Donations Pour In For Ray Chan To Sue Kwok Wai-keung

A crowdfunding campaign by lawmaker Ray Chan to pay for a private prosecution against pro-Beijing rival Kwok Wai-keung has hit its HK$1 million target within hours, enabling Chan to pursue an assault allegation against the legislator.

"Target met in six hours, raised HK$1.12 million. Thank you to every single person who contributed," Chan wrote on Facebook.

He filed a report to the police on Monday, accusing Kwok of assaulting him during a Legco House Committee meeting last Friday.

The Federation of Trade Unions legislator had dragged Chan through a conference room until he fell to the ground.

Chan said he didn't have much faith that the police and Department of Justice would take action against the pro-establishment lawmaker and he would launch a private prosecution if necessary.

He said any excess funds will be donated to the 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund, which helps pay medical and legal expenses of people arrested during anti-government protests.

Chan went to hospital after Friday's incident, which came as lawmakers fought over which camp should be presiding over the committee meeting. He said doctors told him he had suffered a slipped disk.

Kwok, meanwhile, has defended his actions against Chan in a YouTube video, saying he was trying to protect Legco security guards.

“If you were just walking along the street and saw other people getting assaulted unreasonably, you would try and stop it, this is human nature,” Kwok said.

He then went on to say: “Think about it, security guards are people as well, they’re just doing their job, why should they just stand there and get hit by others?”