Two men, both aged 61, will be charged in court on Wednesday, December 17, for separate offences under the Public Order Act 2009.
In the first case, a man is accused of organising an unauthorised public assembly and multiple public processions on June 22, 2024, to mark the relocation of a religious association.
The event allegedly took place over eight hours and involved six locations across Singapore. According to the police, five brightly lit mobile floats were used, with performances carried out as devotees walked between temples.
Investigations found that the man was aware he did not have the required police permit to organise the assembly and processions, but proceeded, nonetheless. He will face one charge for organising a public assembly without a permit and another for organising a public procession without a permit.
In a separate incident on October 24, 2024, another 61-year-old man allegedly organised two public processions to commemorate a deity.
For the first procession, two LED-lit mobile floats playing loud music occupied a service road near Paya Lebar Road, with devotees walking between them. Although the organiser had a permit to hold an assembly at an open field near the temple, the permit explicitly prohibited foot processions.
Despite being warned by police officers on-site that he was breaching the permit conditions, the man allegedly continued with the procession.
For the second procession on the same day, devotees were said to have occupied the leftmost lane of Paya Lebar Road as they made their way back to a nearby temple.
The police said that the organiser did not have a permit to conduct a public procession along that road. He will be charged with organising a public procession that did not comply with permit conditions for the first incident, and with organising a public procession without a permit for the second.
Under the Public Order Act, offences involving the organisation of public assemblies or processions without the required permit, or in breach of permit conditions, carry a fine of up to S$5,000. Repeat offenders may face stiffer penalties, including a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
The police reminded the public that organising or participating in public assemblies or processions without a valid permit is illegal in Singapore. They added that existing laws are intended to strike a balance between allowing space for public gatherings and ensuring public order and safety.
