Hong Lim protest leader questioned by police

Hong Lim protest leader questioned by police

Local blogger Han Hui Hui was questioned by police for seven hours on Friday over a protest she led at Hong Lim Park that disrupted a charity carnival last month, the police confirmed yesterday.

But they countered online reports that officers turned up at her home at midnight the night before, or that she was not allowed to eat during her interview.

In a statement last night, a police spokesman said Ms Han is among "several persons" involved in the incident who are currently assisting them in investigations. The probe has been ongoing since a police report was lodged on Sept 27, the day the protest was held.

Ms Han, a 22-year-old blogger and activist, had led several hundred people into another part of Hong Lim Park where a YMCA charity carnival was being held, frightening some special needs children who were performing on stage.

The police spokesman said officers visited Ms Han's home on Thursday at about 9.30pm to inform her of the interview "after she did not answer... telephone calls".

Since Ms Han was not home, the notice of her interview appointment at the Central Police Division was handed to a family member, the spokesman added.

Ms Han called the division at 11pm the same night to reschedule her appointment to 8pm on Friday. But at 1.45pm on Friday, she called to say she would show up soon.

"She subsequently turned up at about 2.30pm and arrangements were made to accommodate her schedule," the spokesman said. The interview ended at about 9.30pm.

"During the interview, Ms Han was provided with refreshments. She took several breaks but she declined an offer to take a break for dinner," the spokesman added.

The police were responding to media queries after online reports surfaced that Ms Han had been visited at her home by police officers at midnight on Thursday.

The reports quoted Ms Han as saying she had arrived at the police station at 2pm and was made to wait for half an hour before being questioned until 10pm. They added that she was not given any food and was prevented from leaving for dinner.

In addition, a notebook she was using to take notes was taken away, and she was not allowed to call her lawyer M. Ravi, the reports added.

In the statement yesterday, the police spokesman reiterated that no one has been arrested in connection with the Sept 27 protest.

It is understood that police have not been able to contact the protesters' co-leader Roy Ngerng as he was out of the country.

Mr Ravi told The Sunday Times he intended to write to the police to ask why Ms Han's notebook was taken.

dansonc@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on October 12, 2014.
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