Police step up patrols at places of worship after St Joseph's Church stabbing

SINGAPORE: The police have stepped up patrols at places of worship, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Sunday (Nov 10), a day after a Catholic priest was stabbed at St Joseph's Church.

Earlier on Sunday, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) had said there was currently no evidence to suggest that the attacker, a 37-year-old Singaporean Sinhalese, was religiously motivated.

The man, who was previously convicted of causing hurt and drug offences, is believed to have acted alone.

This was reiterated by MHA in a media release on Sunday evening.

"Nonetheless, the police have stepped up patrols at places of worship to provide assurance to the public," MHA said.

"The police are also in contact with St Joseph’s Church to provide support and resources, including professional psychological support for the congregants – which included children – who witnessed the attack."

Father Christopher Lee, who is the parish priest of St Joseph's Church in Upper Bukit Timah, was stabbed by the man during mass on Saturday evening. 

The attack happened during communion at the parish’s monthly children's mass, during which children perform duties that are usually undertaken by adults. Children also occupy the front rows at these events, but they are open to all to attend.

Two men helped to subdue and disarm the assailant, one of whom is part of the Church's Emergency Response Team – which comprises volunteers who are trained to serve as first responders in emergencies.

Other members of the congregation provided first aid to the priest before the police arrived.

A foldable knife used in the attack as well as four other weapons were found on the suspect, who is not a regular at St Joseph's Church.

MHA said the incident showed the value of being prepared for emergencies, as such attacks can happen anytime and anywhere despite being relatively rare in Singapore.

"Like the two men who helped to deal with the attack, and members of the congregation who provided first aid to the priest, we can all play our part to build up the resilience of our society to emergencies by staying alert, responding to threats appropriately, and picking up life-saving skills such as first-aid, the use of AED devices and cardiopulmonary resuscitation," the ministry said.

"These skills can make a difference between life and death, and are critical before the authorities arrive on scene, as in this incident."

St Joseph's Church was represented last month at the most recent Bukit Panjang Town Community Response Roundtable (CRRT).

The CRRT initiative is part of the SGSecure national movement, which seeks to build relationships and strengthen crisis preparedness amongst key community stakeholders.

MHA said it and the People’s Association are currently working with the Bukit Panjang Town CRRT to disseminate information to their partners and stakeholders, and to surface any concerns that might arise within the community.

SPF will also continue to work with religious organisations to be vigilant and prepared for emergencies, the ministry added.

"WE ARE FORTUNATE"

In a statement, Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that he was "encouraged to read about the outpouring of support from the other faiths in Singapore in the immediate aftermath of the attack".

"We have seen in other countries that violent incidents in a religious setting or with religious undertones can sometimes spark distrust and suspicion between religious communities," said Mr Shanmugam, who is also the minister for law.

"We are fortunate that in Singapore, our various faiths and their leaders have instead stood shoulder to shoulder in support of each other during trying times, including this incident. This will stand our society in good stead if and when other attacks, including terror attacks, take place."

MHA urged the public to refrain from speculation as investigations are ongoing.

"Instead, let us remain calm and united, and focus on supporting those who were affected by this incident," it said.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong expressed a similar view, saying that he was deeply heartened and encouraged to see Singaporeans of different faiths coming together to condemn the attack.

"Almost immediately, overnight, there was a chorus of support from different faiths, condemning the violence and supporting Father Christopher and the Catholic community over this incident," Mr Tong said in a Facebook post.

"This is testament to the deeply ingrained and unique religious harmony in Singapore, where we are diverse in faith but united in harmony. This is priceless, and we have to keep working hard to preserve this unique gift of harmony in our community," he added.

The suspect was charged on Monday with voluntarily causing grievous hurt by a dangerous weapon and the police would seek a court order for the man to be remanded and undergo psychiatric evaluation.

IMPORTANCE OF BEING PREPARED

In a pastoral letter on Sunday addressing the attack, Singapore's Archbishop, Cardinal William Goh, wrote of the importance of being mentally and operationally ready to guard against such attacks and mitigate the consequences when they do happen.

"The truth is we should not be overly surprised that this incident happened in our most sacred space," he wrote

"A person could attack a religious leader, or anyone for that matter, in a church for various reasons. This person could be a terrorist, a fanatic, someone who is unhappy with the church or a religious leader, or someone who is mentally or emotionally unwell."

The letter was published on the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore's website, with portions of it also shared in a Facebook post by Cardinal Goh.

The archbishop's post was accompanied by footage of him and Father Lee, warded at the National University Hospital, waving to the camera.

Cardinal Goh said he was thankful that the Catholic Church of Singapore had anticipated such attacks, forming the Archdiocesan Emergency Response Operations Council in 2016 to coordinate and improve security in their places of worship.

"We have also trained our members to be vigilant in taking note of visitors to the church who may appear suspicious. In addition, we regularly work with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Singapore Police Force on security matters," he added.

Cardinal Goh said security protocols will be revisited following this incident, however, he warned against going overboard with security as such strict measures may discourage worshippers from coming to worship due to the hassle they would have to go through.

Too much security may also hinder priests from ministering to their congregation, he added.

"Conversely, overreacting would show a lack of courage, allowing evil to triumph by controlling our lives," Cardinal Goh said.

"Religious leaders must recognise that as public figures, we bear a certain amount of risk. While we should not take security lightly, we must minister to our flock courageously and without fear."