Seven Hongkongers injured in Yuen Long MTR station attack plan to sue police chief for failing to prevent incident
- Police were accused of arriving late at the scene, prompting some to suggest they had acted in collusion with attackers – a charge officers have denied
- Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting, who is assisting the injured persons, hopes action will force police to reveal their actual plan on that day
Seven Hongkongers who claim they were injured during a mob attack at Yuen Long railway station have said they will sue the city’s police chief and demand compensation, arguing the force could have made plans to prevent the violent incident that left at least 45 injured.
Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting, who is helping the seven, said he hoped the legal action would force police to reveal relevant documents and surveillance camera footage, as well as give more details on their plans before the incident took place.
“What happened in Yuen Long on July 21 was a terrorist attack. If police don’t explain it clearly and comprehensively and don’t apologise to the people of Hong Kong, the attack will remain as a black spot on the reputation of police forever,” Lam said.
About 100 white-clad men, including rural villagers and suspected triad members, ambushed protesters, returning from an earlier demonstration in Sai Ying Pun, at the station. Other passengers were also caught up in the attack.
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Police were accused of arriving late at the scene, with some suggesting officers had acted in collusion with the thugs, a charge the force has denied.
Since then, 31 people have been arrested over the attacks, including five who were charged for rioting.
One of the seven victims – a man surnamed Tsui – said in a press conference on Sunday that he had suffered injuries to his hip and neck when an attacker hit him with a road sign.
“I’m very disappointed with police. I could not have imagined something so ridiculous, something I thought we only ever see on television or in movies, would take place in reality,” he said.
Lawyer Albert Ho Chun-yan, a former chairman of the Democratic Party, said there was evidence to suggest police knew the attack was being planned and took no steps to prevent it.
Since the extradition bill triggered mass protests in June, police have been caught between the city’s officials and demonstrators. Protesters were often seen hurling petrol bombs at police officers, who responded by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and beanbag rounds.
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The city’s embattled leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor promised on Wednesday she would withdraw the bill, talk to people from various communities and support the Independent Police Complaints Council in examining officers’ handling of protests. But critics said only a judge-led commission of inquiry could restore people’s confidence in the force.
Speaking on a TVB programme on Sunday, former Legislative Council president Jasper Tsang Yok-sing said even such an inquiry would not help. He added that police in Hong Kong had been restrained and professional, compared with law enforcement officers in foreign countries, such as France.
“Do you know that more than 10 people were killed and many blinded in the French yellow vests movement? I’m not saying we should be like them. I’m just saying it’s unfair to condemn Hong Kong police,” he said.
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But Tsang said the government and the force should identify problems and make recommendations after completing each operation, to ensure the same mistakes were not repeated.
Tsang took his French comparison further when asked to comment on whether Carrie Lam’s concessions on Wednesday would help to bring the violence to an end.
“French President Macron has basically responded to all the protesters’ demands and they don’t have to deal with a central government which operates on a different system. But, it still took them about half a year [before the situation started to improve],” he said.
