SINGAPORE: A commuter who was asked to stop for a bag screening at a train station allegedly refused to comply and instead shoved the Certis Cisco security officer, causing the 65-year-old woman to fall and injure her head.
Alina Meridian, 31, claimed trial on Monday (Sep 22) to charges of voluntarily causing hurt to Madam Cindy Tay Jui Hwa at Lorong Chuan MRT Station on the morning of Aug 17, 2024 and using threatening behaviour by shouting and gesturing aggressively at Mdm Tay’s colleague.
Meridian was unrepresented and brought along a stack of documents meant for defence purposes.
Although listed in charge sheets and court records as male, Meridian told the court that if “I will be misgendered, I would prefer you use my name”. Thereafter, the judge referred to Meridian as “Alina”.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nicole Teo reminded the court that there was a plea offer on the table, but Meridian chose to contest the charges.
The first prosecution witness was the alleged victim, Mdm Tay, now aged 66. She introduced herself as a senior security officer and a “team lead” at Certis Cisco.
Mdm Tay was at Lorong Chuan MRT Station performing screenings before commuters entered the MRT gantries on the morning of Aug 17, 2024.
As it was a Saturday, the station was relatively quiet and not many commuters were there, she said.
“So after a while, I saw a madam with lipstick coming in with a bag, so I requested her to go for the screening,” said Mdm Tay, referring to Meridian.
“So I requested her to go for the screening, however, she kept walking and I thought she … couldn’t hear. So near the gantry, I tapped on her shoulder and (told) we wanted to screen the bag,” said Mdm Tay.
“But she turned into a rage and threw the bag on the floor and (insisted) we pick the bag if we want to scan her bag.”
She said Meridian was “shouting in a rage and scolding us,” and she tried to ask her to pick the bag up and have it screened.
“However, without a word, he just pushed me and I fell on the floor,” said Mdm Tay. She later clarified that Meridian had earlier said that “he’s rushing and we are delaying him”.
After falling backwards on her head, Mdm Tay said she felt a big bump on her head and wetness that turned out to be blood.
She called for a colleague who was “very frightened” when she saw the blood and called for an ambulance.
According to the charge sheets, Mdm Tay sustained a 1cm cut over the back of her head.
The prosecution played closed-circuit television footage from within the station from different angles.
Footage showed how Mdm Tay was pushed suddenly, such that she fell backwards with her heels off the floor.
“After I fell, he didn’t feel any sorry for what he had done,” said Mdm Tay. “But he continued to scold and then my colleague also came forward to scold him … but the accused still asked whether you want to screen my bag, you pick (up) my bag, otherwise I’m going to go.”
She explained that the security officers would not touch the bag as it was his, but when they asked Meridian to pick it up, he took his bag and left.
Footage showed Meridian tapping into the gantry and leaving.
MERIDIAN CROSS-EXAMINES WITNESS
When it was time for Meridian to cross-examine, he asked Mdm Tay: “So you are a senior security officer, but you don’t know de-escalation tactics?”
Mdm Tay said she did not know what Meridian meant.
“You are not a beginner security officer, you are a senior member, and you don’t know how to de-escalate things? But instead (chose) to escalate to a point where I went from impatient to pissed off and impatient,” said Meridian.
Mdm Tay repeatedly said her duty was just to screen the bag, and that she would not touch commuters’ possessions as they belonged to the commuters.
“Your duty is to screen the bag, but as a senior security officer, I would expect, you to know at least de-escalation tactics, which is to pick up the bag and help to move things along instead of standing there, escalating things,” said Meridian.
Meridian added: “What’s the point of having a senior security officer if you can’t even do such a thing.”
At various points, the judge or prosecutor interjected as Meridian was not asking proper cross-examination questions but instead making comments.
“Fine. So, then I guess it’s my fault, you know, I should have called the police for transphobia,” said Meridian.
When directed by the judge to ask questions of the witness instead, Meridian said: “So you can’t help me do your job, but you can make me late for my appointment on that day.”
The prosecutor said she still did not understand what the question was.
“She chose not to help me, and I’m late for that day,” said Meridian, adding that he had stopped doing the job he had.
“And so I have stopped doing it, and now I have no more money and this is entirely her fault,” Meridian said.
Meridian then had an exchange with Mdm Tay, where Mdm Tay repeatedly said it was the duty of the commuter to comply with instructions and to pick up their bags and have them screened, and not for officers to pick up the bag when it was thrown on the floor.
Meridian shrugged and said: “So the reason you did not de-escalate the situation and caused it to be worse is because I have to do it for you and then you wonder why I got angry. I don’t understand why there (weren’t) de-escalation tactics.”
Meridian added that he was a former security officer and found it “baffling” how a senior security officer did not know de-escalation tactics.
“No further questions. Maybe I just take another exit next time when I see security officers, since this is the answer that I’m getting, which is that they will not de-escalate situations but instead choose to escalate situations,” said Meridian.
The trial continues with other prosecution witnesses slated to take the stand, including other security officers who were at the scene.
If convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, Meridian could be jailed for up to three years, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
If found guilty of using threatening behaviour against a public service worker under the Protection from Harassment Act, Meridian could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$5,000, or both.
