Attack on chef outside former ‘yellow circle’ restaurant was carried out by triad members, unrelated to politics: police source

Arrested man claims he was paid HK$3,000 for his part in assault, while investigation shows minute-long attack was a personal matter

Police are still searching for two other assailants along with the identity of the person who allegedly paid them

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Lung Mun Cafe, which distanced itself from the so-called yellow economic circle after Beiing’s new national security law was adopted, saw one of its employees attacked by triad members on Monday morning. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 8:23pm, 7 Jul 2020Updated: 8:23pm, 7 Jul 2020

Three suspected triad members are believed to have been paid to carry out Monday’s attack on a chef at a restaurant that recently distanced itself from Hong Kong’s so-called yellow economic circle, a police source said on Tuesday. No political motive was thought to be involved.

The revelation came after police arrested a suspected Sun Yee On triad member in Yau Ma Tei on Monday night, more than 12 hours after the 42-year-old chef was ambushed outside the Tsim Sha Tsui branch of Lung Mun Café at 6.38am.

A chef was attacked outside Lung Mun Cafe in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui neighbourhood on early Monday morning. Photo: Lung Mun Cafe Facebook

“The 24-year-old suspect claimed he was paid about HK$3,000 (US$388) to carry out the attack,” the source said.

The source said initial investigation showed the attack was a personal matter and there was nothing to indicate it was linked to the restaurant or politically motivated.

As of Tuesday evening, the suspect was still being held for questioning but had not been charged. Police are still searching for the other two attackers as well as the identity of the person who allegedly paid them.