In a shocking turn of events on December 10, 2023, a Singaporean family of three found themselves entangled in a heated altercation in Hong Kong.
The root cause? A seemingly mundane complaint about a man smoking at a neighboring table while the family was enjoying a meal at a food stall along Woosung Street in Kowloon, according to a report by HK01.
The Players Involved
The Singaporean Family
Comprising a 54-year-old man, his 52-year-old wife, and their 17-year-old son, the family’s day took an unexpected turn when they voiced their displeasure regarding the neighboring smoker.
The Local Offender
A 50-year-old Hong Kong man, the alleged smoker, became the focal point of the dispute. His response to the complaint triggered a chain of events that led to a full-blown physical altercation.
Sequence of Events
- Complaints and Confrontation
- The Singaporean family expressed their dissatisfaction with the man’s smoking at a nearby table.
- Tensions escalated when, upon leaving the stall and waiting for a taxi, the 54-year-old man was struck on the head with a bottle by the smoker.
- Chase and Scuffle
- A pursuit ensued, leading to a scuffle at a nearby junction between the family and the alleged offender, with a man wearing a blue shirt being pinned down by 2 other men as a woman shouted at the duo to let her husband go, pushing them.
- Social media videos captured the chaotic scene, with onlookers attempting to intervene.
- Police Intervention
- Witnesses reported the arrival of the police equipped with batons and shields.
- Both parties, the Singaporean family and the local man, were arrested under the charge of “assault occasioning actual bodily harm”.
- Hospitalization and Release
- All four individuals involved sustained injuries during the tussle and were subsequently taken to the hospital for treatment.
- Both the Singaporean family and the local man were later released on bail.
Eyewitness Accounts
Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with the 52-year-old woman reportedly holding a bloody tissue. The 54-year-old man claimed that the local man had attempted to flee. The situation intensified as the local man’s wife joined the fray, calling for help and attracting more bystanders.
Police Response
In response to inquiries, the Hong Kong police cited “noise issues” as the catalyst for the altercation. The local man, accused of attacking the Singaporean man with a glass cup, was released on bail, with further investigations ongoing. The Singaporean family was also released, with both parties set to report to the police in early January.