A dispute at a coffee shop in Jurong West escalated dramatically after two individuals began throwing chairs and utensils at each other, leading to their arrest by police for public nuisance.
The confrontation took place at a coffee shop located at Block 494 Jurong West Street 41, where a 55-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man became involved in a heated altercation that shocked nearby stallholders and customers.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident began as a disagreement between a diner and an employee working at a nasi padang stall before quickly escalating into a physical confrontation that required police intervention.
Argument Over Seating Turns Into Physical Clash
Witnesses said the dispute began in the late afternoon when the man was seated at a table inside the coffee shop while eating his meal. The table was reportedly being used by the stall to display food items, especially during the Ramadan period when additional space is often utilised.
CCTV footage later showed the female employee approaching the man and gesturing towards him while speaking, apparently asking him to vacate the table.
The situation escalated rapidly when the man suddenly stood up and slapped the woman across the face, triggering an immediate retaliation that turned the argument into a chaotic brawl.
The woman responded by pushing the man and grabbing a nearby chair, which she allegedly hurled at him twice. Both individuals then began struggling physically while stallholders and bystanders watched the confrontation unfold.
Cutlery, Basket and Bucket Lid Thrown During Scuffle
The altercation intensified when the woman picked up a basket containing forks and spoons from the stall and threw it directly towards the man.
Footage of the incident showed the man attempting to shield himself from the flying utensils as they scattered across the coffee shop floor.
The woman also reportedly threw a bucket lid at him while stepping backwards, adding to the chaos as chairs and tableware became scattered around the premises.
Several vendors and workers at the coffee shop eventually stepped in to separate the pair before the situation worsened further.
Stallholders later described the scene as messy, with chairs overturned and utensils strewn across the floor after the confrontation.
Police Called As Conflicting Accounts Surface
Police were alerted to the incident and officers arrived at the coffee shop to assess the situation.
When authorities reached the scene, the woman was seated near a stairwell with a police officer beside her, while the man was seated separately and questioned about the incident.
The woman was later taken to hospital while conscious for medical evaluation following the altercation.
Both the 55-year-old woman and the 60-year-old man were subsequently arrested for public nuisance, and investigations are currently ongoing.
However, accounts of what triggered the confrontation differ among those involved.
The stall owner stated that her employee had asked the man to vacate the table used for displaying food, but he allegedly refused and then attacked her.
Some stallholders, however, claimed the man had been quietly eating and had told the employee he would leave after finishing his meal.
Others alleged that the employee spoke to him in a rude manner before the dispute escalated.
The stall owner denied these allegations, maintaining that her employee did not verbally abuse the man and that the confrontation began when he suddenly struck her.
Fortunately, the incident occurred during a relatively quiet period at the coffee shop, and the disturbance did not significantly disrupt operations. Police investigations remain ongoing as authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events that led to the dramatic clash.
Image Source: Â Shin Min Daily News