Man set on fire after spat with protester (Nov 11, 2019)

HONG KONG - Hong Kong police arrested two men on Thursday on suspicion of helping two arson suspects flee the city, the authorities said on Friday. 

The two arson suspects allegedly set an elderly man on fire during an anti-government protest stemming from the extradition bill incident in 2019, police said.

The duo arrested on Thursday were aged 39 and 60, respectively, police said. They allegedly bought airline tickets for the two arson suspects to help them leave Hong Kong in November and December 2019

The duo arrested on Thursday were aged 39 and 60, respectively, police said. They allegedly bought airline tickets for the two arson suspects to help them leave Hong Kong in November and December 2019, a police representative told reporters on Friday. They were accused of “facilitating offenders”, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

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Describing the attack as an “extremely serious and violent” incident in November 2019, a police spokesperson said the elderly man was attacked after he attempted to prevent a black-clad man and his partners from vandalizing the Ma On Shan train station. He was subsequently attacked and set on fire by the black-clad man, police said.

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The attacker and one of his accomplices, who was also at the scene of the attack, fled the city with the help of the duo who were arrested on Thursday, according to the police. The two escapees are now wanted by police.

Police have arrested 18 people in relation to the attack and vandalism to the train station. They were arrested on charges of rioting, conspiracy to criminal damage, and misconduct in a public place, police said.