Jurong nasi padang stall staff throws cutlery tray and ice box lid after man slaps her, both arrested
A nasi padang stall employee and a male customer were arrested after a confrontation over seating arrangement escalated, with the woman throwing a tray of cutlery and an ice‑box lid at the man.
The incident took place at Block 494 Jurong West Street 41, on the afternoon of March 11.
When Shin Min Daily reporters arrived at the scene, the female worker was seated near a police officer at a stairwell, while the customer was being questioned nearby.
Ms Zhou (transliterated), the manager of the coffee shop, said the altercation was due to a disagreement in seating arrangement.
Security footage shows the man seated in a corner of the coffee shop. After a brief exchange, he stands and slaps the woman, who then pushes him and hits him with a chair.
The man slaps her again, and she retaliates by throwing another chair at him. Staff members from the coffee shop try to step in, but the pair continue to argue.
While retreating, the woman's attempts to push the man away seem to fail, and she flings a red tray filled with cutlery at the man.
As cutlery scatters across the floor, the man lunges toward the woman. In response, she grabs an ice box lid and throws it at his head.
In response to Stomp's queries, the police said they were alerted to the incident at 4.10pm. A 55-year-old woman was taken to the hospital conscious.
She and the man, identified as a 60-year-old, were arrested for public nuisance.
Man reportedly sat in area stall used to display goods
Noorlin, the owner of the nasi padang stall, told Shin Min that they would use a few tables to display food during Ramadan.
She added that the brawl occurred after the female employee requested him to move to another seat in the coffee shop.
"There are so many seats, why did he have to sit in that section? And how can he hit a woman?" Ms Noorlin said.
The woman felt dizzy after the brawl and was subsequently conveyed to the hospital. Police officers also conducted a body search on the man before leading him away in handcuffs.
Conflicting accounts on who started fight
Witnesses at the coffeeshop gave differing accounts of who started the dispute.
Some diners described the man as a regular at the coffee shop and said the altercation was caused by the woman reprimanding him.
Stallholders also told Shin Min that he had never butted heads with anyone at the coffeeshop before the incident. Ms Noorlin herself added that the man had patronised her stall multiple times without issue.
Shin Min understands that the woman had spoken to the customer in an unsavoury manner and that the argument occurred after the man replied that he would vacate the table after his meal.
Customers also reportedly heard the woman hurling insults at the man first, after which he shoved her.
In response, Ms Noorlin maintained that her employee had not verbally assaulted the man and that he had struck her first.
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