Pro-democracy activist Tommy Cheung has said that he was punched, kicked and attacked with an umbrella during an assault on Monday night that left him hospitalised.

The potential Legislative Council by-election candidate cited police as telling him that the attack was likely related to him receiving a letter containing a blade earlier in the day. The letter referred to his allegations relating to an alleged bid-rigging network behind two cleaning companies targeted in a recent labour strike.

Tommy Cheung in hospital. Photo: Tommy Cheung’s campaign team.

The 23-year-old was attacked in Tai Wai by two men shortly after 11pm. He recovered and attended a court hearing on Tuesday morning. Cheung is charged with public nuisance over his role in the 2014 pro-democracy Umbrella Movement.

Attacked on a busy street

Speaking to InMedia outside court, Cheung said that he ran to a busier street after being attacked by the men, but they pushed him onto the ground and beat him with an umbrella.

He said that two passers-by saw the incident and called the police, while the attackers ran off.

“At present I have two swollen bruises on my head and cannot fully bend my right hand – but nothing more serious than that,” he wrote on Facebook.

Tommy Cheung. File Photo: In-Media.

“I thank the two members of the public for their help, and condemn the attackers – and any person or organisation behind them.”

He also said that the attackers did not communicate with him during the assault. He did not want to speculate on who ordered the attack, but police told him they believed it likely that it was related to the letter he received.

Police told HKFP that they are treating the incident as a case of assault and criminal intimidation, and no arrests have yet been made.