Hong Kong police arrest man after tourist livestreams alleged sexual assault
Hong Kong Free Press
A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault after a woman livestreamed her experience of alleged sexual harassment in a Hong Kong MTR station in the early hours of Monday.
The force made the arrest in Western District at around 11 am on Tuesday morning, according to a police statement, a day after the suspect allegedly “followed [the streamer] into the train station, forcefully kissing her & feeling her up.”
Livestreamed assault
The viral video, which was taken from a livestream on streaming platform Twitch, showed a tourist from South Korea, being followed by a man from a tram station into Central MTR station.
She appeared to resist his advances as he repeatedly grabbed her arm, saying, “come with me, listen.” She responded “please don’t hold my arm,” and tried to shake him off, repeatedly saying “no, no, no.”
The man was then seen following her down the stairs into the station and pushing her against a wall. He left after she called for help as a passer-by witnessed the altercation.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, Inspector Kong Wai-ming of the Central District crime division said the man was suspected of having molested and kissed the woman against her will.
Kong said the force had received more than 10 reports of indecent assault and public indecency in connection with the same suspect. She called on the streamer, and other eyewitnesses, to get in touch with the force and assist in investigations.
Officers said they were able to confiscate articles of clothing that matched those worn by the suspect in the video when the assault happened.
The arrest came after two separate incidents involving allegations of rape and sexual assault at university orientation camps, for which two men were arrested.
Suspect fired from job
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Indian restaurant Chutney Tandoor House, where the suspect worked at the time of the alleged assault, said it had terminated his employment on Monday once management became aware of the incident.
“[W]e strongly condemn this immoral act and do not tolerate it at all. We would like to make it abundantly clear that such behaviour goes against our company’s core values and principles,” the statement read.
The man was also identified on social media as a former employee at Rajasthan Rifles, an Indian restaurant located at the Peak. Hours ahead of the arrest, Black Sheep Restaurants, Rajasthan Rifles’ parent company, released a statement on Instagram condemning the act: “We deplore and do not tolerate this type of behaviour.”
“This individual is not a part of the Rajasthan Rifles team or the Black Sheep community and has not been for one year,” the statement read.
| 💡If you are suffering from sexual or domestic violence, regardless of your age or gender, contact the police, Harmony House (click for details) and/or the Social Welfare Department on 28948896. Dial 999 in emergencies. |
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