He had scribbled the words: 'Hi Harry Lee. I love you.'
By
Selina Lum & Lee Siew Hua
The man had used black marker to scribble graffiti (pictured) on the wall outside Parliament House. The suspect was later arrested and the graffiti has been removed. -- ST PHOTOS: LIM WUI LIANG/ SELINA LUM
POLICE yesterday arrested a man in his 40s for vandalism, after a wall outside Parliament House was defaced at lunch hour.
Scribbled in black marker on the top right corner of the wall were the words: 'Hi Harry Lee. I love you.'
Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew is called Harry by some of his family and old friends.
The wall, located at the junction of North Bridge Road and Parliament Place, is about the height of an average man. It serves as a signboard and has the Singapore Crest and the words 'Parliament' and 'Singapore' on it.
At about 1.30pm yesterday, uniformed guards were seen running out of Parliament House to nab the man while he scribbled on the wall.
They wrestled to the ground the medium-built man, who was wearing a red T-shirt and brown trousers.
It took three guards to subdue him as he refused to be pinned down and tried to wriggle free.
As he was led away, a guard held up a piece of cardboard to cover the scribbled words. Soon after, other security personnel brought a canvas sheet and draped it over the wall.
Pictures were taken of the graffiti, which was wiped off by 2.40pm.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a police spokesman said a man in his late 40s was arrested at about 2.20pm.
The matter is being investigated, added the spokesman.
The Office of the Clerk of Parliament confirmed the incident but declined further comment, giving the reason that police investigations are ongoing.
Its spokesman said that Parliament has various security measures and systems in place for the security of Members of Parliament and the House.
These measures include closed-circuit TV surveillance and regular patrols by security officers.
There have been no similar instances in the past, he noted.
