A French student has been fined S$600 (approximately $465) in Singapore for licking a straw from an orange juice vending machine and returning it to the dispenser, an act that led to the company replacing all 500 straws in the affected machine. Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of public nuisance.
Maximilien, who is studying in Singapore, posted a video of the incident on Instagram with the caption "city is not safe." The video garnered widespread disgust online and was subsequently picked up by local news outlets. The company that owns the vending machine, iJooz, stated that it replaced all straws in the dispenser as a precautionary measure following Maximilien's actions.
The iJooz vending machines, which sell freshly-squeezed orange juice for S$2 a cup, are a common feature in shopping districts, train stations, and residential areas across Singapore. The specific incident occurred on March 12 at the Goldhill Centre.
In Singapore, offenders convicted of public nuisance can face penalties of up to a S$2,000 fine, a jail term of up to three months, or both. In this case, both the prosecution and defense recommended a fine for Maximilien. His defense lawyer conveyed that the student expressed deep regret for the trouble caused and recognized that his actions, initially perceived as playful, had significant consequences.