The man behind last November’s illegal Million Mask March in Singapore was fined S$1,000 for organising a public procession without permission.On Tuesday (Sep 16), the court heard that Jacob Lau Jian Rong, 24, had planned the march for Nov 5 last year, despite a police advisory issued that morning advising the public that it is illegal to take part in a public assembly without a permit.
Lau had gathered participants for the march via an online event page. The protest was meant to demonstrate opposition to new Internet regulations announced by the Media Development Authority (MDA). Fifteen people who gathered at City Hall MRT station dressed in red and black, some donning Guy Fawkes masks, were rounded up by the Police before they could move off. In June, the MDA had rolled out new regulations requiring online news sites to be licensed. The march was also part of an online movement calling for 24-hour protests worldwide to commemorate Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes was a British conspirator behind a plot to blow up the English Parliament in 1605. |
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