Folks reacted in shock and displeasure when regular Orchard Road fixture and pioneering busker Roy Payamal was shut down by the cops and whisked away in handcuffs this past weekend — all this happened in front of a large crowd of concerned locals and tourists.
Popularly known as the Silver Man from his routine act where he performs while decked head to toe in silver paint, the 54-year-old was arrested last Saturday night in front of Ngee Ann City shopping centre on the grounds of being a public nuisance, apparently. According to a Facebook post by an eyewitness, two police officers placed the licensed veteran busker in cuffs after a cop claimed that Roy had “shouted at him”. When Fong spoke up to defend Roy, he wrote that the police threatened to arrest him as well.
Police confirmed that Roy was arrested for disorderly behaviour.
The busker has since been released on bail yesterday. Speaking to TODAY, Roy assured that it was a misunderstanding and that “it was the volume of (his) voice” that lead to the arrest.
“But my voice is naturally loud because I am a rocker,” Roy joked.
According to Roy’s girlfriend — artist and filmmaker Xi Jie Ng who documented his story in Singapore Minstrel — the busker was back on the streets yesterday night, continuing what he does best.
Roy is certainly no stranger to us, of course — check out our profile piece on Singapore’s wildest busker.
