A dispute over a seat on an MTR train escalated into a violent assault that a 29-year-old woman says has left her injured, traumatized, and without a job.
The incident occurred at around 9am on Sunday (Jan 4) when the woman collided with a man in his 70s as both moved toward an empty seat in a crowded train carriage.
Video footage circulating online shows the man, who spoke with a mainland accent, shouting profanities before throwing a forceful punch at the woman following the brief physical contact.
Nearby passengers intervened quickly, with some condemning the man’s actions. One passenger was heard shouting, “Don’t resort to violence!”
In an interview, the woman said she had been standing in the carriage listening to music when she felt herself being pushed. When she turned around, she was confronted by the elderly man, who hurled insults at her before suddenly punching her in the face.
“His punch left me dazed and dizzy,” the woman said. She added that the circulating footage captured only part of the incident, saying she had already been struck “at least two to three times” before the recording began.
Trauma compounded by job loss
The woman, who has a history of depression, described the assault as deeply traumatizing.
Beyond injuries to her lips and jaw, she said she now fears going outside, suffers from nightmares, and repeatedly relives the incident. She said the emotional distress has been severe and overwhelming.
Her situation worsened when a job offer was withdrawn just two hours before she was due to sign the contract. The woman said she believes the decision was linked to the online attention generated by the widely shared footage of the assault.
Investigation ongoing
In response to media inquiries, police confirmed they received a report from a woman who was assaulted inside an MTR train at Wong Tai Sin Station on Jan 4.
The victim sustained facial injuries and was taken to United Christian Hospital for treatment.
The case has been classified as common assault and is being handled by the Wong Tai Sin Police District. No arrests have been made so far.
