Hong Kong man with learning disabilities arrested during protests was denied treatment for 15 hours by police, his lawyer says
- Disabled man held without medical attention he asked for, according to lawyer Daniel Wong
- Police say they followed guidelines for ‘mentally incapacitated persons’ and the 32-year-old was later taken to hospital
A man with learning disabilities who was arrested in Hong Kong on Saturday night on suspicion of being involved in an anti-government protest was denied treatment for 15 hours, according to his lawyer.
The man, who is autistic and has a moderate form of the disability, was said to have suffered injuries to the back of his head, shoulder and mouth. The cause of his injuries was not known.
The man’s lawyer, Daniel Wong Kwok-tung, said his client had been in custody in Mong Kok Police Station and was not taken to see a doctor until Sunday afternoon, despite repeated complaints.
Police said the man was one of three arrested for protest-related offences outside the station on Saturday night and officers followed procedures for “mentally incapacitated persons” (MIPs) when his condition was discovered, before he was taken to hospital.
The man was intercepted by plain-clothes police on Saturday night, Wong said. He said the man was not wearing any protest gear or a mask at the time.
“I told the police officers that it was not about legal procedures. But from a humanitarian point of view, we should be nice to him,” Wong said.
“When I first saw him at the police station, he was very scared. He said he suffered a head injury, but the police officers said there was no wound. I challenged them and said it could be internal bleeding.”
Wong said the man was only taken to hospital at about 4pm on Sunday. As of 9pm, the man was still being treated, the lawyer said.
There are police guidelines on handling MIPs, which include a “care card scheme”, “behavioural indicators guide”, and “notice to an appropriate adult”.
The care card scheme is a voluntary programme which aims to enable officers to identify MIPs and be aware of their medical and communication needs, as well as ways to contact their relatives or guardians for help.
Fake news and Hong Kong protests: truth becomes the victim
A police spokesman said the man was among three protesters, aged 14 to 32, arrested outside Mong Kok Police Station at about 9pm on Saturday.
Police officers said they found a laser pointer on him.
The trio were arrested on suspicion of breaking the anti-mask law, taking part in an illegal assembly and assaulting police. The 14-year-old was also arrested for possessing offensive weapons.
The spokesman said police had informed the man’s guardian once they found out he was an MIP. Social workers and a lawyer were also arranged to visit him at the police station, he added.
The man was later taken to Kwong Wah Hospital in Yau Ma Tei for treatment after officers noticed some redness on his chest, shoulder, and limbs, the spokesman said.
Wong is also competing for a seat in the Prince constituency of the Kowloon City District Council in elections next month. The incumbent, Ting Kin-wa, is also seeking another term.
Hong Kong protesters go on rampage again, attacking police and property
As in the 18 previous weekends, protesters took to Hong Kong’s streets on Saturday and Sunday as part of the anti-government movement, sparked by the now-withdrawn extradition bill.
