Two men who jumped the barricade at the Singapore National Stadium following an exhibition football match between Liverpool and Crystal Palace on July 15 are cooperating with police investigations.
In response to inquiries, a police spokesman stated that on Friday night, they received a call for assistance at the National Stadium in Kallang. The crime of wilful trespass is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.
“Two men, aged 17 and 41, will be assisting in investigations for the offence of wilful trespass under Section 21(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906,”
he was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia.
Liverpool won the Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy with a 2-0 victory over Palace in front of over 50,000 fans. Both clubs were on a tour ahead of the start of the new Premier League season on August 6. Following the trophy presentation, the Reds team performed a victory lap on the field to thank and applaud their fans.
Two men wearing Liverpool’s home jersey leapt over the advertising hoarding and onto the pitch in quick succession as the team strolled along the stadium’s south stand. The first ran past the players and around the pitch, evading security officials’ initial attempts to apprehend him.
The second man stumbled while attempting to clear the advertising board, landing directly in front of the Liverpool players and manager Jurgen Klopp. However, as soon as he rose to his feet, he was tackled back to the ground by security personnel.
The incident was the latest in a string of incidents involving pitch invaders and football matches at the 55,000-seat National Stadium. In 2019, fans took to the pitch during international matches between Senegal and Brazil and a pre-season friendly between Juventus – then led by Cristiano Ronaldo – and Tottenham Hotspur, among others.
Following the string of incidents in 2019, a Sports Hub spokesman had stated that “the safety of players and fans is our No. 1 priority” and that the organisation would “continue to enhance security measures,” though he did not specify what these entailed.
