Prominent Hong Kong Democrat Attacked After Protest: Is this a Chinese Communist Party move to divert the public's attention?

HONG KONG—Democratic Party Vice-chairman and Legislator Albert Ho Chun-yan was attacked by three men armed with baseball bats after he attended a protest on the afternoon of Sunday, August 20. Hong Kong police investigators are working on the case, and Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat has strongly condemned this violent act. Several lawmakers and party members visited Ho at the hospital and urged the police to quickly apprehend Ho's attackers.

The attack took place in a McDonald's restaurant on Queen's Road at around 5 p.m. after the Democratic Party's march protesting the possible imposition of a goods and services tax. Vice Chairman Ho was with fellow Democratic Party member Lam Chi-kin when three men ran at him with baseball bats.

According to Lam, the three men charged into the restaurant and shoved Ho to the ground. They beat Ho with two baseball bats and a police-style truncheon, which was left at the scene. "The attack was very swift and looked well-planned," said Lam, adding that it appeared to be a premeditated assault. Lam said that he was unable to see the attackers' faces because they were all wearing caps.

Ho's forehead, nose, arms, and legs were injured during the two-minute battering. Ho bled profusely and regained consciousness only after he was admitted to Queen Mary Hospital. Lam found the attack quite frightening. He denounced the violence and said his mother was also devastated by witnessing the attack.


Attack a Diversion Tactic by the CCP?
The assault has provoked a lot of conjecture. Ho had earlier announced his intention to join the investigation, organized by the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong in China (CIPFG), which is probing reports of the Chinese Communist Party harvesting organs from living Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned in China. Ho had strongly urged the Hong Kong public to pay attention to these atrocities. Recently, an international investigation group has made a breakthrough in the investigation. Politicians and lawmakers in Australia and Europe have been considering using diplomatic approaches to pressure the CCP and requesting the United Nations and representatives from different countries to form a committee to investigate the allegations of CCP organ harvesting.

"I suspect the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is behind the attack on Mr. Albert Ho," commented Shi Zanshan, a Washington-based China expert.

"The goal was not to hurt Mr. Ho, but to divert the attention of international society. What is the Chinese Communist Party most afraid of at present? …The international society's investigation into reports of the Chinese Communist Party's organ harvesting has reached top-level politicians in the world and some nations are contemplating their responses to the atrocities and using their influence," he said.

Shi added, "Mr. Yuan Sheng, a pilot and captain of China Eastern Airlines, is seeking political asylum in the United States because he was reported to the Chinese police for persuading an airport ground crew member to withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party. The news has caused a sensation inside and outside of China. Yuan Sheng's action exposed something that the Chinese Communist Party has been desperately trying to hide. The Chinese Communist Party has been using economic incentives to prevent outside media and foreign governments from responding to the growing number of withdrawals from the CCP and from its reported atrocities of ripping internal organs from living Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned in China."

'We Don't Think He Has any Personal Enemies'
Democratic Party chairman Lee Wing-tat made an announcement on behalf of Ho. Ho said that he will not give in to violence and that he will continue to fight for justice and serve the people of Hong Kong. "As vice chairman of the Democratic Party, a legislator and lawyer, he has been a public servant. We don't think he has created any personal enemies," Lee Wing-tat said.

Upon hearing about the attack on Ho, Ling Feng, a renowned commentator on China, said, "The Chinese Communist Party must be the culprit. It is difficult to say whether the Hong Kong police will solve the case."

According to Ling Feng, the attack took place after a rally protesting the possible introduction of a goods and services tax. It could have been carefully designed to not look like it was politically motivated. But Ling Feng believes that the attack was a political move. Ling also believes that the timing was chosen to divert the public's attention.

Ling Feng urged the Hong Kong government to apprehend the culprits. "Do not be afraid of the CCP. 'One country; two systems.' We must not allow CCP thugs to roam in Hong Kong where the rule of law still exists. We must not allow the CCP to ruin the legal system established by the British!"


Such Violence is not Acceptable
Mr. Lau Kong-wah of DAB (Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong) said that such a violent act is not acceptable no matter what the cause may be. Our laws cannot forgive the attack of a legislator in broad daylight in front of a crowd. Noting that this is the first time a Hong Kong legislator has been assaulted, Lau urged the police to solve the case as swiftly as possible.

Many lawmakers and politicians visited Albert Ho in the hospital. Legislator Ronny Tong of the Civil Party said that Ho is severely injured and that the attackers have seriously challenged the law in Hong Kong.

Szeto Wah, Chairman of Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movement and the Party Whip of the Democratic Party, strongly condemned the assault and demanded that the police solve the case immediately. Wah added that Hong Kong is a lawful society and no one is allowed to attack others with violence.

Ambrose Lee Siu-kwong, Secretary of the Security Bureau in Hong Kong, also strongly condemned the violent assault. Lee said that Hong Kong is a peaceful and lawful society and will never tolerate such violent acts. Lee added that the police have started the investigation and will definitely bring the attackers to justice.