Attempted courtroom assault on magistrate leads to increased security

There have been urgent calls for enhanced court security after a man attempted to assault magistrate Edward Wong Ching-yu with a knife in the Kowloon City Magistrates' Courts on Monday. 

The incident occurred when a 32-year-old man, surnamed Lee, who had previously been convicted by Magistrate Wong in an indecent assault case and had completed his sentence, suddenly charged at the magistrate with a knife without uttering a word. 

Lawmaker Doreen Kong Yuk-foon expressed her concern, stating that judges and judicial officers must be able to perform their duties without fear of threats.

She labeled the incident as an act of "contempt" and "injury" to the judicial system and advocated for the implementation of security checks in all courts, including magistrates' courts, to prevent similar incidents in the future.

In response to the incident, the Judiciary said it will progressively implement enhanced security measures -- including security screenings and increased manpower -- starting Tuesday.

It added that it will work closely with the police to strengthen patrols and other safety measures to ensure the protection of judges and judicial officers, court staff as well as court users.

(Updated at 7.55 pm)

Read more: Three injured after knifeman attempted to assault Kowloon City court magistrate