Democratic Party lawmaker Roy Kwong Chun-yu was taken to hospital after being attacked by three men in Tin Shui Wai in the New Territories on Tuesday morning.
Kwong spoke to media after receiving medical treatment at Tin Shui Wai Hospital in the afternoon with injuries on his face, arms and elbows. He said his neck was also hurt as one of the culprits hit him there.
The attack happened at around 10am when Kwong was picking up his car near the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai.
One man filmed attack
A few men wearing facemasks came up and pulled him out of his car, then the three of them punched and kicked him on the ground while a fourth man holding a mobile phone filmed the attack.
He said he tried to focus on remembering the identity of the attackers when his neck was kicked vigorously. The attack lasted for around one minute then the group ran away.
Kwong said a passer-by later found he was injured and help given him first-aid. He was later sent to the hospital while still conscious state for further treatment.
The lawmaker said he would not be cowed by the attack, and that he and other pro-democracy lawmakers would continue their efforts to protect students and other people who need help.
“If protecting Hong Kong people, students, citizens, means we come under attack, this is an international scandal,” Kwong said.
He also challenged the chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to give assurances that Hong Kong remains a safe city. “How much longer do you want to see this situation go on?” he asked.
The Democratic Party condemned what it said was clearly an organized attack aimed at silencing those who have shown support for the ongoing anti-government protests.
Threats, attacks escalating
The party mate Lam Cheuk-ting said the attackers recorded the entire process of the attack. “I do think that it is a planned attack, trying to send a message to threaten all the legislative councilors of the democratic camp and the other organizers and participants of the anti-evil law movement,” Lam said.
Zachary Wong Wai-yin, a Yung Long district councilor from the Democratic Party believed that someone had been stalking Kwong as the site where the attack occurred was a quiet area, Radio Television Hong Kong reported.
Wong said both of them received threatening letters a month ago while his office was damaged and smeared with red paint. He believed the other side had decided to escalate its threats.
Wong said there were a number of attacks involving political issues, but the police had failed to resolve any of them. He hoped the police could dig out the suspects behind the latest crime.
‘God of HK protests’
Kwong has become a familiar face at the many protests over the summer, often chanting slogans and calling for restraint by the police and protesters. He was hailed as the “God of Hong Kong Protests” by young protesters, who said whenever there was trouble, Kwong rushed to wherever it was to provide help.
Kwong was the “King of Votes” as he won around 491,000 ballots in the 2016 Legislative Council election, the largest tally ever to be received.
Police said they are investigating the case but have yet to make an arrest.