Hong Kong Lawmaker’s Ear Bitten Off During Latest Violent Protest

Just when the Hong Kong protests finally appeared to be slipping from the front page (having been supplanted by other even more violent protest movements in Iraq and elsewhere) an explosion of violence over the weekend has Beijing once again threatening a crackdown on the protest movement that is now entering month No. 6, according to Reuters.

In one of the weekend’s most shocking and bloody episodes, several people were injured during a knife attack outside a Hong Kong mall in the relatively suburban area of Tai Koo on Sunday. One of the wounded, a local politician, had his ear partially bitten off, CNN reports. Police later moved in on a pro-democracy demonstration at the mall by lobbing tear gas. It was one of several shopping malls packed with families raided by police over the weekend.

Three men and one woman are now being treated at the Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital; two are in critical condition, police said. The attacker and lawmaker with the bitten ear are also receiving treatment.

Police say that a heated political discussion turned deadly when a man who apparently express pro-government views pulled out a knife and started stabbing. The same man can also be seen grabbing the aforementioned lawmaker and biting his ear in a bloody attack that might be difficult to watch for some (be warned).

High-profile Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, who was recently barred from participating in a race for HK district council, identified the lawmaker as “close colleague Dr Andrew Chiu”.

Then, in a stunning Twitter thread, Wong lists all of the violent attacks launched by police against demonstrators, including an accident whee a tear gas cannister exploded, seriously injuring a first-responder.

Caution: This Twitter thread also includes photos of nasty injuries.

[THREAD: Hong Kong on 112]

1/ Conflicts re-kindled during weekend as hundreds of thousands took to streets in HK Island protesting unfair election screening and demanding free-election. By 8PM arrest no. went up to 200+ with police brutality. pic.twitter.com/doz4hSvDLQ

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

[THREAD: Hong Kong on 112]

1/ Conflicts re-kindled during weekend as hundreds of thousands took to streets in HK Island protesting unfair election screening and demanding free-election. By 8PM arrest no. went up to 200+ with police brutality. pic.twitter.com/doz4hSvDLQ

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

3/ At #VictoriaPark, election hustings halted as police arrested 3 candidates on top of teargas and pepper spray. One had clear wound on his face during arrest. pic.twitter.com/247h9Q1WFX

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

4/ More deeply worrying is the use of teargas #MadeInChina. In #CausewayBay teargas canister hit a young first-aider and blasted into flame, large area of his back was burnt. Cyanide Toxic was recorded 5times above safety standard. pic.twitter.com/gmC1ItpBQL

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

5/ Aggressive body search and arrest all the way stirred up more clashes. 20+ arrested and detained at basketball Court in Wanchai, all were forced to squat like captives for an hour. pic.twitter.com/heiTRBjL0Q

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

6/ It is undeniably curfew in HK such a Police State now. Restaurants in business area are forced to shut down whenever police is nearby. But masked riot police should realise they themselves are the reason for current social divide, displacing law&order and economic recession. pic.twitter.com/AcmCKGhzGt

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

7/ Another teargas canister mistakenly hit a firetruck. Looking for an explanation, even the fireman was dragged and beaten!? A witnessing journalist was abused and threatened too. pic.twitter.com/QC9BiH0k6k

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

8/ Many ways to ease the tension but HK gov’t fueled it instead. As govt tolerated police barbaric abuses again & again, a plot to suspend Nov 24 election is emerging. @senatemajldr, we demand US Senate to pass the #HKHumanRightsandDemocracyAct. HK Police attempt to murder HKers.

— Joshua Wong 黃之鋒 😷 (@joshuawongcf) November 2, 2019

HK’s Hospital Authority confirmed that one person was in a critical condition, while two others were in serious condition after the weekend clashes. Dozens others were injured in clashes across the city, including 30 injuries from Sunday alone. Meanwhile, local media reported a life-threatening injury was sustained by a male student who fell from a height, but details of the incident remained unclear.

A dozen police officers were also injured during the weekend battles, while more than 300 people ranging were arrested between Friday and Sunday.