"Police said that unlike Chee, Singaporeans and Myanmar nationals here have organised themselves to express their sentiments and concern for Myanmar unrest in a lawful manner."
This excerpt was taken from an article from CNA and I read it with interest. So the statement implies that what happened at the Myanmar embassy was lawful and Chee & Co were arrested because what he did today was unlawful. Makes sense as according to CNA, "As the place is a gazetted area and the gathering contravened the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) (Prohibition of Assemblies and Processions — Istana) Order, police issued repeated warnings, asking the group to leave.
But they persisted with the demonstration. So the police seized the placards and arrested Chee and the others".
Are we then allowed to organise ourselves to express our sentiments and concern in a lawful manner as long as it is in a lawful manner and in a non-gazetted area ?
What then is lawful ? 5 and above are considered an illegal assembly. CNA has this to add: "The police noted that this latest incident is linked to another incident involving Chee.He had staged an unlawful assembly at the Myanmar embassy on 30 September". and "Authorities have reiterated the call to the public not to participate in any illegal gathering".
Now what is what ? If Singaporeans gather and express our concerns without placards etc in a non-gazetted area, it is lawful but at the same time unlawful because that will constitute an illegal assembly ?
I appreciate that the illegal assembly law is useful against people who may intend to create unrest/crime etc However, that is a very grey area even though the police exercises discretion case to case.
Its ridiculous for an act to be lawful and unlawful at the same time.
time to cont in existing thread.