'Parrot Man' arrested for disorderly conduct in Orchard
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A video of the arrest in Orchard Road shows police officers trying to lift Mr Zeng Guoyuan out of a wheelchair while he clings on to its hand rests. Mr Zeng's pet parrot, which earned him his nickname, perches itself on one of the officer's shoulders as the scene unfolds.
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Timothy Goh
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Perennial election aspirant and former businessman Zeng Guoyuan was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly verbally abused a man in Orchard Road.
The police were alerted to the incident at 5.40pm and arrested a 64-year-old man for disorderly behaviour.
The Straits Times understands that Mr Zeng, better known as "Parrot Man", was playing loud music from a speaker in a busker's designated area in the shopping belt. When the busker told him to lower the volume, the latter used vulgar language on him.
The police said Mr Zeng "shouted loudly and caused a ruckus" when approached by officers, and that he persisted with his actions despite being given several warnings. Investigations are ongoing.
The busker in his 20s, who wished to be known only as Mr Tan, said Mr Zeng has been disrupting busker performances in the past two years: "He normally comes on the weekends. He will wait for a crowd to grow around a performing busker before coming in to play loud music and pressure the crowd to give him money."
Mr Tan said at least 10 buskers he knows personally have been affected and have complained to the authorities. But this is the first time a police report has been made.
A video of the arrest has garnered over 200,000 views since it was uploaded last Saturday night. In it, police officers can be seen trying to lift Mr Zeng out of a wheelchair while he clings on to its armrests. His pet parrot, which earned him his nickname, perches itself on one of the officers' shoulders as the scene unfolds.
Mr Zeng, who was diagnosed with nose cancer in 2014, made unsuccessful bids to contest the 2011 general election and presidential election, as well as the Hougang and Punggol East by-elections in 2012 and 2013 respectively.
