Arrests over street attack on former lawmaker Chim Pui-chung

Three men have been arrested on suspicion of assaulting former lawmaker Chim Pui-chung.

Two of them allegedly punched and kicked the 66-year-old former finance sector legislator in Admiralty on November 20. The third man was a lookout.

Chim, known as "the angry Chiu Chow man", was about to get into his car outside the Admiralty Centre in Drake Street at about 3.45pm when two men, wearing surgical masks, called his name and then attacked him.

Crime squad officers said as the three suspects did not know Chim or have any business connection with him, they were investigating if they were hired to carry out the attack.

It appeared the assault might have been a "warning" to Chim because no weapon was used.

The three Hongkongers - a taxi driver and two unemployed men - were picked up by police on the streets in Wan Chai, Hung Hom and Sheung Shui separately on Thursday afternoon and arrested on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm.

The cabbie was apprehended as he finished his morning shift in Hung Hom. The three were identified after detectives from the Hong Kong Island regional crime unit studied security footage.

They were released on bail and no one was charged. They must report back to police in the middle of next month.

Chim was a legislator from 1991 until he was jailed for conspiring to forge documents in 1998. He returned to the Legislative Council in 2004.