Suspects In Yuen Long MTR Attack Granted Bail

The first two men to be charged over the indiscriminate attacks on protesters and commuters at the Yuen Long MTR station last month appeared in court for the first time on Friday. Both were granted bail until the next hearing in October.

Wong Ying-kit, 48, Wong Chi-wing, 54, are both charged with rioting. Neither entered a plea.

At the hearing in Fanling Court, prosecutors accused Wong Chi-wing of attacking people with the lid of a rubbish bin, and added that security camera footage showed that he was among a group of white-shirted men who had gathered at a train platform on the night of the attacks on July 21.

The court heard that Wong Ying-kit had admitted under police caution that he had "gotten into an argument" with people at the station the same night. He was arrested at the Lo Wu border checkpoint while trying to leave Hong Kong on August 3.

The prosecution alleges that they were part of the mob that beat people with bamboo sticks, metal rods and other weapons in and around the MTR station.

They said the attack – which lasted for about 30 minutes – was well organised and planned, and described it as a serious case. Dozens of people suffered various injuries, including bone fractures, during the attack.

Prosecutors argued that the defendants should not be released on bail, but the magistrate disagreed, and freed them on a cash bail of HK$30,000 each. But he imposed a curfew, ordered them to surrender their travel documents, and banned from going near the Yuen Long MTR station.

The case has been adjourned to October 25.