SINGAPORE, Dec 21 — Police operations were under way at St Joseph’s Church in Singapore today after a suspicious item was found on the premises, prompting the evacuation of the church and the cancellation of all morning Mass services.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said officers were alerted to the incident at the church, located at 620 Upper Bukit Timah Road, at about 7.10am.
Police also said they had activated the Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group (CBRE).
In a Facebook post, police confirmed they were “attending to a case of suspicious item” at the site and had secured the area while investigations were ongoing.
“The police have secured the area and the church has been evacuated while police operations are ongoing,” SPF said, advising members of the public to avoid the location and its vicinity and to comply with officers’ instructions.
When reporters arrived at the church shortly before 9am, police officers were seen at the entrance directing vehicles away, with no one allowed to enter the premises.
Church volunteers were also spotted at a nearby bus stop informing would-be worshippers that Mass had been cancelled.
A check on the church’s website showed that scheduled services at 7.30am, 9.30am and 11.30am on December 21 had been cancelled until further notice.
A message circulated among church members said a suspicious item had been found at the back of the church, leading to the area being cordoned off.
Singapore media said they have contacted the Singapore Civil Defence Force, but no additional details were immediately available.
The incident comes amid heightened sensitivity around security at the church.
In November last year, a priest was stabbed during Mass at the same location. A 37-year-old man was later charged with stabbing Catholic priest Christopher Lee in the mouth.
In a separate incident a month later, police found a man with a folding knife at the church, with authorities saying at the time that the suspect was assisting with investigations.
