Singapore rights groups speak out over arrests for transphobia protest

The rare protest was held amid anger in the LGBT community over a student’s claims that the Education Ministry interfered with her transition

In response, the ministry and Institute of Mental Health said her school was ‘committed to providing the education support the student needs’

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Singapore police have arrested three people for staging a brief peaceful protest against transphobia. Photo: Kirsten Han/@kixes

Published: 1:05pm, 27 Jan 2021Updated: 8:10pm, 27 Jan 2021

Singapore’s LGBT rights groups on Wednesday urged introspection from authorities after police arrested three people for staging a brief peaceful protest against transphobia in the education system.

The rare protest in the city state was held amid anger in the LGBT community over recent revelations by a student diagnosed with gender dysphoria who claimed the Education Ministry interfered with her transition.

The Singapore Police Force late on Tuesday said three demonstrators between the ages 19 and 32 were released on bail after being detained hours earlier for “allegedly taking part in an illegal assembly without a permit” outside the ministry’s headquarters.

The force said the protesters – which it did not name – were originally part of a group of five. Local media identified the three arrested people as Elijah Tay, Lune Loh and Kokila Annamalai.

The trio remained when police arrived at the building in the late afternoon and were given so-called move-on orders to cease their demonstration, before being arrested under the Public Order Act after failing to comply.

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