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Five defendants appeared in West Kowloon Court charged with a variety of offences in connection with disturbances in Mong Kok. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong student facing life in prison in connection with vicious gang attack on visitor from mainland China

  • Man from mainland hospitalised after Monday beating
  • More than 10 protesters attacked victim with glass bottles and umbrellas leaving him with multiple head wounds
Brian Wong

A Hong Kong student is facing life in prison after being charged with conspiracy to wound with intent, in connection with an assault on a man from mainland China.

Ma Chun-ki, 18, appeared in West Kowloon Court on suspicion of conspiring with others to hurt the mainlander, whom the prosecution only identified as X, at the junction of Shantung Street and Portland Street in Mong Kok in the early hours of Monday.

Prosecutors said more than 10 protesters attacked the victim with glass bottles and umbrellas, leaving him hospitalised with multiple wounds to the head.

Acting chief magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen denied Ma’s bail application after prosecutors raised an objection. Ma will reappear in Kowloon City Court on April 7.

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The victim was mauled by protesters who took to the streets of Mong Kok on Sunday night in remembrance of the unrest that broke out in the neighbourhood four years ago.

Police are still investigating the assault of a 37-year-old visitor from Wuhan, mainland China, near the same Mong Kok protest spot on Sunday.

The victim, surnamed Jin, was involved in a scuffle at 9.15pm, after he was accused of taking pictures of protesters who had gathered at the crossroad of Portland Street and Nelson Street. A 24-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman, surnamed Guo and Zhang respectively, were also besieged and assaulted.

According to police, Jin had his mobile phone snatched away by protesters, who fled after the assault.

No arrests have been made as of yet.

A source familiar with the case said the three victims had previously entered the city from Guangdong using a two-way permit. Protesters inspected Jin’s identity card after the scuffles and found he came from Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ma was among five defendants to appear in the courtroom following protests in Mong Kok and Fanling on Sunday.

Student Lai Ka-ho, 20, faced two counts of assaulting police officers, after he allegedly attacked a superintendent and a senior inspector – dubbed AAA and BBB respectively – at the junction of Portland Street and Argyle Street.

Security guard Bryan Ku Ka-ming, 23, and student Chan Hiu-yung, 18, were found in possession of an extendable baton, and a folded knife, respectively. They were charged with possession of prohibited weapons, and possession of offensive weapons in a public place.

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Meanwhile, 22-year-old student Ho Chi-lok was intercepted by police on Wai Ming Street in Fanling on Sunday night, after a vacant residential block in Fai Ming Estate was set on fire by protesters amid rumours the building would be used as a quarantine site for the coronavirus outbreak.

He was charged with possessing an instrument fit for unlawful purpose, after officers found a bottle of petrol and a lighter in his possession.

The four defendants were all granted bail.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: Man linked to attack on mainlander faces charge
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