Cenotaph vandalised with spray paint

By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 25 Apr 2013

THE Cenotaph, the first military commemorative structure in Singapore honouring those who died in the two World Wars, was vandalised late on Tuesday night, according to some witnesses.

Located at Esplanade Park along Connaught Drive, the national monument was spray-painted with the word "democracy" in red with a big "X" under it. The "X" cancelled out the dates 1914 to 1918, which mark the period when World War I raged.

By noon yesterday, the markings had been removed by cleaners from the National Parks Board, although faint stains remained. NParks expects cleaning to be fully completed by today.

A contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp, by the name "deepsecret", said in a post that her fiance had chased after a man whom they spotted vandalising The Cenotaph at 11.15 that night.

She said the culprit was dressed in a dark blue hoodie and dark jeans, wearing headphones and carrying a backpack.

The Cenotaph was erected in 1920 to commemorate the 124 soldiers from Singapore who were lost in World War I. In 1950, an extension to commemorate those who died in World War II was added. It was gazetted as a national monument in 2010.

"We view this incident seriously and condemn this disrespectful act," said the National Heritage Board (NHB) in a statement yesterday. "Vandalism of any national monuments will result in criminal action taken."

The NHB said an isolated case of vandalism also took place at The Cenotaph in December last year.

Those found guilty of vandalism can be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three years. Male offenders may also be caned.

The commander of the Central Police Division, deputy assistant commissioner of police Daniel Tan, said spraying and defacing a war memorial is a "totally disrespectful and despicable act".

He added: "The police will spare no resources to bring the perpetrators to justice."

Netizens were also outraged.

Retired school teacher Kenneth Vaithilingam, 66, called the act "senseless and stupid". Mr Jeya Ayadurai, 52, director of the Changi Museum, said The Cenotaph is historically significant as it "bears the pockmarks of shrapnel from World War II", when bombs fell at the site.



Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong said it was a disrespectful and deplorable act. "Many have come out to strongly state our disapproval against the act. We hope the perpetrator(s) will be found and firmly dealt with soon."

Alleged vandal charged with defacing Cenotaph war memorial

By Claire Huang, Channel NewsAsia, 29 Apr 2013

A Singaporean man alleged to have vandalised the Cenotaph war memorial at the Esplanade Park has been charged.

Mohamad Khalid Mohamad Yusop, a security officer, was charged with one count of vandalism on Monday.

The 32-year-old will be held in remand at the Central Police Division to assist in investigations.

Mohamad Khalid was arrested by the police on 27 April. He allegedly defaced the monument on 23 April shortly after 11pm.

The case was first reported to the authorities by a member of the public on 24 April, who saw the monument sprayed with graffiti.

Under the Vandalism Act, the accused faces a fine of up to S$2,000 or a maximum imprisonment term of up to three years.

He can also be caned between three and eight strokes.

The case will be mentioned again on 6 May.

Cenotaph vandalism suspect arrested
32-year-old S'porean man caught with help from info given by a member of the public
By Hoe Pei Shan, The Sunday Times, 28 Apr 2013

The suspect behind last Tuesday night's act of vandalism on The Cenotaph war memorial at Esplanade Park has been caught.

Central Police Division officers yesterday arrested a 32-year-old Singaporean man in connection with the crime, just three days after it was first reported.

Police said in a statement that items seized from the suspect for further investigation include a long-sleeved T-shirt, a pair of denim jeans, a pair of shoes, a tote bag and a pair of headphones - all dark-coloured items.

The suspect was arrested at a building along Handy Road at about 11.30am yesterday.

The Sunday Times understands that it was information provided by a member of the public that led to the identification of the man.

Still, "extensive investigations and round the clock inquiries were conducted" to track down the suspect, added a police spokesman.

The case was first reported last Wednesday at 7.17am by a member of the public. But The Cenotaph, the first military commemorative structure in Singapore honouring those who died in the two world wars, was believed to have been vandalised late on Tuesday night, according to some witnesses.

Located at Esplanade Park along Connaught Drive, the national monument was spray-painted with the word "democracy" in red with a big "X" under it.

The "X" cancelled out the years 1914 to 1918, which mark the period when World War I raged.

The commander of Central Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Daniel Tan, said last Wednesday that defacing a war memorial was a disrespectful and despicable act and that the police would spare no resources to bring the perpetrators to justice.

It was the second time the memorial had been vandalised in less than six months.

The National Heritage Board said earlier that no other gazetted monument has ever been defaced.

If found guilty of vandalism, the suspect could be fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three years. He may also receive between three and eight strokes of the cane.

Vandalism of Cenotaph 'shows youth disconnect'
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 26 Apr 2013

HERITAGE experts say Tuesday's vandalism of the Cenotaph points to a growing disconnect between Singapore's younger generation and the significance of national monuments.

