A middle aged man was seen in a video engaged in a dispute with a group of students at Our Tampines Hub on 11 September, following a disagreement over his bags which he used to chope seats, being moved away by the students.
The Confrontation
In a short, 25-second clip, a man dressed in black—a black shirt, mask, and hat—can be seen pointing his finger and berating five students. However, the students’ response to his outburst was rather unexpected – they burst into laughter.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the students explained that they occupied the table only after the man had vacated it for several hours. Their intention? To use the space for studying.
But the man had a different perception; he accused them of hosting a party at the table and suggested they go to the library if they wanted to study.
What happened?
This incident transpired on the first basement floor (B1) of One Tampines Hub, a public area that offers tables for visitors to study or enjoy their meals.
According to a student present at the scene, the man was a familiar face who often arrived as early as 6 am. He would bring along a suitcase and several bags, watch videos on his laptop, and occasionally disappear for a few hours. However, he had a peculiar habit—leaving his personal belongings behind to “reserve” the seat.
On the day of the incident, the man left for an extended period. Upon his return, he discovered his items had been moved, and the seat he had considered ‘reserved’ was occupied.
This triggered his outburst in front of the students. Some students tried to reason with him, explaining why they had moved his belongings, while others requested him to lower his voice. The incident occurred during their examination week, and it was Teacher’s Day on September 11th, making students abundant in the area.
Calling for Help
Frustrated, the man called for the mall’s security officer. However, when the officer informed him of the policy – that if he left for more than two hours, he should take his belongings with him – the man grew even more agitated. He went on to accuse the students of damaging his personal items and decided to involve the police.
Police officers arrived at around 6:30 pm on the same day in response to the man’s call. This escalated the situation, causing some students to become anxious.
They even called their parents to mediate the situation. The student who shared these details mentioned that he left before the police arrived and hadn’t seen the man in the area for the following days.
The Singapore Police Force confirmed that a police report was filed, and investigations are currently ongoing.