Man fined $300 after challenging Square 2 staff to fight, refusing to wear mask properly

Nearly a month since it became mandatory to wear a mask while out, some are still getting in trouble (and achieving internet notoriety) for refusing to comply.

The latest in a string of mask-related confrontations, a 58-year-old man, who challenged a Square 2 employee to a fight after being told to put on his "bloody" mask, was fined $300, the police told AsiaOne today (May 12).

A video of the heated exchange made its rounds on Facebook this afternoon, gaining over 600 shares in an hour.

Filmed at one of Square 2's entrances, the 20-second-long clip showed a man, who had his mask pulled down to expose his nose and mouth, shouting at one of the mall's employees.

"What are you going to do to me?" The man asked.

The employee replied: "Can you put on the bloody mask or not?"

Incensed, the man yelled louder as he squared up to the employee: "If I don't put, what? Bloody mask? If I don't put my bloody mask, what do you want [sic]?"

After the employee made an inaudible retort, the man took several steps back and beckoned to him, saying: "I challenge you. Come."

The man calmed down after the police arrived on the scene within 10 minutes, an eyewitness, who did not wish to be named, told Lianhe Zaobao.

The police said they received a call for assistance from a private security officer at Square 2 at 5.52pm that day.

After establishing that the man had refused to put on his mask properly, despite being advised repeatedly by a staff member of the mall, the police officers subsequently issued him a notice of composition of $300 under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act.

He was also advised to adhere to the measures, and left the area thereafter.

The staff was unharmed and the incident has been resolved, according to a source with knowledge of the matter. 

Since April 14, those caught in public without a mask will face fines of $300 for the first offence and $1,000 for the second offence.

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kimberlylim@asiaone.com