Police investigating after elderly man allegedly pushed to ground for patting girl’s head

SINGAPORE – The police are investigating an incident where an elderly man was allegedly pushed to the ground after he patted a girl on the head at a coffee shop in East Coast.

In response to queries, the police said on Aug 16 that they have identified a 40-year-old man in relation to an incident involving the assault of a 73-year-old man at 50 East Coast Road at about 4.40pm on Aug 15.

The police earlier confirmed that a report was lodged and investigations are ongoing.

In a post on Facebook by a user named Bei-ing Wanton Noodle at 7.14pm on Aug 15, the user said the elderly man was his father and appealed for information on the identity of the man who allegedly shoved his father to the ground.

The post stated that the elderly man was in his 70s and had difficulty walking and would help out at the stall.

In security camera footage accompanying the post, the elderly man can be seen walking in the coffee shop, holding on to the tables on both sides for support.

As he walks past a girl sitting at one of the tables, he pats her on the head. A woman sitting with the girl tries to stop him by pushing his hand away. 

A man who had earlier left the table immediately walks back and verbally confronts the elderly man.

He then shoves the elderly man to the ground. 

The Facebook user said the man later apologised to his father and offered him a drink. He added that his father was suffering from severe back pain following the incident. 

In another Facebook post at 9.55am on Aug 16, the user thanked netizens for their concern for his father and for providing information regarding the incident.

In their statement, the police advised members of the public not to speculate on the incident or its circumstances, and to allow the police to conduct investigations and establish the facts of the case.

The Straits Times has contacted the Facebook user for more information.