HarbourFront Incident: Man Arrested After TikTok-Fueled Confrontation & History of Harassment
Table of Contents
A 45-year-old man, Jason Gay Chin Foon, was arrested on January 18 for public nuisance at HarbourFront Centre in Singapore, following an incident reportedly live-streamed on TikTok. He is also under investigation for voluntarily causing hurt, according to police reports.
Recent Arrest Follows Pattern of Alleged Targeted Harassment
Singapore police responded to a call for assistance at approximately 9:55 PM at HarbourFront Centre. Investigations are currently ongoing. An acquaintance of Gay’s, identified as Ivan, claims the incident stemmed from a deliberate attempt by online harassers to provoke and entrap him.
According to Ivan, video footage of the event shows Gay brandishing a chopstick in a confrontation with another individual outside a McDonald’s outlet. He was subsequently seen chasing someone through the mall. “These people did not want to let him off and used him for their TikTok content, constantly egging him on and pushing him to the edge,” Ivan stated.
History of Assaults and Online Bullying
The HarbourFront incident is not an isolated event. Ivan alleges Gay was released from prison three weeks prior and has been the target of sustained cyberbullying. He claims the individuals involved lured Gay to HarbourFront under the pretense of a dinner invitation. “He is jobless and they have been setting him up on multiple occasions just to trigger him,” Ivan explained.
Prior to the HarbourFront confrontation, Gay filed police reports detailing two separate assaults. On January 13, he reported being beaten up by four to six people after meeting a TikToker in Geylang. Two days later, on January 16, he reported being attacked by “four male subjects who are my followers/fans on TikTok” at Havelock Road. Ivan further claims to have observed online group chats where individuals allegedly “plotted” against Gay, staging the HarbourFront meetup with the intention of provoking an arrest.
“Police were already called before he was there. All they wanted was to lure him and trigger him so that he would be arrested for public nuisance,” Ivan asserted. He expressed bewilderment at Gay’s willingness to engage with his tormentors, questioning, “No normal human being would take chopsticks and attack people, right?”
Previous Convictions and Public Incidents
This is not Gay’s first encounter with the law. On November 15, 2024, he was sentenced to four months and two weeks in jail after pleading guilty to harassment and promoting disharmony between racial groups. He also pleaded guilty to charges of cheating by personation and theft, as reported by The Straits Times.
Earlier in 2024, on August 11, Gay was involved in a series of public disturbances while live-streaming on TikTok. Intoxicated, he argued with a taxi driver in Little India over the fare. He then became involved in a confrontation with approximately 15 people at a pub in Sim Lim Square, leading to his removal from the premises. During a subsequent live stream, he allegedly made disparaging remarks about Little India, resulting in his arrest.
The earlier theft charges stem from incidents in November 2021 and December 2021. Gay unlawfully used his former employer’s debit card to purchase a laptop and mouse valued at over $1,500. He then stole approximately $1,000 worth of metal pipes from an engineering firm in Kaki Bukit.
Stomp has reached out to Gay for further comment. The case highlights the growing concerns surrounding online harassment and its potential to escalate into real-world violence.
