A man who wrote on Facebook that he’d “open fire” is being investigated by the police.
On June 4, Mr Bryan Lim posted on the Facebook page We Are Against Pinkdot In Singapore: “I am a Singaporean. I am a NSman. I am a father. And I swore to protect my nation.
“Give me the permission to open fire. I would like to see these £@€$^*s die for their causes.”
He made the comment in response to a post that expressed discontent against multi-national corporations supporting Pink Dot, an annual event in support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) cause.
Another Facebook user, Mr Kenneth Tan, later flagged Mr Lim’s comments on the Singapore Police Force’s Facebook page. Yesterday, the police confirmed the report and said investigations were ongoing.
We Are Against Pinkdot In Singapore is a public group where its 7,500-plus members discuss the Pink Dot movement.
It is unclear if Mr Lim was targeting the LGBT community or its supporters.
But coming on the heels of Sunday’s deadly attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where at least 49 people were killed in what is believed to be the worst mass shooting in US history, news of his post took on added significance.
DISCRIMINATION
Pink Dot spokesman Paerin Choa said in a statement yesterday: “Recent horrific acts of hate underscore the discrimination that continues to be directed at the LGBT community.
“The presence of individuals who harbour such thoughts and publicly perpetuate intolerance deeply saddens and concerns us.
“This clearly shows we should never take what we have for granted and continue to seek dialogue and opportunities to highlight the dangers of discrimination and intolerance.”
Responding to a report by online news site Mothership yesterday, Mr Lim apologised for the “misunderstanding”: “I did not mean anyone. I meant Bloomberg and foreign intervention in local matters.
“This was taken out of context. I hope this clears the air.
“I did not mean physical bullets nor physical death. I mean open fire in debate and remove them from Singapore domestic matters.”
Mr Lim’s employer Canon Singapore, said yesterday that it does “not condone violence in any form” and would be “looking into this matter”.
harizbah@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on June 14, 2016.
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