This is understandable, considering that the public's consciousness of national monuments fades with time, said Dr Chua Ai Lin, a historian and vice-president of the Singapore Heritage Society.

"In the case of the Cenotaph, older generations who lived through World War II and their children would have a better grasp of its significance. But it gets harder passing down memories after two or three generations."

The Cenotaph at Esplanade Park, which was erected in 1920, honours those who were lost or died in the two world wars. On Tuesday, it was spray-painted with the word "democracy" in red with a big "X" over the dates "1914-1918", which mark the World War I period.

The National Heritage Board has called it the most serious act of vandalism on a gazetted monument so far. The police are investigating.

This is not the first time the national monument, which was gazetted in 2010, has been defaced. The previous incident took place in December last year, when the dates "1939-1945", marking World War II, were crossed out in black.

"It's really sad that the culprits don't know what the monuments stand for, and even more sad if they knew what they meant and continued to do so anyway," said Changi Museum director Jeya Ayadurai, 52. "We need to recognise special dates and teach our soldiers and people about the important monuments in our midst."

Secondary 4 student Jaswin John, 17, may be unable to fully relate to the suffering of the men who died in the two world wars, but said vandalism of historic monuments is "clearly disrespectful".

Mr Krishna Ram, 20, who will start his national service next month, added: "The vandals must understand that the soldiers fought for our freedom."








Man pleads guilty to vandalising Cenotaph war memorial, sentencing on Aug 26
By Elena Chong, The Straits Times, 12 Aug 2013

A security guard pleaded guilty on Monday to vandalising the Cenotaph War Monument by using a can of spray paint to write the word "DEMOCRACY'' and to mark an "X'' on it.

Mohamad Khalid Mohamad Yusop, 33, committed the offence at the Esplanade Park at Connaught Drive at about 11.10pm on April 23.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Wee Hao said on his day off, Khalid left home with a can of indelible red spray paint to use it to spray an "X'' at a location that could be seen by the public. He targeted the Cenotaph War Memorial by spraying an "X'' over the dates 1914-1918 on the wall followed by the word "DEMOCRACY'' on top of the "X''.

A couple were walking towards the Padang from the Esplanade when they saw Khalid crossing the road and climbing up the stairs to the Cenotaph. They saw him committing the act. When the man confronted Khalid and asked what he was doing, Khalid replied it was art. He also said it was a "revolution''.

After leaving the scene, Khalid threw the spray can into the river near the Esplanade.

He was arrested four days later. The cost of repair of the Cenotaph is $208.

His lawyer Choo Zheng Xi said Khalid was deeply remorseful for his offence and was apologetic for his foolish, grave and insensitive act. "He wishes in open court through counsel to apologise unreservedly to all the war dead and humbly also seeks forgiveness from all Singaporeans for his unthinking actions,'' he said.

Khalid will be sentenced on Aug 26. He could be jailed for up to three years and receive between three and eight strokes of the cane.

* Cenotaph vandal gets 3 months' jail and 3 strokes
By Elena Chong, The Straits Times, 27 Aug 2013

THE man who vandalised The Cenotaph war memorial in April was yesterday sentenced to three months' jail and the minimum three strokes of the cane.

Security guard Mohamad Khalid Mohamad Yusop, 33, also had to pay the $208 cost of repair.

In passing sentence, District Judge Lim Tse Haw said Khalid had committed a highly anti-social and very selfish act when he spray-painted "democracy" and an "X" in red on the monument in Connaught Drive on April 23.

"Just because you felt stressed over your family and financial circumstances, you decided to vandalise... a national monument," said the judge.

He compared this case to another graffiti case in 2010, when 32-year-old Swiss national Oliver Fricker was given seven months in jail and three strokes of the cane for trespass and spray-painting two MRT train carriages in a protected depot. The Fricker case involved around $11,000 in damage.

What made Khalid's act of vandalism worse was the significance of the public property involved. "You have shown great disrespect to the memory of our war dead and hurt the feelings of their descendants. Your action had also caused outrage among all right-thinking Singaporeans," said Judge Lim.

Built in 1922, The Cenotaph is dedicated to the Singaporeans who died in the two World Wars. Located in an open public place, it is also vulnerable to vandalism.

Khalid, who said his graffiti was art and a revolution when confronted by eyewitnesses, had targeted The Cenotaph precisely because his graffiti would be easily noticed by the public.

Hence, there was a need to impose a deterrent sentence in order to discourage similar acts, the judge explained.

The judge also took into account that this was Khalid's first brush with the law and his genuine remorse in unreservedly apologising and asking Singaporeans to forgive him for his "unthinking action".

Khalid, who pleaded guilty, could have been fined up to $2,000 or jailed for up to three years and given up to eight strokes of the cane.