral TikTok video uploaded by user Sabrinasimisai, has sparked outrage and reignited discussions about public decorum and respect for queuing etiquette in the city-state.
According to the TikToker’s account, the incident began when the woman in question sat in front of a man who had been patiently waiting in line for the standing pen area of the concert venue. Alarmed by her apparent disregard for the queue, bystanders intervened, politely informing her that she should join the back of the line if she intended to wait for a friend.
The woman’s response, however, was far from cordial. “But clearly she wasn’t too happy with being called out even though she was the one who shamelessly tried to cut the queue,” the TikToker wrote, describing the escalating tension. “Got spit on in the end… kinda kinky but guys, please remember that Covid is still a thing.”
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In a follow-up video, the TikToker expressed her disappointment while maintaining a level-headed stance. “Tonight, I’m going to be the one sleeping well, knowing I went down early in the morning to queue for my own spot in the standing pen,” she stated. “In the meanwhile, knowing that she’s not going to be the one sleeping well because she didn’t come early for the standing pen and she still wanted to cut queue.”
The woman at the centre of the controversy has since been identified as Indonesian transgender content creator Una Dembler. In an Instagram post addressing the incident, she offered her perspective, claiming that she was merely waiting for a friend and did not intend to cut the queue. However, she admitted to spitting at the TikToker in a moment of anger, expressing regret for her actions.
“I know I was wrong to spit on her, but I didn’t mean to cut the queue,” Dembler wrote. “I will learn from this and I really regret this happened. I’m sorry.”
The TikToker, however, remained sceptical of Dembler’s account, questioning the claim of being pelted with rice and reiterating her disappointment at the lack of a direct apology for the spitting incident.
In Singapore, where public hygiene and orderly conduct are held in high regard, spitting in public is considered a punishable offence. For a first offence, individuals can face fines of up to $1,000, with subsequent offences carrying heftier penalties of up to $5,000.
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