Shoving incident in Singapore over man patting girl’s head stirs heated debate

A simple pat on a child’s head has sparked debate in Singapore after an elderly man was shoved to the ground by a girl’s father.

Police said on Sunday they had identified a 40-year-old man in connection with the incident at a food court on Saturday afternoon, CNA reported.

“Members of the public are advised not to speculate on the incident or its circumstances, and to allow the police to conduct investigations and establish the facts of the case,” they told the broadcaster.

The incident on Saturday came to public attention after Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle stallholder Ray Yeo posted a CCTV video on social media on the same day, asking for information about the man who pushed his 73-year-old father, Yeo Song Khoon.

In the video, the elderly man can be seen walking with difficulty past some tables with patrons having their meals. He stops to steady himself at a table where a woman and her daughter are sitting, then briefly pats the girl on the head.