2019 Prince Edward station attack
| Industry | Incident during protests |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019-08-31 |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , China |
The 2019 Prince Edward station attack, frequently referred to as the 31 August Prince Edward station incident (), involved the Hong Kong police indiscriminately assaulting passengers during the arrest of protesters returning home through Prince Edward station on 31 August 2019, following demonstrations held earlier that day. This event drew parallels with the 2019 Yuen Long attack and sparked widespread condemnation of police tactics, with some critics likening their actions to acts of terrorism.[1][2] Allegations circulated that protesters were fatally beaten inside the station; however, authorities denied these claims.[3] Supporters of the pro-democracy movement marked the anniversary monthly by placing white flowers at the site until such commemorations were curtailed under the national security law.[4]
Locally dubbed the 831 incident in reference to its date,[5] this episode profoundly influenced public opinion regarding police behavior amid the protests.
Timeline
According to reports, protesters engaged in flash mob actions on MTR lines, causing damage to Mong Kok MTR station. Violent encounters erupted between demonstrators and opposing groups equipped with weapons such as hammers and box cutters aboard a Kwun Tong line train traveling toward Tiu Keng Leng and on the platform.
Upon arrival at Prince Edward station, Police Raptor Squads deployed batons and pepper spray against passengers indiscriminately without making arrests, while detaining others on platforms and within stationary trains. Eyewitnesses recounted that law enforcement officers assaulted individuals who were not involved in protests.
The train continued to Yau Ma Tei station, where wounded passengers were evacuated amidst disorder, with scenes including bloodied bandages and umbrellas. Authorities subsequently shut down access to the station, barring entry even for journalists and medical personnel who protested these restrictions as hindering emergency aid.
In total, seven individuals required hospitalization following the operation; three additional injured persons from earlier on the Kwun Tong line were also admitted at Yau Ma Tei prior to fire services' arrival. Police initially prevented access to platforms, which delayed rescue efforts. Reports indicated it took over two and a half hours for injured people to receive hospital treatment.
By 1 November, authorities had detained 65 individuals connected to the event. Charges brought against suspects included "unauthorised assembly," "criminal damage," and "obstruction of a police officer." Notably, despite eyewitness accounts of harm caused by a counter-protester wielding a hammer, no arrest was made in that case.
Two accused persons aged 33 and 13 faced formal charges for "possession of offensive or lethal weapons," with court hearings commencing on 2 September and extending into November. As of early November, sixty-two defendants remained out on bail. Another teenager aged 15 was released without charges in October after a court declined his application for protective measures.
Aftermath
The Hong Kong Fire Services Department adjusted the originally reported number of injured individuals from 10 down to 7.
On 6 September 2019, demonstrators organized sit-in protests demanding that the MTR disclose the closed-circuit television recordings and called for an official police apology over alleged excessive use of force. One of the MTR station exits became an informal memorial site adorned with flowers and messages, which protesters restored after attempts to remove them were made.
A protest held on 31 October near the station marked the two-month anniversary of the event. This gathering, lacking police authorization, escalated into confrontations that caused at least three people to be hurt and led to one arrest. Protesters also damaged traffic signals, vandalized exits of Mong Kok MTR station, and ignited a fire on Nathan Road.
A teenager who sustained injuries subsequently initiated a civil lawsuit against the Hong Kong Police Force, accusing them of assault and seeking compensation.
On 10 November 2021, a male student from the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts admitted guilt to rioting charges linked to destruction of station property and threatening pedestrians. Justice Douglas Yau characterized him as a "frontline offender" who "recklessly vandalised" the control room. The initial sentence was four years; accounting for his guilty plea, he was sentenced to 40 months in prison.
Reactions
Police faced accusations of deceit, with critics alleging they misrepresented innocent bystanders as arrest targets and denied indiscriminate violence, while claiming that "undercover violent protesters" disguised themselves by changing clothes.
Amnesty International Hong Kong demanded an investigation following the Special Tactical Squad’s aggressive entry into Prince Edward station, which involved beating and pepper-spraying passengers. The Hong Kong Bar Association condemned police misconduct, citing video evidence showing indiscriminate attacks and the use of pepper spray inside train compartments without any arrests being made.
Surveys conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI) and the CUHK Centre for Communication revealed that a substantial portion of the public believed rumors that police had killed civilians during the 31 August MTR raid—52% according to CUHK’s poll and 48% in PORI’s October survey. Critics called on the government to form an Independent Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Ordinance.
Prior to the second anniversary of the incident, a journalist received a threatening letter containing a razor blade warning him against reporting on the case. For more than a year, pro-democracy supporters held monthly vigils at Prince Edward station; however, these gatherings ceased due to stricter enforcement under the 2020 national security law. On the fifth anniversary in 2024, a man carrying flowers was detained after bowing at the station.
See also
- Controversies of the Hong Kong Police Force
- 2019 Yuen Long attack
- 2019 November Shooting Incident in Sai Wai Ho
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