In a landmark ruling that has energized civil rights advocates, three women charged with organizing an unauthorized pro-Palestinian procession were acquitted Tuesday, marking a rare victory against Singapore’s stringent protest laws.

Siti Amirah Mohamed Asrori, Mossammad Sobikun Nahar, and Kokila Annamalai had faced up to six months in jail or a S$10,000 fine for leading a February 2024 march from a shopping mall to the Istana presidential palace. The procession, which drew 70 participants carrying watermelon-themed umbrellas symbolizing Palestinian solidarity, was deemed illegal by prosecutors who argued the route encroached on a restricted zone.

However, District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt ruled that the women “did not have any inkling” the area was off-limits, noting the absence of signage and their adherence to public roads. The verdict drew gasps and applause in a packed courtroom, with the trio dressed in keffiyehs and Palestinian flag colors as a show of defiance.

“This came as a surprise,” said Annamalai, a community organizer, in an interview with the BBC. “We shouldn’t have been charged in the first place… but it can provide new energy and hope for the community.” She emphasized the ongoing struggle for free expression in Singapore, where permits for cause-related gatherings—especially those linked to the Israel-Gaza conflict—are routinely denied.

Singapore’s zero-tolerance approach to public assembly, aimed at preserving social harmony, has stifled most war-related events. In January, six individuals were questioned over a student-led memorial for Palestinian scholars.

Following the acquittal, the women raised their fists in solidarity with supporters, declaring their courtroom attire a deliberate act of resistance: “We wanted to show solidarity and our unapologetic stand.”