SINGAPORE, Feb 9 — Police arrested a 22-year-old man for public nuisance after he allegedly tried to assault a priest at the Church of the Holy Spirit on Upper Thomson Road this morning.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said it received a call for assistance at around 10.30am and responded to the scene.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that a 22-year-old Singaporean Chinese man allegedly tried to assault a priest at the church after church service, during dispersal,” SPF said in a Facebook post.
SPF said church security personnel immediately detained the suspect, and no weapon was found in his possession. Police officers took him into custody upon arrival.
The priest sustained slight swelling on his face but is otherwise unharmed.
“The priest has been attended to by medics, and apart from some slight swelling on his face, is safe and well,” the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore said in a statement on its website, as reported by The Straits Times.
The suspect, described as a regular churchgoer, will be referred to the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for further assessment.
SPF urged the public to avoid speculation as investigations continue.
“The Police would like to advise the public to cooperate with security personnel deployed at places of worship, as they are there to ensure a safe environment for all,” SPF said.
This incident comes months after a priest was stabbed during an evening mass at St Joseph’s Church in Upper Bukit Timah in November 2024.
In that case, a 37-year-old man was charged with using a knife to voluntarily cause grievous hurt to the priest, who suffered multiple lacerations to his face and tongue.
