Activist resurfaces to clear 'mystery death'

A protester rumored to have died in a Prince Edward MTR station fight has reappeared to clear up the mystery.

Wong Mau-chun, 29, referred to as "Hon Bo-sun," was presumed missing or dead. But now he is seen alive and well in Britain in a video on social media.

On August 31 last year, after media and first-aiders were ordered out of Prince Edward station, rumors circulated that someone named Hon had died or gone missing after a police assault on protesters and passengers.

On the first anniversary of the incident yesterday, Wong said that on July 17 this year - the eve of a court hearing - he fled to Britain to seek political asylum.

Wong said he had kept a low profile and did not speak up as he waited for his case to begin. But he can now speak freely.

"I was taking part in protests in Causeway Bay," he recalled. "I crossed the harbor by MTR [and] saw people gathering on the platforms of Mong Kok station.

"This is when the police special tactical force [the Raptors] entered the station, and all protesters started to move toward the lowest level of the station and boarded a train heading toward Tiu Keng Leng."

But a group of pro-establishment supporters were on the train and had weapons, he said. They told the protesters to get off.

"They had cutters, hammers and wooden rods, and a verbal confrontation broke out," Wong said. "It did not end when the train arrived in Prince Edward I thought it was a waste of time so I sprayed a fire extinguisher in hopes of separating the sides."

The MTR then closed the station and riot police and a Raptor squad rushed in. Wong was arrested. "A reporter asked for my name but must have misheard it," he said. "And so I was referred to as Hon Bo-sun online."

As the Ho name did not appear in police or court documents rumors spread that someone of that name had died or gone missing.

Wong also accused police of forcing him into photographs with "evidence" that did not belong to him. And he was charged with seven more counts, including two of rioting and two of causing criminal damage on top of the original one of illegal assembly.

"This was very ridiculous," Wong said. "I have video footage that proves I was only standing there, but to charge me with rioting - this is obviously suppression As I could not be sure of a fair trial in Hong Kong courts I decided to leave the SAR."