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Hundreds reportedly gathered at Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park on Sunday (Apr. 3) to protest against the death penalty in Singapore.

This came after Singapore hanged a convicted drug trafficker on Mar. 30, 2022, the first execution in the country since 2019.

Additionally, death row convict Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam recently had his appeal dismissed, which sparked anger among some members of the public.

Protesting against death penalty

The organiser of the protest against the death penalty, which started at 5pm and lasted around two hours, reported over 400 people in attendance.

Protestors held placards with varying signs, all urging the Singapore government to abolish the death penalty.

We’re here at Hong Lim Park calling for the abolition of the #deathpenalty. Come join us! pic.twitter.com/VGlzZaU6QI

— Transformative Justice Collective (@tjc_singapore) April 3, 2022

The protestors also chanted slogans.

Attended the anti-death penalty protest at Hong Lim Park today. My heart hurts for the humans on death row and their families. End state murder!!!! #abolishthedeathpenalty pic.twitter.com/k5Q3Fw2Xe8

— RENE (@ureneus) April 3, 2022

Among those in attendance included Singaporean activists Kirsten Han and Jolovan Wham.

Wham was the organiser for the event.

https://twitter.com/jolovanwham/status/1510449666957406209

Instead of pushing us to address inequalities and exploitative and oppressive systems that leave people marginalised and unsupported, it makes us the worst version of ourselves. pic.twitter.com/jc9ZrA5wYE

— Kirsten Han @kixes.bsky.social (@kixes) April 4, 2022

Speakers' Corner was closed for two years

According to The Straits Times, the Speakers' Corner at Hong Lim Park had been closed since April 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As stated on the National Parks Board's (NParks') website, applications to hold events at the venue reopened on Mar. 23, 2022 after Singapore announced the gradual easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

Applicants must ensure the size of the crowd does not exceed 950 people at a time, according to the application form hosted on the NParks' website.

Speakers' Corner is the only place in Singapore where protests can legally be held.

It is illegal for protests to be conducted anywhere else in Singapore without a police permit.

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Top images via Kirsten Han/FB & Chung Kuan Yi/FB.