Despite facing jail time and having his passport confiscated, 39-year-old British man residing in Singapore Benjamin Glynne continued to maintain his anti-masker stance.
After a fellow passenger took a video of him on the MRT without his mask trying to convince an elderly person to remove theirs, Glynne has lost his job, been left behind by his wife and children who have returned to Britain, and may face six months in prison.
Who Is Benjamin Glynne, A British Anti-Masker Living In Singapore?
The 39-year-old British father of two had been working for a Singaporean recruitment agency since January 2017. He was seen on a video without a mask on his commute to work in the MRT where he was unknowingly filmed by a fellow passenger.
The man who took the video, Jerome Tan, told The Straits Times that Glynne was, “talking to an old man, trying to convince him to take off his mask, saying it’ll make him sick.”
“What’s worse is that he tried to convince others not to wear masks, and I found his attitude quite arrogant – something had to be done”, Tan added
The video was uploaded on Facebook, which led to investigations by the Singapore police. Glynne said that the police arrived at his doorstep the next day. He also said that the visit happened in the middle of the night while he and his family were asleep.
He was then charged with being a “public nuisance”. After being locked up for 28 hours, he was let out on bail.
Since his passport was confiscated, he had been unable to return to Britain with his partner and two children. He had also lost a job he was preparing to take on upon his return to Britain.
Unrepentant: “I don’t believe there is any evidence that masks protect you from COVID-19”
Despite the trouble he has gotten in for refusing to follow COVID-19 protocols in Singapore, Glynne maintains his stance on mask-wearing.
“I never normally wear a mask but this is the first time it has been an issue,” he said. “I had no idea anyone had even been filming until the police were at the door – I’ve never even seen the video because it was removed before I had chance.”
He also went on to say, “I don’t believe there is any evidence that masks protect you from COVID-19,” Glynn said. “Normally I would just tell people I’m exempt and it had never posed any issues before”.
“But now I’m stuck here without my family and I don’t even know when I will appear in court, never mind what my sentence will be.”
“All for something I don’t even believe in.”
He also believed that using masks to stop the virus is a hoax, despite World Health Organization and Singaporean health experts mandating masks.
“I honestly believe it’s a hoax – I don’t feel there is any evidence to show mask-wearing is effective in any way.” he said.
“From a scientific basis, I think it’s nonsense.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of Britain was said to be assisting him.
