1 July police stabbing

1 July police stabbing
Part of Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict
Stabbed police officer lying on the ground and receiving first aid
LocationCauseway Bay, Hong Kong
Date1 July 2021 (2021-07-01)
~22:10 (UTC+08:00)
TargetPolice officer on duty
Attack type
Suicide attack
WeaponKnife
Deaths1
Injured1
PerpetratorLeung Kin-fai

A suicide attack took place at approximately 22:10 on 1 July 2021, in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong. 50-year-old Leung Kin-fai[1][2] approached a Police Tactical Unit police officer from behind and stabbed him, injuring the officer's scapula and piercing his lung,[3] before Leung committed suicide by stabbing his own heart. Leung was immediately subdued by surrounding police, arrested and sent to hospital. He died at 23:20.[4][5][6]

The stabbed police officer, Wai Ming underwent seven hours of surgery in the emergency room while his family was told they needed to prepare themselves for the worst. Constable Wai survived and learned two days after the attack, that his attacker had already committed suicide. In the aftermath, Wai said he will never forgive someone who believe they can "evade responsibility" by committing suicide and stated that, "this conveys a very wrong message to society, that one can conclude matters by ending one's own life after doing bad things. Violence cannot solve a problem. Violence is never a solution. These are my words to him.'[7]

That the attack targeted a police officer, and that it occurred on the anniversary of the handover of Hong Kong in 1997 – a public holiday in Hong Kong – , was making the attack particularly shocking according to observers.[8] Suspected motives of the perpetrator include dissatisfaction with Hong Kong police allegedly sheltering criminals, and opposition to the implementation of the Hong Kong national security law and its ramifications on the course of democratic development in Hong Kong.[2] The Hong Kong government characterised the attack as an act of terrorism.[9]

Some Hong Kong netizens called Leung a "martyr" and "brave". Some citizens went to the attack site to lay flowers[10] and bow.[11][12] A motion on 7 July of student union members at the University of Hong Kong which praised the "sacrifice" of the attacker was withdrawn two days later, after strong condemnations by the government and the university.[13] With student union leaders promptly resigning, the government nevertheless advocated for action by the university and possibly legal action by police.[14] Student union offices were searched on 16 July and four students who had participated in the meeting were arrested on national security charges on 18 August.[15]

Police strongly condemned the mourning and stated that encouraging such memorials of Leung was "no different from supporting terrorism".[10] While it did not declare the laying of flowers to mourn the attacker to be illegal, a national security police officer said on 6 July that it did not recommend "these so-called mourning rituals".[16] The Hong Kong Police issued a public statement and said that people should not be glorifying a "murderer" and his actions and said: "Advocating mourning the murderer is tantamount to supporting terrorism and inciting more hatred and division. In the end, it will only undermine social order, endanger public safety, and threaten every Hong Kong citizen."[17]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b "刺警後自戕 港男遺書批警暴 官方定調「孤狼」禁獻花悼念 ｜ 蘋果新聞網 ｜ 蘋果日報". 6 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference scmp_20210702 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "警員銅鑼灣崇光百貨外遇襲 疑犯受傷送院後不治 (23:59) – 20210701 – 港聞". 明報新聞網 – 即時新聞 instant news (in Traditional Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  5. ^ "銅鑼灣警員遇襲案 涉案男子受傷送院搶救後不治 – RTHK" (in Chinese (Taiwan)). RTHK. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  6. ^ "【7.1刺警案】警銅鑼灣崇光外中刀 懷疑施襲男再用刀自插心口送院亡 | 立場新聞". Stand News (in Chinese). Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 8 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Exclusive: 'I can't forgive him,' says Hong Kong police officer injured in knife attack". South China Morning Post. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference cnn_20210711 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Soo, Zen (2 July 2021). "Hong Kong police officer's condition improves after stabbing". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 July 2021. Retrieved 27 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Police warn Hongkongers not to mourn for or support man who stabbed officer, says 'no different from supporting terrorism'". Hong Kong Free Press. Agence France-Presse. 4 July 2021. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ "【7.1血案】鮮花悼念被指亂丟垃圾 網上調查「不買賬」官方定調". Radio Free Asia. Archived from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference hkfp_20210709_b was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference hkfp_20210713 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference scmp_20210818 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference hkfp_20210707 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "香港七一刺警案：维他奶争议引中港消费者夹击 中国超市下架". www.abc.net.au (in Chinese). 8 July 2021. Retrieved 7 January 2023.