Why do bystanders hesitate? Experts weigh in after SMU assault
Ethel Tseng
TNP
Oct 9, 2025
When 49-year-old real estate consultant Kevin Low witnessed a confrontation between two middle-aged men and an elderly man in Feb 2024, he did not hesitate to step in.
Things got testy after two middle-aged men asked an elderly man in a Bukit Batok coffee shop to move his Personal Mobility Device (PMD), which was getting in the way of customers.
When tensions escalated and cutlery and beer bottles were hurled, Mr Low held one of the middle-aged men back with his body, and the confrontation eventually ended when the man walked away.
"Of course there's a fear," Mr Low told TNP, recalling that the man was significantly bigger than him. "But if I don't do anything, I think the chance of someone else getting hurt is even higher."
"I thought there would be more people to come and stop him," he added, recalling that the coffee shop was bustling with patrons. "But sadly, I was alone."
Viral SMU campus altercation
It was not the first, nor the last time, bystanders have looked on as a public altercation took place. A recent viral video of a woman kicking an older woman on the Singapore Management University (SMU) campus shows a group of people watching the incident unfold.
It is only after the younger woman ceases her assault that people come forward to help the older one.
A video of the fight shared on the Straits Times' Facebook page garnered over 1,200 reactions and 500 comments, as netizens questioned the bystanders' seemingly passive responses.
"Took them a long while before approaching the one on the ground," said one user, while others commented on the "late reaction" of bystanders.
"Noticed the reaction from people around is so funny. Need someone to react then suddenly you get multiple people crowding the victim," another chimed in.
In response to TNP's queries, SMU confirmed that police investigations into the matter are ongoing.
Multiple incidents occurring
Other reports of physical altercations have circulated online in recent months, such as a drunken brawl at a Bukit Panjang coffee shop which saw two men injured. After multiple blows were exchanged, members of the public eventually attempted to break up the fight.
Another confrontation between a cyclist and pedestrian also saw passers-by avoiding the scene.
Why do people stand and watch?
Psychologist Lisa Walsh of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) explained that there are many factors at play when people decide whether to intervene in such situations.
She suggested that the diffusion of responsibility, which makes individuals assume others will step in, often contributes to inaction. The fear of being judged for overreacting or making a mistake in public, may be another factor.
"Hesitation in these situations is not necessarily a sign of apathy or indifference," noted Prof Walsh. "More often, it reflects a mix of social pressures, uncertainty, and natural human stress reactions."
On the subreddit r/singapore, a post about the SMU incident had gained 300 upvotes at press time. A netizen who identified themselves as an SMU student explained the bystanders' apparent inaction.
"It's also not fair to blame other SMU students for 'not helping'," the user said, noting that the fight escalated quickly. They noted that the students were mentally exhausted and stressed from exams, and the fight caught them off guard.
Another netizen agreed: "Easy to say in hindsight, but when it really happens, people have different reaction times."
Social media may normalise violent outbursts
Sociologist Tan Ern Ser of the National University of Singapore (NUS) suggested that the increased visibility of such incidents in social media may lead to an "imitation effect", where violent episodes are normalised and the lack of intervention becomes common.
Furthermore, instead of stepping in, bystanders often whip out their phones to film disputes. "My take is that there is a perverse sense in seeing other people in trouble. It makes them feel better about their own situation," Prof Tan explained.
Mr Low, who intervened in the Bukit Batok coffee shop altercation, suggested that societal upbringing might also play a role.
"In school, people tend to not put up their hands to be the first one to answer, because they worry that they'll get it wrong," he reasoned. "But when the first person does it, subsequently other people start to do it too."
A strong sense of personal responsibility
Prof Walsh also suggested that those who intervene in such situations "feel a strong sense of personal responsibility", or have a greater confidence in their ability to help.
When one person starts to take action, it often breaks the "paralysis of the crowd" and encourages others to render assistance, as seen in the SMU altercation where bystanders gather around the victim in the final seconds of the clip.
Encouraging pro-social behaviour
Prof Tan also urged a greater sense of community, emphasising the importance of "seeing oneself as part of a larger group living in a common space".
Prof Walsh agreed that communities can "cultivate stronger social norms around helping", suggesting that people are more likely to act when such behaviour is normalised.
She also brought up the need for greater awareness and training in bystander intervention programmes, which teach methods to safely intervene by asking for help, creating a diversion, and getting others involved.
Mr Low added: "I believe that there are still good people around, we just need to share it more openly. It's still good to be the first one to start doing it."
