A stunt shared on social media that could cost him a prison sentence. An 18-year-old French boy, Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, was charged in Singapore with damage and disturbing the peace after posting a video on his Instagram profile in which he licks a straw from an orange juice vending machine, then puts it back.
The video on social media
According to reports from The Straits Times, the city-state’s main English-language newspaper, the young man was formally accused on April 24, but the incident took place on March 12, with the footage going viral in the following days. The young man did not make any statements, nor did his lawyers. Local authorities granted the 18-year-old permission to travel to Manila, Philippines, from May 2 to May 25 for a school trip required to obtain his diploma. He will have to be back in Singapore to appear in court on May 29.
What is the risk?
In the city-state there are very strict rules regarding cleanliness and public order, with various types of restrictions, from the ban on chewing gum to very severe sanctions for acts of vandalism and for those who throw rubbish on the ground. The crime of damage is punishable by a prison sentence of up to two years or a fine (or both), while the crime of disturbing the peace is less serious and involves a prison sentence of up to three months or a fine.
The company’s reaction
The company that manages the fruit juice vending machine, IJooz, filed a complaint with the police and sanitized the vending machine, replacing all 500 straws inside it. After the “social” incident, the company also decided to update its vending machines by including features such as individually packaged straws and compartments for straws that only unlock at the end of the transaction.