Last Week in Viral News
We take a look back at the local news that spread like wildfire.
Apr 2, Sat: A photo of a man dressed in a hospital gown begging for money in Yuen Long goes viral. He has a sign which says he is terminally ill, and needs $270 for medicine. He occasionally covers the sum with a yellow sticky note so it reads “$170” instead, before removing it again. Netizens liken his behavior to the arbitrary price fluctuations in MTR fares and public housing costs.
Apr 3, Sun: The same man in the hospital gown who was spotted asking for money in Yuen Long puts up a new sign, this time warning passersby not to steal from him, or they will go to jail. The sign also warns that he has installed a hidden camera. Another sign indicates that he needs $100 to go to the doctor, and that he is hungry. Netizens suggest that he pawns the hidden camera for medical fees and food.
Apr 4, Mon: A woman gets on the MTR on the Island Line at Chai Wan. She sits down in a seat and unfolds a table, resting her hands on it. The table takes up half the width of the carriage, but she is unfazed by other passengers.
Apr 5, Tue: A 39-year-old woman brandishes a fruit knife at a Social Welfare Department office in Yau Ma Tei. A witness says she suspects the woman was unhappy with the slow application process for social security assistance. A staff member notifies the police, who arrive at the scene and bring the situation under control. No one is injured.
Apr 6, Wed: A 19-year-old man is sentenced to six years and four months in jail for stealing more than $8,000 for a woman he had only ever met online. She had told him that her ex-boyfriend had lied to her and she didn’t have enough money to pay rent. The man then robbed three 7-Eleven stores in Fanling, stealing cash, beer and cigarettes: Although on one occasion, he only managed to steal a box of lozenges. After transferring the money to the woman, he never heard from her again.