Israel-Gaza war: rare protest in Singapore against Israel arms deal spotlights simmering views on conflict

In a rare act of defiance of strict laws governing demonstrations, especially on the war, supporters of the pro-Palestinian cause on Monday unfurled a banner at tourist attraction Gardens by the Bay.

The latest incident highlighted an undercurrent in society that could put the local government in a “Catch-22 position”, said Bilveer Singh, a political scientist from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

“What has happened is a paradigm shift and a warning to the government that its views, logic and rationality are not working with some people in society,” he said. “It shows that people are ready to take political risk, and this is new [for Singapore].”