| 2019 Yuen Long attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests | |
Top: Armed men dressed in white attacking passengers on the platform of Yuen Long station; Mobsters in Nam Pin Wai Village Bottom: Riot police seemingly ignoring armed men dressed in white who were intimidating reporters | |
  Location in Hong Kong | |
| Native name | 7·21 元朗襲擊 |
| Location | Yuen Long, New Territories, Hong Kong |
| Coordinates | 22°26′46″N 114°2′8″E / 22.44611°N 114.03556°E |
| Date | 21 July 2019 20:30 – 04:30[1] (HKT, UTC+08:00) |
| Target | Anti-extradition bill protesters returning from a demonstration on the same day |
Attack type | Congregation of people leading to confrontations,[2] violent acts[3] and assault cases[4] (by official) |
| Weapons | Wooden sticks, handles, poles, rattan canes, steel rods, metal tubes,[5] knife, iron pass |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Injured | At least 45 people (1 critical and 5 in serious condition) |
| Victims |
|
| Assailants | 600-700 (at peak) white-shirted men with triad background[6] |
| 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests |
|---|
 |
| 2019 Yuen Long attack | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional Chinese | 2019年元朗襲擊事件 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 2019年元朗袭击事件 | ||
| |||
| Alternative name | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 721事件 | ||
| |||
| Alternative name（3） | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 元朗暴力事件 | ||
| |||
| Alternative name（4） | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 721西鐵元朗站事件 | ||
| Simplified Chinese | 721西铁元朗站事件 | ||
| |||
| Alternative name（5） | |||
| Traditional Chinese | 元朗黑夜 | ||
| |||
The 2019 Yuen Long attack, also known as the 721 incident,[7] refers to a mob attack that occurred in Yuen Long, a town in the New Territories of Hong Kong, on the evening of 21 July 2019.[8] It took place in the context of the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests.[8][9][10] A mob dressed in white stormed the MTR's Yuen Long station[11][12] and attacked protesters returning from a demonstration in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong Island as well as bystanders.[13]
Despite over 24,000 calls to the 999 emergency hotline,[14] the police arrived 39 minutes after the attacks and one minute after the mobs had left the station.[15][16][17] Around 30 non-police tactical unit trained police officers were assigned to standby at Tuen Mun Police Station for contingency.[18] At least 45 people were injured in the incident.[19][20]
The government condemned the violence.[21] There was widespread criticism of the police for its poor response to the incident and disputed narrative of the events. As of September 2022, eight assailants have been convicted. Attacked passengers and protestors were later charged with riot as well, with at least one found guilty.[22]
- ^ "元朗無差別襲擊事件重組：警察在白衣人離開一分鐘後到場". 23 July 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "The Government strongly condemns violent acts". Government of Hong Kong. 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
Meanwhile in Yuen Long, some people congregated at the platforms of the MTR station and train compartments, attacking commuters. It led to confrontations and injuries.
- ^ "Transcript of remarks by CE at media session (with video)". Government of Hong Kong. 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 13 September 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
At the time when we issued that statement about the Yuen Long violent acts
- ^ "Police condemn violent acts". Government of Hong Kong. 22 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2019. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
Meanwhile, assault cases also happened in Yuen Long.
- ^ 凌逸德 (23 July 2019). "【元朗黑夜】黑社會跨幫派聯手搗亂西鐵站 藤條鑲珠賤招毒打市民". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "721 Yuen Long Attack". HKCNEWS. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
- ^ Jha, Preeti (31 August 2020). "Hong Kong protests: The flashpoints in a year of anger". BBC. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b Leung, Christy; Ting, Victor (22 July 2019). "Hong Kong police chief defends officers arriving 35 minutes after first reports of Yuen Long mob violence against protesters and MTR passengers". South China Morning Post. Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "Pan-dems accuse police of collusion with Yuen Long triads". The Standard. Hong Kong: Sing Tao News Corporation. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "Mob Attack at Hong Kong Train Station Heightens Seething Tensions in City". The New York Times. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "'Where were the police?' Hong Kong outcry after masked thugs launch attack". The Guardian. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ "45 injured after mob attack at Hong Kong MTR station". Channel NewsAsia. 22 July 2019. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ Cheng, Kris (22 July 2019). "Chaos and bloodshed in Hong Kong district as hundreds of masked men assault protesters, journalists, residents". Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP). Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ Mahtani, Shibani; Shih, Gerry. "Hong Kong protesters occupy airport amid fears of escalating violence". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
- ^ "元朗無差別襲擊事件重組：警察在白衣人離開一分鐘後到場 – 端傳媒 – 23 July 2019". 23 July 2019. Archived from the original on 15 September 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ 港鐵稱報警後警員「都有段時間」才到元朗站 – RTHK (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). RTHK. Archived from the original on 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- ^ "【睇片】元朗站惡煞木棒打人 《立場》記者市民被追打受傷 事發半小時未見警員執法 – 立場報道 – 立場新聞". The Stand News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Archived from the original on 21 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
- ^ "Police standing idly by in Yuen Long police station while the attack occurred with a great number of citizens demanding the Police to take action" (PDF). Archived from the original on 3 September 2020.
- ^ At least 45 injured as rod-wielding mob dressed in white rampages through Yuen Long station, beating screaming protesters Archived 22 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine – South China Morning Post
- ^ 【元朗襲擊】白裙女懷孕不足3個月沒通知醫院 診所求醫證胎平安 (22:46). online "instant news". Ming Pao. Hong Kong: Media Chinese International. 23 July 2019. Archived from the original on 24 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Hong Kong accountant found guilty of rioting after Yuen Long mob attack in 2019". HKFP. 5 April 2024.