Hundreds gathered at Hong Lim Park on Sunday afternoon (Apr 3) to protest against the death penalty.
It is believed that the protest was triggered by the recent execution of a drug trafficker in late March and also the recent unsuccessful appeal of Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam.
Protest against the death sentence
The speaker of the event Kristen Han said in a Facebook post:
“This evening, over 400 Singaporeans and PRs showed up at Hong Lim Park to call for the abolition of the death penalty — over *eight times* more than what I’d allowed myself to expect. People made placards, joined in on chants, cheered on speakers, demonstrated solidarity for people on death row and their loved ones, and demanded an end to state violence.
Members of Abdul Kahar’s family attended the protest today. They, too, said that the turn-out was larger than they’d expected. Some members of the family had seen callous comments on social media about Kahar in the week before his execution, when we were trying our best to campaign and raise awareness. Today, they saw support and solidarity instead. Kahar’s younger brother, Abdul Mutalib, told me, “It is over for my brother. Now we fight for everyone else.”
Holding Signboards
Many of the participants were holding up signboards with names of people who had been sentenced to death in the past and with messages protesting against the penalty.
We’re here at Hong Lim Park calling for the abolition of the #deathpenalty. Come join us! pic.twitter.com/VGlzZaU6QI
— Transformative Justice Collective (@tjc_singapore) April 3, 2022
Chanting
The participants were chanting “no more blood on our hands”
Attended the anti-death penalty protest at Hong Lim Park today. My heart hurts for the humans on death row and their families. End state murder!!!! #abolishthedeathpenalty pic.twitter.com/k5Q3Fw2Xe8
— RENE (@ureneus) April 3, 2022