Hong Kong opposition lawmaker injured in Yuen Long station attack accuses police of shutting him out as witness

Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting questions why the force cancelled his appointment to give a further statement on one of the most controversial episodes of last year’s social unrest

Lam says his arrest on rioting charge stemming from same incident has only strengthened his resolve to serve as legislator in extended term

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Democratic Party lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting displays the letter he received from police thanking him for ‘fulfilling’ his responsibility in reporting the crime. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 6:47pm, 28 Aug 2020Updated: 10:50pm, 28 Aug 2020

A Hong Kong opposition lawmaker charged with rioting over a mob attack at the Yuen Long MTR station last year has accused police of trying to undermine his credibility as a witness in another case.

Lam Cheuk-ting was speaking on Friday, a day after he and six others were released on bail over the violence on July 21 last year that became one of the most controversial episodes of last year’s social unrest.

The Democratic Party legislator was at the station when a group of white-clad men armed with steel rods and rattan canes assaulted passengers and protesters. Lam suffered an injury to his mouth that required 18 stitches.

He gave a statement days later, but was arrested himself on Wednesday, with police saying the year-long narrative over the case as an “indiscriminate attack” by one group upon another was wrong. Instead it had been a clash between two sides, according to a senior superintendent.

“I am very worried that the authorities would reject using my testimony and reject me attending court to testify against those attackers,” Lam said. “In the end, would the attackers be released through the lack of evidence?”