A man was arrested after attempting to attack a magistrate with a knife at the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on Monday morning, injuring three officers.
The attack occurred at around 10 am on the eighth floor of the court. The man suddenly rushed out from the public seating area with the aim of assaulting a magistrate with a knife. The magistrate managed to escape, but three officers — a court security officer and two police officers who were at the court at the time — sustained minor injuries when trying to apprehend the suspect.
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Four knives, varying in length from 27 to 46 centimeters, were discovered among the suspect’s possessions. Four bottles containing a flammable solution, two bottles of an unidentified powder, and a collection of lighters and matches were also recovered.
Police also found in the suspect’s belongings court documents related to an indecent assault case from 2020 and papers expressing dissatisfaction with the verdict. They said the suspect was involved in the case, which is pending appeal.
Sources have indicated that the magistrate targeted in the attack is Edward Wong Ching-yu. The suspect had previously been sentenced to 21 days in prison by Wong for an indecent assault case.
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The official website of the city's Judiciary shows that security screening has been implemented at some of the city's court buildings; however, the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts has no such screening mechanism in place. Currently, police officers are stationed at the court’s entrances and exits.
In a statement released on Monday afternoon, the Department of Justice said it strongly condemns the attempt to attack the magistrate, adding that the government will not tolerate any such illegal or violent acts, and that it will thoroughly investigate this case and strictly enforce the law to ensure the offender is held to account.
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Citing Article 85 of the Basic Law, the DoJ reaffirmed that Hong Kong's courts will exercise judicial power independently, free from any interference. Intimidation — in particular, violence in any form against judges who are performing their judicial duties — will never be tolerated.
The department stated that such illegal acts not only disregard the law but also undermine the rule of law, and appealed to the public to respect the rule of law and not to break the law.
