January 1, 2020 was an unforgettable night for 23-year-old Police Constable Ho Sze-chun. That evening, he was on plainclothes patrol in Mong Kok with his colleague during the peak of the social unrest to report the whereabouts of rioters to superiors.

At around 11pm, the two of them were discovered by a group of rioters they followed near the Golden Era Plaza. While they were rushing to leave, the rioters ran after them. Ho Sze-chun is an avid long-distance runner, he was sure he could run away from the rioters but taking his colleague’s safety into consideration, he asked her to leave first to seek help and support. In the midst of danger, he took out the baton and disclosed his identity.

As he was greatly outnumbered, he was beaten on the ground and sustained head injury. He was kicked and punched by the rioters and one of them even knelt on his neck. “I thought I would die at the time, but my father’s words came to my mind, he is also a police officer and he always reminds me that the role of a police officer is to uphold law and order. This belief made me hold on to the rioter who had knelt on my neck,” he recalled.

He was attacked for almost a minute, until he heard the rioters cried out loudly, “Run, police are coming!” He knew help was on the way, so he grabbed hold of the rioter’s thigh. Colleagues rushed to the scene and arrested the 19-year-old young man involved in the case. Ho Sze-chun fainted due to exhaustion and was sent to the hospital for treatment. After examination, it was discovered that he had suffered from intracranial haemorrhage and a concussion.

However, Ho Sze-chun’s physical pain was far less compared to the psychological pain he suffered. After the news of his attack was reported, former friends from his social network insulted him. His family members were doxxed and bullied. So for a while he refused to read related news and avoided walking past the crime scene.

Fortunately, he overcame this difficult period by consulting psychologists from the Force’s Psychological Services Group and drawing strength from his religion. He said, “Religion has taught me forgiveness. I understand that some friends will leave me, but I also have friends who support me, for example, Power Sir. He is my neighbour since childhood and also a long-distance running teammate, we joined the Force one after the other.” Unexpectedly, seven months after Ho Sze-chun was attacked by the rioters, Power Sir was also stabbed by a rioter while on duty.

This pair of buddies were awarded Medals for Bravery by the Chief Executive this year. Ho Sze-chun received the Medal for Bravery (Bronze), while Power Sir was awarded the Medal for Bravery (Silver). Currently, Ho Sze-chun has been posted to the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau to embrace new challenges. He said that he was greatly encouraged by the medal, and he would remain steadfast in his mission to uphold law and order.