Nigerian arrested for shoving incident after alleged racist remark
Updated at 2.35pm: A Nigerian man was arrested after he allegedly shoved a Hong Kong Chinese man on a bus for allegedly making a racist remark to him, Apple Daily reported on Thursday.
The incident occurred on a KMB bus No 5 route on Wednesday at 11.30am when the 46-year-old Hong Kong passenger, surnamed Tang, allegedly called the African ''sei hak gwei'' (which means ''damned black foreigner'') in Cantonese, Apple Daily reported.
He made this remark when the Nigerian was about to get off. The bus was about 80 per cent full and travelling on a Tsim Sha Tsui road, the newspaper said.
The Nigerian, identified as Ezegi, allegedly responded by swearing in English and putting his arm in Mr Tang's face, Apple Daily reported.
Mr Tang, who claimed he was hurt, later told police the 26-year-old Nigerian had been sitting behind him. Mr Tang said Ezegi had made him very uncomfortable by repeatedly hitting his knees on the back of his seat.
A witness quoted by Apple Daily said the Nigerian had appeared agitated and muttered something to himself.
The witness said Ezegi stood up and yelled: ''Why call me 'hak gwei'?'' before swearing in English to Tang.
The newspaper said Ezegi speaks English and Nigerian, but believes that the Cantonese words ''hak gwei'' (literally meaning black ghost) are equivalent to ''nigger''.
Tang disregarded Ezegi's outburst and walked to the lower deck. But the Nigerian followed and allegedly pushed him, the report said.
Police arrested Ezegi over an alleged assault and later released him on a $10 bail. He had come to Hong Kong on a temporary stay document, Apple Daily reported.
Tang was taken to hospital. A check-up found no apparent injury, the newspaper said.
