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A group of people allegedly raised $50,000 for a 39-year-old British man after he was charged in Singapore court for not wearing a face mask
Benjamin Glynn is currently facing three charges after he was filmed not wearing a face mask while on an MRT train on 7 May, reported CNA.
The UK-born expat faces one count each of using threatening words towards a public servant, being a public nuisance, and failing to wear a mask without reasonable excuse.
After he was charged, a screenshot of a Facebook post claiming that $50,000 has been raised for Glynn surfaced on social media, according to Mothership.
In the post, the raised fund is said to be Glynn’s legal fee as he is “currently stuck in Singapore under a (sic) oppressive legal regime”.
“The people of Singapore are hell bent on starting a witch hunt against Ben for exercising his human right of freedom of movement without a mask. They are hurling insults and threats against him and he fears to go out in the public for the possibility that he might be assaulted,” the post continues.
It is said that they will be contacting the local Foreign Office to assist them in defending Glynn’s rights.
SAYS could not verify the authenticity of this post.
Image via Mothership
It is unknown what currency is the colossal sum raised for Glynn’s legal fee, but it would be RM207,740 if it was USD or RM154,465 if it was SGD.
The money raised overshot the total SGD17,000 (or RM52,514) fine that Glynn would face if he was convicted under the three charges.
Below is the breakdown of each charge’s punishment that Glynn faces:
– For using threatening words towards a public servant, he could face up to a SGD5,000 fine, one year’s jail, or both
– For being a public nuisance, he could face up to a SGD2,000 fine, three months’ jail, or both
– For failing to wear a mask without reasonable excuse, he could face up to a SGD10,000 fine, six months’ jail, or both
The post also claims Glynn spent two days in lock-up and was “unfairly and violently” arrested by the Singapore police
However, The Straits Times reported that Glynn is said to have hurled an obscene word at the police officers at Allsworth Park condominium on Holland Road on 9 May.
“I’m going to… drop you,” the accused told Assistant Superintendent Alvin Quek Chin Han and Inspector Chee Xiu Quan.
Additionally, when he arrived at the court on 2 July, he was not wearing a face mask until a security guard told him to do so.
In the court, his face mask covered only his mouth before District Judge Lorraine Ho told him to put on his mask properly, to which he complied.
He was not wearing a face mask again minutes after he left the court.
Benjamin Glynn leaving the State Courts on 2 July.
Image via Jeremy Long/CNA
On the day of the incident on the MRT train, Glynn was captured on video saying, “I am very religious. I love human beings. I hate seeing uncles, granddads with a mask on.”
An almost two-minute long video capturing Glynn committing the offence on 7 May hears him swear that he “will never wear a mask”.
When he proceeds to take a seat on the train, a woman seated beside him immediately vacates her seat.
He also rejects a face mask when a fellow commuter offers him one.
Image via Keefe Chan (Facebook)
Following the incident, Metro UK reported that Glynn’s passport had been confiscated, making him unable to return to the UK as planned with his partner and two children – aged five and two – who are now back in England.
He also recently lost a job that he was due to start in the UK and he is afraid that he will be held up in Singapore for 12 months before his trial starts.
“This whole situation is ridiculous,” he said.
“I want to leave the country anyway – just let me go!”
“I think it’s insane that I am facing a trial at all, just for not wearing a mask.”