Caught on video: Woman without mask on screams at man to 'go to hell'

A video has surfaced online which shows a woman in a heated exchange with a man, presumably over a case of inappropriate mask-wearing.

In the roughly two-minute-long clip posted on The Independent's Facebook page on Sunday (June 13), a middle-aged woman with her mask under her chin is shown screaming at a man who appears to insist on following her.

It is not clear from the video what the issue is over or when it was recorded, but a voice at the end, presumably belonging to the person doing the recording, can be heard stating that "she doesn't want to wear her mask".

Safe to say that no matter what the reason, the woman was having none of what the man was telling her.

In the video, the woman, dressed in black, is obviously dismissive towards the man, who is masked and appears to be wearing medical scrubs.

She can be heard telling him, "wrong religion", and asking if he is "from the government". She adds: "[Muffled] not from the government, go to hell."

Despite her raised voice and heightened emotions, the man in the video carries on talking to her. From the video, it is unclear what his message to her is.

Not happy with what he is saying, the woman continues loudly: "Why must you looking out [sic]? Because you live here? You're a doctor?"

When the man follows her even after she walks off ranting, she screams: "What are you doing? Get lost!"

Pointing her fingers and waving her hands agitatedly, she instructs: "Go away, now!"

When the man still doesn't let up, the woman descends into a frenzy, shouting: "Don't want, walk with me for what? Go to hell!"

At one point the agitated woman screams in retort: "Why? You stupid doctor!"

Looking visibly distressed, the woman then starts yelling, "you slap me, you slap me!" seemingly to gain attention. 

Towards the end of the clip, she can be heard saying to the man: "Who are you to demand it? Doctor working here?"

On online forum Hardware Zone and in the comments on the video, netizens have speculated that the video looks to be taken at a condominium. While several were quick to judge the woman for not wearing her mask properly, others noted that the man's persistence may have triggered the woman.

The incident brings to mind recent cases where members of the public have been taken to task for flouting the law on mandatory mask-wearing.

Last month, a video of a woman challenging a safe distancing ambassador for not wearing her mask at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) went viral. The video was believed to have been taken during the circuit breaker period last year.

Phoon Chiu Yoke, 53, currently faces six charges for various offences, including failing to wear a mask at MBS, Newton Hawker Centre, Clarke Quay Central, Bras Basah Complex, and outside the State Courts building.

In another case, a 60-year-old man was arrested in Tampines for refusing to put on his mask and turning aggressive when police arrived at the scene.

But the tables have also turned on online vigilantes whose attempts at calling out others' misdeeds backfire. 

One man's attempt to shame an elderly woman at Commonwealth hawker centre for not wearing her mask drew the ire of netizens instead. 

candicecai@asiaone.com