Woman, 50, Chinese national, punches & pinches ICA officer after being denied entry to S'pore

After a 50-year-old woman was denied entry into Singapore on Feb. 13, 2025, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers arranged for her to return to Hong Kong on Feb. 15.

However, the woman, Xu Yanyan, a Chinese national, objected to the arrangement and kept demanding loudly that she wanted to be repatriated immediately, reported Shin Min Daily News.

When a female ICA officer, 34, was escorting Xu to another room at around 6:40pm, Xu suddenly punched the officer's right shoulder and pinched her right forearm, causing her pain.

Upon noticing Xu's deeds, a male ICA officer, 32, alerted the police, and the female ICA officer was conveyed to Changi General Hospital (CGH) for treatment.

On Mar. 17, Xu was sentenced to eight weeks in jail.

Female ICA officer sustained bruises

According to court documents seen by Shin Min, upon arriving at Changi Airport from Hong Kong on Feb. 13, Xu was handed a notice of refusal of entry.

She was then brought to a room at Terminal 2 to wait for her repatriation flight.

After insisting on being sent back to Hong Kong on Feb. 13, Xu was escorted to another room at the airport, during which she assaulted the female ICA officer.

Upon arriving at CGH, the ICA officer was found to have sustained bruises on her right shoulder and was given three days of sick leave.

Not Xu's first time being denied entry to a foreign country

For her offences, Xu was handed one charge of voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from her duty and another harassment charge.

On Mar. 17, she was sentenced to eight weeks' imprisonment after pleading guilty to one of the charges.

During court proceedings, Xu's counsel stated that Xu initially came to Singapore for "a short, solo trip".

Even though it was not the first time she was denied entry into a foreign country, Xu "did not know what to do" and "felt anxious" after she was issued the notice of refusal of entry at Changi Airport.

Xu's counsel added that she was "deeply regretful" for her actions and would like to apologise to the female ICA officer "sincerely".

All Xu wanted now was to return home and reunite with her family, her counsel said.

ICA statement

In response to Mothership's queries, an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority spokesperson said it takes "a serious view" of persons who obstruct ICA officers from carrying out their duties or cause them physical and/ or verbal harm.

As ICA officers deployed at the checkpoints carry out their duties to safeguard Singapore's borders, the spokesperson reminded travellers to cooperate and comply with their instructions.

Top image via Canva