knife attack editor chief hong_kong daily newspaper attacked morning february getting car hong_kong men waiting suffered stab wounds legs rushed hospital underwent emergency surgery police commentators agree style attack aimed killing pro establishment figures sought concerning link attack press freedom local journalists local press saw attack trend mainland chinese interests seek hong_kong vibrant free press thousands people led leading journalists attended rally violence intimidation media reward million information leading bringing justice perpetrators people connections hong_kong arrested connection attack main suspects fled china august men sentenced hong_kong years imprisonment attack background editorial credible news outlets hong_kong tradition strong record investigative reporting journalist law degree editor chief hong_kong retirement predecessor colleague time describes mild guy intellectual lawyer journalist way radical controversial character leadership continued liberal stance investigated suspicious death spoken government policies moral favour greater democratic reforms hong_kong stance seen chinese central government journal political scandals including illegal basement controversy similar scandal involving opponent election chief executive hong_kong paper contributed investigative work work looked offshore assets china leaders including relatives communist_party general secretary premier members led published stories january abruptly replaced singapore based malaysian according economist widely regarded pro establishment editor chief vocal advocate compulsory school children shelved amid large protests appointed chief operating officer subsidiary parent organisation journal publishes electronic books teaching materials journalism academic said manner replaced extremely abnormal owners need explain staff journal feared meant independent tradition staged protests petitioned demanding know reason removal senior writers refused submit copy columns protest colleagues signed petition calling press freedom thousand people took streets february support reaction apparent controls press violence journalists media owners 1990s attacks journalists media owners aligned journalist stabbed broadcaster gang leaving office stabbed june publisher weekly magazine banned mainland beaten men armed masked men knives threatened workers media publisher set thousands copies paper fire proprietor supporter pan democracy camp gate home rammed stolen car attacker left weapons scene fled financial pressure press freedom advocates point trend increasing self censorship editors media substantial business interests china installing editors pro china reported outspoken tabloid free sheet suffered advertising boycott mainland chinese companies beijing representative office frequently pressures free media hong_kong revise remove coverage hong_kong ranking reporters borders index press freedom slid 18th place 61st incident attacked february approximately parking car near restaurant known frequent breakfast armed meat soon got car leading knife wounds attacker climbed motorcycle driven accomplice sped away managed police telephone attackers raced away admitted hospital critical condition police described attack classic style hit intended warning intent kill chest wounds penetrated lung academic studied crime believes attack planned attackers obviously knew parts body attack order cause severe harm killing intended kill targeted neck legs returned work august reactions day attack group people held outside government headquarters calling said deeply angry conduct attack broad daylight offered reward million information leading family reported police protection participating investigations assets china leaders said aware connection investigation attack paper editorial director said operating police investigations reviewing recently published stories try establish possible motives staff said distraught shock reward million days making offer columnist summarised fear journalists saying respected editor attacked blatant ruthless manner news gathering business safe journalism organisations outraged attack journalists association condemned violence expressed shock incident urged government ensure safety members press saw attack politically motivated trend communist_party seeks reign hong_kong vibrant free press friend fellow journalist said attack strongly suggests somebody powerful course work commentary said aspects case stand clearly came kill easily hired purpose targeted particular individual random exercise planned assault intended send message working scenario pieces align powerful wealthy evil angered ambiguity case attack freedom press community needs respond spokesman declined link attack work china admitted growing chilling effect journalists media houses hong_kong pressure coming china hong_kong known cities world people agree attack disturbing regardless motive representatives mainland china hong_kong expressed concern attack hong_kong chief executive expressed outrage excess people dressed black attended rally march defence press freedom banners bore slogan kill chief executive paper new chief editor photographed rally pro beijing present organisers claimed participants attended march pre recorded message rally urged people freedom granted said assume change takes guard march culminated police headquarters organisers delivered signature petition legislators strongly condemned attack urging police spare effort arrest bring justice pan democrats sought link attack press freedom motion amendments pro establishment figures argued early conclude issues linked said privately believed strong link attack freedom press ought investigations ongoing motion condemning violent attack passed unanimously amendments urging preservation press freedom protection journalists voted end march arrests people connections gang arrested connection attack main suspects detained china seven arrested locations sweeps hong_kong march received word march tracked mainland police police commissioner said suspected attack carried hired hands august men sentenced years imprisonment cold attack judge said lacked direct evidence attack motivated financial gain related work journalists deserved adequate protection law
Knife attack on Kevin Lau