Organisers of the annual Pink Dot gathering this Saturday (June 28) to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community will be deploying security personnel at the Speakers’ Corner for the first time, in light of the public opposition from some groups that has surfaced in the lead-up to the event, which is into its sixth year.
In an interview with TODAY, Pink Dot spokesman Paerin Choa said on Wednesday that the security arrangements were put in place for crowd control and to manage any unruly behaviour given recent developments. He said: “If (those who oppose the event) do come down, we will welcome them with open arms. We’re aware that they might come down and have a crisis management plan in place ... We’ve also engaged security personnel, but more because of potential crowd issues.”
Earlier this month, an Islamic religious teacher, Mr Noor Deros, started a Wear White campaign calling on Muslims to wear white this Saturday to protest against homosexuality. Since then, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the Catholic Church have put forward their views on the LGBT issue, with the National Council of Churches of Singapore the latest to chime in on Wednesday.
Faith Community Baptist Church senior pastor Lawrence Khong, who has been outspoken on the issue, also voiced his support for the Wear White campaign, and went as far as to say that it was time for the church and like-minded groups, such as Muslims, to oppose Pink Dot. Mr Khong had claimed that Pink Dot is part of a “game plan” – some 20 years in the making – by the LGBT community to “normalise” homosexuality here.
In an interview with TODAY, Pink Dot spokesman Paerin Choa said on Wednesday that the security arrangements were put in place for crowd control and to manage any unruly behaviour given recent developments. He said: “If (those who oppose the event) do come down, we will welcome them with open arms. We’re aware that they might come down and have a crisis management plan in place ... We’ve also engaged security personnel, but more because of potential crowd issues.”
Earlier this month, an Islamic religious teacher, Mr Noor Deros, started a Wear White campaign calling on Muslims to wear white this Saturday to protest against homosexuality. Since then, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore and the Catholic Church have put forward their views on the LGBT issue, with the National Council of Churches of Singapore the latest to chime in on Wednesday.
Faith Community Baptist Church senior pastor Lawrence Khong, who has been outspoken on the issue, also voiced his support for the Wear White campaign, and went as far as to say that it was time for the church and like-minded groups, such as Muslims, to oppose Pink Dot. Mr Khong had claimed that Pink Dot is part of a “game plan” – some 20 years in the making – by the LGBT community to “normalise” homosexuality here.
