Hong Kong protests: Man tries to bite off ear of district councillor during politically-driven fight on Sunday

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South China Morning Post
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An attack by a knife-wielding man left six injured in what was believed to be a planned assault

South China Morning Post |
Published: 
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Paramedics attend to the injured outside Cityplaza.

An argument over politics turned violent on Sunday evening, leaving six injured - including a district councillor who had part of his ear bitten off.

Four people were injured by a knife-wielding man – who was in turn savaged by an angry crowd – after he was said to have argued over political issues outside a shopping mall in Tai Koo. Another man who tried to protect the suspected attacker, and was later arrested, was also injured.

Tear gas was fired later in the evening as residents heckled police.

Xinhua News Agency attacked during the 22nd week of protests 

One of the victims, a man, was seen lying in a pool of blood in the neighbourhood on Hong Kong Island. The suspect, a Mandarin speaker, was stopped at the scene by a crowd, who then beat him up.

Another victim, who sustained relatively minor injuries, said she, her sister and her brother-in-law had just left the Cityplaza mall after dinner when an argument broke out with the suspect, who retrieved a knife from his bag. He had argued with her sister and her sister’s husband, who was attacked.
 
Among the injured was district councillor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin.
 
Andrew Chiu Ka-yin, pictured during an election campaign in 2015, was injured during the attack.
Photo: SCMP

Democratic Party lawmaker James To Kun-sun said he met some witnesses of the attack in hospital as he, along with several colleagues, visited Chiu. 

“They heard the attacker shouting ‘liberate Taiwan’ before he waved his knife. It is believed to be a premeditated attack, as he carried the knife with him,” To said.
 
He said Chiu was there trying to mediate.
 
 
Four men and two women were injured. Five, all conscious, were sent to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital in Chai Wan. As of 10pm, two men remained in a critical condition, including the suspect, while one other man and a woman were in serious condition. One man was stable. One woman did not need hospital treatment.
 
A video posted online showed the suspect wrestling with Chiu while others punched the man in a bid to force him to release the councillor. The attacker then bit off the edge of Chiu’s ear, spitting it on the ground.
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