Seven Hong Kong police officers were charged on Thursday with assaulting a pro-democracy protester in a beating captured on video – but the victim is also now facing arrest in the heavily criticised case.
It is one year to the day since the attack on Civic Party activist Ken Tsang, footage of which was beamed around the world at the height of mass protests for free leadership elections in Hong Kong.
“Seven police officers have been jointly charged with one count of causing grievous bodily harm with intent,” a police spokeswoman said today.
She would not give the names and ages of the officers who have been released on bail and will appear in court on Monday.
But Tsang himself said he now also faces charges of assaulting and obstructing police, which he dubbed as “ridiculous”. He was asked to attend a police station today.
Video footage aired by local television network TVB showed a group of men hauling a handcuffed Tsang to a dark corner in a public park in the early hours of October 15 last year.
One stands over him and punches him, as three others are seen repeatedly kicking him, in a case that has rocked the reputation of the normally respected police force.
Seven officers were arrested in November and suspended from duty over the attack but the case then stalled.
