A returning officer has received a letter which claimed to hold powder containing “AIDS, anthrax and semen” on Tuesday after she disqualified a pro-independence candidate in the upcoming Legislative Council (LegCo) election.
This is the second letter of a similar nature that New Territories East officer Cora Ho Lai-sheung has received in her office in the past five days. Last Friday, Ho received a letter expressing dissatisfaction with the same issue. Enclosed in the envelope was a razor blade.
The New Territories South crime unit later determined the powder inside the envelope to be flour and categorised the case under criminal intimidation. No one has been arrested in relation to the case, reported Ming Pao.
Previously, Ho received extensive backlash on social media after she disqualified pro-independence candidate Edward Leung Tin-kei of Hong Kong Indigenous from running for LegCo in the New Territories East constituency.
The returning officer of the New Territories West constituency, Alan Lo Wing-ki, received similar criticism online after he disqualified pro-independence candidate Chan Ho-tin of the Hong Kong National Party.
Last Wednesday, a 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of accessing a computer with criminal or dishonest intent after he allegedly threatened violent acts against returning officers.
In the same week, the government condemned “malicious personal attacks,” “intimidating remarks” and threats made online against a returning officer who banned a pro-independence candidate from running in the upcoming Legislative Council election.
