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SINGAPORE – Authorities are investigating footwear retailer Foot Locker, following large crowds that gathered Friday night in front of its Orchard Gateway @ Emerald store.
The Singapore Tourism Board said early Saturday (December 5) that investigations are ongoing, as Foot Locker stores have continued to hold events that draw large crowds, despite repeated advisories about the management of crowds.
By Friday night, crowds had gathered at his Orchard store, ostensibly for Saturday’s launch of limited-edition Adidas sneakers, which may turn a good profit on the secondary market due to high demand.
Eyewitnesses saw at least four red Police Tactical Unit riot control trucks parked outside the 313 @ somerset shopping mall, and police tape used to cordon off store fronts. Police officers were also seen dispersing the crowd, which consisted mainly of young people.
Photos that circulated on social media around 8 p.m. showed a crowd of around 100 people huddled shoulder to shoulder outside the shoe store.
https://www.facebook.com/562359487138041/posts/5018639604843318/?d=n
The crowd dispersed shortly after 8:30 p.m. after ambassadors and police officers safely driving away arrived, STB said in a statement.
“STB takes a serious view of any non-compliance with safe management measures and will not hesitate to take action against individuals and companies that do not comply,” said STB’s director of safe management operations, Ms. Ranita Sundramoorthy.
Adidas’ Yeezy sneaker line, the product of a collaboration between rapper Kanye West and the athletic shoe brand, has drawn huge crowds in Singapore and abroad during previous releases.
Last June, the launch of the limited edition Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V created a long queue many hours before launch time at Foot Locker’s Jewel Changi Airport store.
Sole Superior Singapore, a sneaker and streetwear community, asked Foot Locker to switch to a contactless system for “publicized” or very popular releases, and that a traditional queue system “is not the way to go during such dangerous times.”
“All we need is a single case to create a cluster,” he said on Facebook. “Then inevitably the public will look at the general streetwear community with disgust.”
Adidas Singapore had held an online vote for Saturday’s limited release shoes, but many sneaker fans who missed out seemed to have been trying their luck at Foot Locker given the shoes’ high resale value.
Foot Locker Singapore had previously been touted as the place to shop for exclusive shoes.
“These trainers are all the rage, the hype is real … Foot Locker is at the forefront of the latest trends so you know they will be offering Yeezy boost sneakers online and in select stores,” he said on his website ahead of launch. . .
Foot Locker Singapore’s website was down on Friday night.
Netizens took to social media to express their disgust at the lack of social distancing from the crowd.
Former NMP Siew Kum Hong shared images of those gathered outside Foot Locker on his Facebook on Friday with the caption: “Few cases mean no cases.”
Under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act passed in Parliament in April, those found to be in breach of safe management measures face a fine of up to $ 10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to S $ 20,000, imprisoned for up to one year or both.
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