How marauding gang struck fear into Yuen Long, leaving dozens of protesters and passengers injured, and Hong Kong police defending their response
- Victims seen begging mob for mercy in harrowing video footage at MTR station
- Ploy to save protesters with change of clothes so they could not be identified in black colour of protest could not save everyone from beating
While riot police were firing round after round of tear gas to disperse hundreds of anti-government protesters in Sheung Wan at around 10.40pm on Sunday night, a more terrifying drama was playing out in Hong Kong’s northern town of Yuen Long.
In a shockingly violent rampage of unprecedented lawlessness, a mob of men in white T-shirts stormed into the Yuen Long MTR station, indiscriminately attacking people with sticks and iron rods.
Their target appeared to be black-clad protesters returning from Sunday’s major march against the government’s now-suspended extradition bill, but the assailants beat up anyone they came across, including passengers on trains, passers-by and even journalists at the scene.
Some were waving Chinese national flags and placards reading, “Defend Yuen Long, defend our homeland.”
Police later said more than 100 men were involved in the attack and a second one at midnight, including members of the notorious 14K and Wo Shing Wo triad gangs.