PUBLISHED ONJanuary 09, 2026 1:55 PMBYSean LerThe elderly man seen in now-viral videos assaulting a female commuter on a packed MTR train at Wong Tai Sin station on Sunday (Jan 4) evening has been arrested by Hong Kong police.
In videos uploaded on social media, the elderly man, reportedly in his 70s, is seen throwing a punch at a woman wearing a black jacket.
The altercation allegedly occurred after he collided with the woman while attempting to move across the aisle of the train carriage to get to an empty seat.
The 29-year-old woman said she was listening to music when she felt herself being pushed, Hong Kong's The Standard reported. When she turned around, she was confronted by the elderly man, who became verbally abusive and suddenly punched her in the face.
When other commuters pointed out that Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law, the man reportedly said: "So what about Hong Kong?"
He then remarked to those around him: "I wanted to move over and sit there but she didn't let me. Was I wrong?"
@asiaone What began as a rush for a seat on a crowded Hong Kong MTR train quickly turned ugly when an elderly man punched a female passenger for allegedly blocking his way. #news #HongKongnews #hongkong #argument #elderly #mtr ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
In response to media queries, Hong Kong police said on Jan 7 that they were investigating the incident, adding that the victim sustained facial injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
In a follow-up report, The Standard reported that the man was arrested on Jan 9 and that police investigations are ongoing. The case has been classified as common assault.
The woman also told local media in an interview that in addition to the physical pain from her injuries, she has been struggling mentally since the incident.
The woman said that she experienced nightmares and developed a fear of leaving home.
She also revealed that she was dismissed from her new job as a chef at a new restaurant a day after the incident - believing it was linked to videos of the alleged assault going viral.
The offence of common assault in Hong Kong carries a maximum penalty of one year's jail.
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