Singaporean activist Goh Keow Wah, or as he’s better known as Gilbert God, was convicted of an offence under the Public Order Act and one count of refusing to sign a statement that he had given to the police.
The 60-year-old had held a public assembly to publicise a cause without a permit outside the ICA building on 1 May last year, where he held a placard outside the building that reads:
“Please ban all flights from India, we are not racist, just being cautious.”
He was protesting a week after Singapore had banned all long term and short term visitors who had been in India in the past 14 days from entering or transiting in Singapore.
There was a surge in Covid-19 cases in India at the time.
He had also refused to sign a statement that was recorded by a police officer at Bedok Police Division on 11 May last year.
The prosecutors said that his Facebook posts were sensationalist and provocative, and showed that he intended to stir up anti-foreigner sentiment by his actions.
They also cited Goh’s Facebook post on 22 May last year with the caption “stop Singaporean genocide, close the border,” which was pasted over a photo of his protest.
Goh is set to be sentenced on 19 August.