Firebombs hurled at home of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai were ‘attack on press freedom’
Attacks inflict little damage but do send a message, police say, as the media mogul joins key Occupy figures to face arrest over sit-ins
Masked assailants hurled petrol bombs at the home and head office of Next Media founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in coordinated attacks early yesterday morning, prompting a wave of condemnation against the violence.
The attacks, which a police source believed were designed to send a warning, came as Lai and more than 30 other key players in the Occupy movement faced arrest this month for their role in the civil disobedience actions.
Civic Party vice-chairwoman and former legislator Tanya Chan was arrested on suspicion of instigating others to take part in an unauthorised assembly when she arrived at the police headquarters at the force's request yesterday. She was released at about 9pm after refusing bail. Police said they retained the right to prosecute her.
Lai is expected to be arrested when he goes to the Wan Chai police headquarters on Wednesday next week.
The first attack occurred at about 1.45am yesterday when a man, wearing a surgical mask and a hood to hide his features, hurled a Molotov cocktail at the front gate of Lai's home on Kadoorie Avenue in Ho Man Tin. He fled in a seven-seat car driven by an accomplice.
A security guard called police after he put out the blaze with an extinguisher. Lai was at home at the time of the attack.