Pro-democracy politician’s ear bitten off by attacker allegedly shouting in Mandarin
A man went on a knife rampage in (Hong Kong) leaving at least five people wounded, including a local pro-democracy politician who had his ear bitten off, capping another chaotic day of political unrest in the city.
Flashmob rallies erupted on Sunday inside multiple shopping centers across the city, sparking clashes with riot police.
The violence was less sustained than Saturday when police and protesters fought hours of cat-and-mouse battles after thousands took to the streets for an unsanctioned march.
But the day ended with a knife attack taking place outside a shopping mall in Taikoo Shing, a middle-class neighborhood on the main island where protesters had gathered.
Witnesses told local media that a Mandarin-speaking man attacked people shortly after shouting pro-Beijing slogans.
Live footage showed Andrew Chiu, a local pro-democracy councillor, having his ear bitten off after trying to subdue the attacker, while a second man was seen unconscious in a growing pool of blood as bystanders desperately tried to stem wounds to his back. ******
The alleged assailant, wearing a gray T-shirt, was then beaten by the crowd until police and emergency teams arrived.
Authorities said five people were wounded – four men and one woman. Two victims were in a critical condition, two had serious injuries and one was stable.
Police revised down their wounded toll from six to five people adding three people were arrested, without detailing whether the alleged knife attacker was among those reported as injured or arrested.
(February)
A new Hong Kong extradition law is proposed, which would allow people to be transferred to mainlandChinafor a variety of crimes. Residents fear it could lead to politically motivated extraditions into China’s much harsher judicial system.
Large public demonstrations start as thousands march in the streets to protest against the extradition bill.
Hong Kong’s leader, Carrie Lam, introduces concessions to the extradition bill, including limiting the scope of extraditable offences, but critics say they are not enough.
The scale of protests continues to increase as more than half a million people take to the streets. Police use rubber bullets and teargas against the biggest protests Hong Kong has seen for decades.
Lam says the proposed extradition law has been postponed indefinitely.
(1 July) ******
The protests continue as demonstratorsstorm the Legislative Council, destroying pictures, daubing graffiti on the walls and flying the old flag of Hong Kong emblazoned with the British union flag. The protests coincide with the 22 nd anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong from the UK back to China.
Armed men in white T-shirts thought to be supporting the Chinese government attack passengers and passers-by in Yuen Long metro station, while nearby police take no action.
44 protesters are charged with rioting, which further antagonises the anti-extradition bill movement.
(September)
By now the protest movement has coalesced around five key demands: complete withdrawal of the proposed extradition bill, withdrawal of the use of the word “riot” in relation to the protests, unconditional release of arrested protesters and charges against them dropped, an independent inquiry into police behavior and the implementation of genuine universal suffrage.
(7 October)
The first charges are brought against protesters forcovering their faces, after authorities bring in new laws banning face masks in order to make it easier to identify or detain protesters.
Chan Tong-kai, the murder suspect whose case prompted the original extradition bill is released from prison, saying that he is willing to surrender himself to Taiwan. The extradition bill is also formally withdrawn, a key demand of protesters.
A witness, who gave only her surname Leung, told RTHK News that the man shouted in Mandarin – the language spoken on the Chinese mainland – before attacking her brother-in-law who argued with him.
“The man came out from the doorway and yelled a sentence in Mandarin, it seemed like liberate Taiwan or something,” she said.
Speaking to reporters outside the hospital where Chiu was taken to, pro-democracy lawmaker James To said the attacker shouted “reclaim Taiwan and Hong Kong”.
China views self-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to one day seize it, by force if necessary.
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