People hold flowers to mourn the death of the assailant who stabbed a police officer in Hong Kong, on July 2, 2021. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
HONG KONG (Kyodo) -- A 50-year-old man stabbed a policeman with a knife and died by suicide in Hong Kong late Thursday, the 24th anniversary of the city's handover from Britain to China, local authorities said.
The 28-year-old officer, who was deployed in front of the Sogo department store in the Causeway Bay shopping district, was stabbed from behind at around 10 p.m. and seriously injured.
The assailant then stabbed himself in the chest and died after being taken to a hospital.
Around 10,000 police officers had reportedly been deployed throughout the city Thursday to prevent pro-democracy protesters from gathering for the anniversary.
Police found suicide notes as well as pro-democracy materials in the assailant's home, according to local media. The case has been classified as attempted murder and suicide.
On Friday, Secretary for Security Chris Tang called the act a "lone wolf terrorist attack," saying investigations found that the assailant had been "radicalized."
Police condemned the act and cautioned against those who have lauded the assailant as a "martyr."
Meanwhile, mourners gathered in Causeway Bay to lay down white flowers in the assailant's memory as police officers looked on.
Police had banned an annual July 1 pro-democracy rally in the city, citing public health concerns during the coronavirus pandemic.
But at least 19 people were arrested on various charges Thursday, according to local media reports.
Among them, 11 people, including Wong Yat-Chin, convener of a group called Student Politicism, were arrested in Mong Kok district for allegedly distributing materials deemed to be seditious, according to the reports.
Under the city's criminal offences ordinance, a person who prints, publishes or distributes seditious publications can face a fine of HK$5,000 ($644) and a prison term of two years for a first offense.
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