Andrew Chiu has surgery to reattach bitten off ear

Andrew Chiu's ear was bitten off on Sunday night. Photo: RTHK

Paramedics carry away one of the people injured in Sunday's attack. Photo: AFP

The Democratic Party's Andrew Chiu has undergone surgery to reattach an ear that was bitten off during a vicious attack in Tai Koo on Sunday night, according to his partymate Lam Cheuk-ting.



But Lam said it wasn't clear whether the district councillor would suffer any permanent injury.



A large chunk of Chiu's left ear was bitten off as he tried to prevent a man who had allegedly attacked a family with a knife from fleeing the scene outside Cityplaza.



Civic Party lawmaker Jeremy Tam said he hoped the attack was an isolated incident and that it does not mark an escalation in violence.



"The violence in Hong Kong has actually calmed down a little bit if you compare it to, say, three or four weeks ago, but it's more down to the individual case," Tam said.



"So I hope it's just an isolated case rather than an escalation. But also, last night, it didn't seem like a planned event."



As well as Chiu, four other people were also undergoing treatment in hospital, including the alleged attacker.



At least three people were arrested after the attack which took place shortly after riot police had burst in in response to vandalism by some people who had taken part in an otherwise peaceful protest.



Residents of the middle-class residential area gathered to berate the riot police later in the evening. Officers fired tear gas before leaving the scene.