Update: ‘Traumatized’ Smol staffer harassed over pride flag ‘so happy’ for public support
The owner of a health food kiosk is decrying an attack of “homophobic abuse” after an enraged man hurled its rainbow pride flag at an employee yesterday.
The afternoon incident at the Lau Pa Sat food center on Raffles Quay was caught on video uploaded by the stall’s owner, who identifies herself only as Charmaine.
“This afternoon, our SMOL outlet at Lau Pa Sat encountered homophobic abuse from a middle-aged man,” she wrote. “What happened today was an unfortunate incident with someone who was not interested in having a peaceful conversation, but who believed that he had the right to abuse and use force against our staff.”
She did not indicate whether the authorities had been contacted and did not respond to messages seeking comment. Charmaine did say that the incident would not deter them from continuing to display the flag.
At the start of the 28-second clip, the man – wearing a tie, shirt, and black pants – sashays up to the stall and point out the rainbow flag to two employees on duty. After verbally lashing out, he picks up the flag and throws it over the counter at one of them.
Although the clip has no sound, Charmaine wrote that he was angry to see the flag in “a public food court.”
“Do you know that this is a public food court? Not everybody support LGBT!!?? How can you put this flag??” she quoted him saying, along with: “You are the kind of people who is destroying Singapore! Go to hell!”
She said they displayed the flag to show their support and as a “conversation starter” with customers. It wasn’t the first time the rainbow flag has been a conversation starter. This time, however, it didn’t end well.
“It is also a reminder that discrimination against LGBTQ people in Singapore is well and alive, and there is so much more work to be done to promote understanding, love and tolerance for this community,” she said.
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