French student fined S$600 for licking straw in Singapore vending machine prank

The prank

On 12 March 2026, 19-year-old French student Didier Gaspard Owen Maximilien approached an iJooz orange juice vending machine at Goldhill Centre, an affluent neighbourhood in Singapore, after a boxing workout. He pulled a straw from the dispenser, licked it, and slid it back among the unused straws. He filmed the act and posted it to his Instagram story with the caption "city is not safe". The video quickly spread beyond his followers, reposted on community pages and picked up by local news outlets. Many online reacted with disgust. iJooz machines, which serve freshly squeezed orange juice at S$2 per cup, are a common sight in shopping districts, train stations and housing blocks across the city-state.

Legal proceedings

An employee of iJooz saw the viral video and contacted the police. Maximilien was arrested and charged with public nuisance. Under Singapore law, public nuisance offenders face a fine of up to S$2,000, a jail term of up to three months, or both. On 30 July 2026, he pleaded guilty in court and was fined S$600 (€400, $458). Both the prosecution and the defence had sought a fine rather than imprisonment.

“He is truly sorry for having caused all this trouble and he realises that what appeared to him at that time as something perhaps playful has turned out to be something very consequential.”

The court heard that Maximilien is remorseful. His lawyer told the court that his client now understood the far-reaching consequences of an act he had considered harmless. Despite the relatively modest fine, the case attracted nationwide attention in Singapore, a reflection of the city's low tolerance for public nuisance.

Company response and civil case

iJooz replaced all 500 straws in the dispenser after the incident. The direct cost was just S$5 (about €3.30), according to court documents. However, the company has also filed a civil case against Maximilien, separate from the criminal proceedings. The outcome of that case is still pending.

Immigration uncertainty

Maximilien studies at ESSEC Business School in Singapore on a student pass. It remains unclear whether authorities will revoke that pass following his conviction. If revoked, he would be unable to continue his studies in the city-state. The court's decision did not address his immigration status.

Singapore's strict public order regime

The wealthy city-state is known for its rigorous enforcement of public order and hygiene laws. The import of chewing gum is largely prohibited to prevent littering and vandalism. Singapore also retains judicial caning for certain serious offences, though that punishment was not applicable in Maximilien's case. The straw-licking incident, while minor in direct harm, triggered a response that reflects the country's low tolerance for acts that disturb public order.