A pro-Beijing lawmaker was stabbed in the street today by a man carrying a bunch of flowers.
Video footage posted online shows the assailant giving flowers to Junius Ho before asking permission to take a picture with him.
He then draws what appears to be a knife from his bag and stabs Mr Ho in the chest - but is quickly overpowered by the injured politician and several others.
The man is heard hurling abuse at his victim, calling him “human scum”.
Mr Ho, who was taken to hospital, told reporters that the stabbing caused a minor wound and was blocked by his rib cage. The attacker was arrested.
It is the latest in a series of attacks on people on either side of the pro-democracy demonstrations that have rocked Hong Kong for the past five months.
Mr Ho, who was campaigning for local council elections when he was attacked, became a hate figure for the protest movement over his alleged links to armed masked men in white T-shirts who attacked demonstrators and passengers at a subway station in July.
At least 45 people were injured in the violence and there were accusations that police had colluded with the attackers.
Protesters have repeatedly trashed Mr Ho’s office and desecrated his parents’ graves.
After today’s attack, Mr Ho released a statement in which he said “black forces” were targeting pro-establishment candidates.
“I will remain courageous and fearless,” he added.
