Fairchild Radio host resigns after comments over violence in Hong Kong provoke intense online backlash

A radio host at one of B.C.'s most listened to Chinese radio stations has resigned after comments he made about ongoing protests in Hong Kong provoked intense online backlash.

Thomas Leung addressed one of the most violent videos to have emerged from recent protests in Hong Kong, showing protesters in black shirts heading home at Yuen Long subway station in July and being beaten by a mob dressed in white, with no law enforcement in sight. Police sources later said some of the men in white had ties to organized crime.

Leung argued that Hong Kong protesters were not without blame and were being led by Lam Cheuk-ting, a pro-democracy lawmaker who was injured in the attack.

"The society, in general, condemns the white-shirts for running into the railway station and beating up people. But the black-shirts were not innocent," he said on air on August 21st.

"In fact, Lam Cheuk-ting led the black-shirts going to the railway station. They're obviously ready for a fight."

'Personal reasons'

The statements, which have been translated by CBC, triggered a massive online backlash, with thousands of comments on his Facebook page demanding he be fired.

So many complaints were filed to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council, the website's technical capacities were exceeded.

Fairchild Radio issued a statement Friday saying Leung had resigned for "personal reasons."

Neither Leung nor a radio station spokesperson were available for an interview.

In a statement posted fo Facebook, Leung wrote that "current affairs op-ed shows are about listening to different voices and opinions. This is commentary, not news."

"If the courts decide the police and gangsters colluded with each other, and if the evidence shows they didn't provoke ... I can apologize."