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Six men and four women were arrested after the fight in Wong Tai Sin district. Photo: Facebook

Hong Kong police arrest 10 people after fight broke out at a Lennon Wall over political differences

  • Five people were injured in the incident at a public housing estate in Lok Fu early on Friday
  • Those arrested were among a group of 20 people who were removing messages from a footbridge in the area
Crime

Hong Kong police arrested 10 people following a fight between two groups with different political views at the so-called Lennon Wall in Wong Tai Sin district in the early hours of Friday.

Five victims aged between 20 and 44 suffered injuries to their heads, backs and limbs in the incident that happened at a public housing estate in Lok Fu shortly before 12.30am.

The dispute first erupted when a group of about 20 people carrying handy tools and paint were seen removing messages at the Lok Fu Estate footbridge which has been turned into a Lennon Wall, a place where colourful notes supporting the anti-government protests are posted along with written slogans.

‘Lennon Walls’ move indoors: Grab some sushi and scribble a note about protests

The group argued with local residents before fighting started. Officers were then called in.

At the scene, police arrested six men and four women, aged 19 to 59, for assault or fighting in a public place. Two of them also sustained minor hand injuries.

The suspects in the clash were aged between 19 and 59. Photo: Facebook

Five injured victims – three men and two women – were also seen at the site. Police said one of the injured men was a passer-by who suffered an eye injury when his mobile phone was snatched by an attacker who had fled before police arrived.

According to police, the 10 suspects and four of the victims had a dispute over their different political views before the clash happened.

Hong Kong man gets four months’ jail over Lennon Wall attack

All the injured were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Yau Ma Tei for treatment.

Officers from the Wong Tai Sin criminal investigation unit are handling the case.

Three Wong Tai Sin district councillors – Cheng Man-kit, Leung Ming-hong and Carmen Lau Ka-man – issued a statement to condemn the violence.

The three district council members claimed that some attackers remained at the scene when the first batch of police officers arrived but they did not arrest the culprits. The councillors accused police of sheltering criminals.

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