Football Fans use Hong Kong Premier League Game to Make Political Point over Bloody Clash at MTR Station
Sport again became a political football on Saturday when a group of fans protested during the Hong Kong Premier League match between Kitchee and Yuen Long.
At Mong Kok Stadium, fans put up jerseys with the number 7 and 21 on them, apparently in memory of a bloody clash in Yuen Long on July 21.
When the game reached the 21st minute, a small group of fans chanted against police, who they have accused of being missing from the scene when people were attacked in the Yuen Long MTR station.
One of them, who only wished to identify himself as Mr Kwan, said sport could never be separated from politics, and that was why the fans took the opportunity to make themselves heard.
They claimed they had also been let down by Wilson Wong Wai-shun, the president of Yuen Long Football Club, in the July 21 incident. Wong, who is a lawyer, is also vice-chairman of the Yuen Long District Council.
“We chose this match because Wong is a key official at the club,” Mr Kwan said. “We wanted to tell him as the vice-chairman of the council, he should have pushed a thorough investigation into the incident that took place on July 21, which he didn’t. We are so disappointed. We are football fans, but are also Hong Kong people who know what is wrong, and what is right.”
Wong, who recently had arm surgery, was not at the game and was also absent when his side played host to Eastern on the opening day the season a fortnight ago.
But, the district councilor was seen when a group of people in white T-shirts attacked protesters, passengers, and innocent passers-by inside Yuen Long MTR station in July. Wong said he was trying to stop the mob from attacking, but some have accused him of helping the attackers.
The civil unrest has affected sport in Hong Kong.
Last Tuesday, 14,000 fans filled Hong Kong Stadium when the city played Iran in a World Cup qualifier. Fans jeered the Chinese national anthem at the beginning of the game, before singing the unofficial protest song, Glory to Hong Kong. They also formed a human chain in the 40,000 seat So Kon Po venue at half-time.
On Friday, the Hong Kong Tennis Association said the social unrest had caused it to postpone its flagship tournament, the Hong Kong Tennis Open, which was scheduled for early October at Victoria Park.
