Bei-Ing Wanton elderly hawker explains head pat gesture that sparked clash: 'She was very cute'

He just wanted to pat the girl's head because he felt she was cute, which inadvertently caused a now-viral confrontation, the elderly wanton mee hawker said in an interview with 8world on Sunday (Aug 16).

The video has been viewed over 870,000 times, with over 1,700 comments and 3,000 shares as at Aug 17 afternoon.

In the Facebook video of the altercation, Yeo Song Khoon, 73, can be seen patting a girl's head as he makes his way through the tables at Roxy Square coffee shop along 50 East Coast Road.

But the innocent gesture does not go down well with the kid's mother who reaches out to stop him. The father, meanwhile, rushes over to confront the senior.

In a rage, the father can be seen jabbing a finger at Yeo before grabbing him, throwing him to the ground.

Yeo's family then helps him back on his feet.

Speaking with 8world, he shared that he has an injury in his leg which has been hampering his movement.

"I had to hold on to the tables to walk," he said.

"Then I saw the little girl and thought she was very adorable, so I patted her head.

"Old people like to pat young children's heads," he explained.

He recalled how the girl's father was displeased with his gesture.

"He didn't like it and threw me to the ground, then my son-in-law came over and helped me up."

Yeo then shared that he is a well-known figure in the area, having sold noodles for the past 40 years at the same coffee shop.

Reiterating what he told the girl's father, Yeo said: "I've had surgery all over my body and I don't have the strength to walk, and you pushed me to the floor like that… don't you think that's bad?

"I'm not that kind of person."

'I’m from Australia'

Yeo also told the father that his noodles have origins in the UK, US and Australia.

This prompted a response from the father who claimed: “I’m from Australia also!”

Apologising, the father offered to buy him a cup of tea, which the elderly man declined.

Separately, Yeo said that he started feeling back pain about two hours after the incident and is taking painkillers for it.

His family said in an Instagram Story on Aug 17 that he has gone to hospital for treatment.

'Let him off'

Yeo said the public should let the father off.

"I don't really mind," the elderly man was quoted as saying.

He may have forgiven the man, netizens have not.

"Regardless of whether the victim chooses to forgive the man, an appropriate consequence is necessary," said a user.

"(This is) not for revenge, but to uphold the law and maintain public confidence, to send a clear message that losing one's temper is never an excuse for violating the safety and peace."

AsiaOne has reached out to Bei-Ing Wanton Noodle for more information.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com