Hong Kong protests: man accused of biting off part of district councillor’s ear, slashing couple during 2019 unrest stands trial

Joe Chen, 50, is accused of biting then councillor Andrew Chiu after attack on couple in Taikoo Shing altercation

Chiu was treated in hospital but doctors were unable to reattach bitten-off body part

3-MIN READ3-MIN

Passers-by attend to an injured man in a bloody mall altercation in 2019, while Hong Kong was in the throes of a social unrest. Photo: Handout

Published: 8:27pm, 15 Nov 2021Updated: 12:25am, 16 Nov 2021

An unemployed man accused of biting off part of a district councillor’s ear and slashing a couple after shouting “restore Taiwan” stood trial on Monday over the alleged acts committed during the 2019 social unrest in Hong Kong.

The case centred on an altercation in Taikoo Shing on November 3 that year, in which then district councillor Andrew Chiu Ka-yin had asked 50-year-old Joe Chen why he had attacked three civilians outside Cityplaza mall.

Chen is accused of biting Chiu’s left ear and pulling the politician’s other ear towards his mouth.

Prosecutors on Monday opened their case against Chen, who pleaded not guilty to three counts of wounding with intent – an offence punishable by life in prison – and one of common assault.

Louis Wan leaves the High Court on Monday. Photo: Jasmine Siu

The High Court heard the series of attacks occurred soon after 7pm when Louis Wan Ho-lun was on his way to have dinner with his wife Leung Pik-kei and her relative Leung Ying-ying, and overheard a man shouting outside the mall in Mandarin and Cantonese: “Restore Taiwan”.