Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said those responsible for Singapore's first riot in four decades would face "the full force of the law," as tensions rise over the reliance on foreign workers in the city state. "Whatever events may have sparked the rioting, there is no excuse for such violent, destructive, and criminal behaviour," Lee wrote on his Facebook page.
"We will spare no effort to identify the culprits and deal with them." He urged Singaporeans to "stay calm." The riot, which broke out last night in the Little India district after a traffic accident, involved about 400 people with police arresting 27.
Police officers were injured and vehicles damaged and more arrests will be made, Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee said at a briefing last night. Discontent in Singapore over foreign workers has risen after years of open immigration spurred complaints on social media about congestion and infrastructure strains at a time of widening income inequality.
