Singapore fines American man US$4,000 for ‘racially charged’ rant in Russian-Hainanese restaurant

Greg Austin Lynn told the court he had just wanted to view the restaurant in Far East Shopping Centre for ‘a party for this Ukraine-Russia war’

But upon being told the kitchen was closed, prosecutors said he launched into a ‘highly insulting and abusive’ rant with an element of violence

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Greg Austin Lynn arrives at the State Courts in Singapore for a hearing last year. Photo: Handout via Today Online

Published: 2:10pm, 8 Jan 2024

An American man who made a scene at a restaurant in Singapore, insulting the manager in a racially charged tirade that was uploaded to social media, was fined S$5,500 (US$4,100) by a court on Monday.

Greg Austin Lynn, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of using criminal force and another of using abusive words. Another two charges were considered in sentencing. He decided to accept the charges on Monday after earlier indicating he would contest them.

The incident happened at Shashlik Restaurant in Far East Shopping Centre on June 18 last year.

Before he went down to the Russian-Hainanese restaurant, Lynn called and was told by restaurant manager Tan Tong Kein that the last order would be taken at 9pm.

Tan reiterated this in another call but Lynn was unhappy at being disturbed, the prosecution said.

At about 9pm that night, Lynn arrived at the restaurant and was received by Tan, who explained that the kitchen was already closed.

In a sequence of events captured on closed-circuit television footage, Lynn pushed Tan in the chest, causing the restaurant manager to stumble backwards.