- Ho says he was attacked while walking between Tin Hau MTR station and a minibus stop at about 7pm on Tuesday
- He was also attacked in 2006 when he took part in a protest march against a proposed sales tax
Police are investigating an alleged attack on veteran pro-democracy politician Albert Ho Chun-yan near Tin Hau MTR station on Tuesday evening.
With his right arm in a sling, Ho told reporters outside Ruttonjee Hospital where he was treated that he was attacked while walking between Tin Hau MTR station and a minibus stop at about 7pm.
He said he was beaten with long objects by two black-clad and masked men in an alley as he was on his way home from work. The case is being investigated by the Eastern district police's crime division.
"I shouted at them and ran towards the bus stop and fell down. Only then did I see it was two male attackers. I shouted again to ask why they were attacking me, and they ran away," Ho said.
"I am not sure why they attacked me, neither did they issue any threats," Ho said. He said his back was bruised and doctors had told him there could be a fracture in his right arm.
Legislators from the Democratic Party issued a statement condemning the attack and urging police to quickly investigate the matter and bring the attackers to justice.
"The string of attacks on democrats over the past few months cannot be condoned in a civil society. We urge police to take these cases seriously and solve them quickly, particularly the cases happening in busy areas which should have ample evidence," the statement said.
Ho was also targeted in 2006, when three men clubbed him with batons and baseball bats in a crowded McDonald's soon after he took part in a protest march against a proposed sales tax.
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Several other democratic politicians and activists have been attacked throughout the city's five-month-long unrest. In October, Civil Human Rights Front convenor Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit was left lying in a pool of blood after four to five masked men assaulted him with hammers.
Sham was also attacked with baseball bats in August while eating at a restaurant, while Yuen Long protest organiser Max Chung Kin-ping was also assaulted on the same day.
In September, legislator Roy Kwong Chun-yu was attacked in Tin Shui Wai and Labour Party member Stanley Ho Wai-hong was assaulted in Sai Kung.
Anti-parallel trading activist Ronald Leung Kam-shing was also ambushed in Sha Tin in August, a month after he organised a "reclaim Sheung Shui" protest. He was reportedly warned not to "stir up trouble again".
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