A female patron was accused of drinking and refusing to pay her bill early in the morning, prompting a female staff member to intervene and allege harassment, leading to the arrival of a large number of police officers. The incident occurred around 7:30 a.m. today at a tavern located within the Balestier Shopping Center in Singapore. Witnesses reported seeing eight police cars parked on the roadside around 8 a.m., creating a tense atmosphere at the scene.

Amidst the commotion, two men, one presumed to be the tavern owner, were seen visibly distressed, expressing frustration at the disturbance caused by unruly customers. Another individual, believed to be a patron, engaged in a heated exchange with the owner before departing in a vehicle.

According to the tavern's owner, who preferred to remain anonymous, the altercation stemmed from a female customer's attempt to leave without paying for her drinks after visiting the establishment earlier in the morning. "A female bartender intervened, leading the customer to accuse her of harassment," explained the owner. "This altercation escalated, prompting someone to contact the authorities." The owner confirmed that the female customer left voluntarily after the incident.

Staff at the tavern corroborated that a dispute had indeed occurred between a customer and employees. The chairman of this particular Singapore shopping mall revealed that the tavern had been operating for about three years and had experienced frequent incidents. "Conflicts and disputes occur almost every week, with the police being called 12 times this year alone due to various incidents," stated the chairman.

"Even neighbouring vendors have been affected. In February of this year, there was a brawl at the tavern, which spilt over to a nearby durian stall, causing significant concern among nearby residents."

Source: Oriental Daily