Anti-National Service Riots (may 13, 1954 – may 22, 1954)

Description:

The British felt that defending Singapore should be a shared responsibility. The Emergency made defence more urgent and hence the National Service Ordinance was passed in 1953, requiring all males 18-20 to register for National Service.

However, Chinese-medium secondary students who were affected due to the war that disrupted education were angry as National Service would disrupt their education again. Students also felt discriminated as the British favoured English-medium schools, giving little support to Chinese education. Students didn't want to serve a foreign government that ignored their needs.

On 13 May 1954, students protested and police used batons and shields, angering the public. The next day, British closed all Chinese-medium schools and on 22 May 1954, thousands of students at Chung Cheng High School locked themselves in classrooms in a major school sit-in and started a hunger strike and had their own lessons.

British postponed NS and boosted the morale of the students to become more politically active. Groups like the Singapore Chinese Middle School Students' Union (SCMSSU) were formed.

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