Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong has been hospitalised after he was punched and kicked by three unarmed people at around 10am on Tuesday morning. The incident happened near the Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai.
His party colleague, Lam Cheuk-ting, said he believed the attack was organised and pre-meditated. Lam said he understood that a fourth attacker recorded the assault with a camera.
“They are trying to send a message to scare lawmakers who are involved in the protests,” Lam said. “We will not back down in our demands to the government and the police.”
Kwong has been sent to the Tin Shui Wai hospital. His cervical vertebrae was injured, but he was conscious.
Kwong has had an active role in the ongoing protests, often appearing on the front lines with a megaphone.
Protests over a now-scrapped extradition bill, that would have allowed extraditions to China, have evolved over the summer into mass demonstrations against alleged police violence and calls for democracy.
‘We will not be scared’
After visiting Kwong, Democratic Party Chairman Wu Chi-wai said the attack was organised and unacceptable. Wu said Kwong was walking to his car, parked near the Tin Yip Road Community Health Centre and the Wetland Park, close to his home. He was then pulled out of the vehicle by masked assailants.
District councillor Zachary Wong, who is close friends with Kwong, said the area was quiet and Kwong may have been followed. He said that they both received threatening letters around a month ago.
Wong added that red paint was poured outside his office in an apparent threat: “Some forces have constantly strengthened the threats against us,” he said. “I want to stress that we will not be scared.”
‘International scandal’
Kwong spoke to reporters briefly outside Tin Shui Wai hospital at 3pm and thanked the public for supporting him.
He said the attack lasted less than one minute, after which a passerby helped to clean his wounds and call for help.
“As a lawmaker for Hong Kong people, it is our duty to protect Hong Kong people. If we are attacked for protecting civilians, students and residents, then it is an international scandal,” he said.
The case has been reported to the police and Kwong has made a statement.
Wu said the government must handle the root cause of violence, the confrontations and the split in society: “Political issues should be solved politically,” he said.
Democratic Party lawmaker James To also condemned political violence and said the attack was strange.
“It could be a paid job,” he said. He added that the government must investigate the incident thoroughly.
The Hong Kong government strongly condemned the attack.
“The Police will follow up seriously in order to bring those responsible to justice,” a spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said that the government is fair in the face of all illegal and violent acts, and appealed to members of the public to express their views in a peaceful and rational manner and respect each other.
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