Warden Message: Indiscriminate Corrosive Fluid Attacks in Hong Kong

January 15, 2010

This Warden Message is being issued to alert U. S. citizens to a series of indiscriminate attacks using bottles filled with corrosive fluid that have occurred in Hong Kong since December 2008. The six incidents occurred mostly in popular outdoor shopping areas and resulted in injuries to the victims of the attacks. In all the cases, the attacker or attackers dropped one or more bottles containing corrosive fluid from a multi-story building onto the street. According to Hong Kong officials, the attacker or attackers were not targeting specific individuals.

The first three attacks took place in December 2008, and May and June of 2009 in Mong Kok. Each occurred near crowded intersections of Sai Yeung Choi Street South. On December 12, 2009, pedestrians in the Causeway Bay district were attacked near the Sogo Department Store. Another attack occurred on December 18 in the residential neighborhood of Tuen Mun. The most recent attack occurred on January 9, 2010, within walking distance of Mong Kok in Yau Ma Tei at the popular Temple Street Night Market.

Although U.S. citizens have not been specifically targeted in the attacks, nearly all the incidents have taken place in crowded shopping districts that are popular with tourists.

The U.S. Consulate General Hong Kong urges all U.S. citizens living and travelling in Hong Kong to exercise caution and to take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness.

For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens, please contact the American Citizens Services (ACS) Unit of the U.S. Consulate General's Consular Section located at 26 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong: 24-hour telephone number (852) 2523-9011, direct lines to American Citizen Services are (852) 2841-2211, 2841-2323, 2841-2225; fax (852) 2845-4845; email acshk@state.gov; web page http://hongkong.usconsulate.gov

U.S. citizens residing or traveling abroad are reminded to register with the U.S. Embassy or closest U.S. Consulate by entering your travel itinerary and contact information at: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/. In case of difficulties registering online, please contact the closest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

Last modified: January 15, 2010