Mainland tour group leaves Macao after attack dispute
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A 26-member tour group from the Chinese mainland who were caught in an alleged attack dispute left Macao Tuesday morning after their tour bus had been rounded up by dozens of angry tour guides for several hours.
Macao Government Tourist Office (MGTO) said in a statement Tuesday that all the members of the tour group left Macao through the Border Gate in the morning as scheduled, including three members who were pointed out by local guides as assailants in the dispute.
According to the statement, the dispute erupted when the 26-member group from China's northeastern Liaoning Province complained that their local tour guides were late to pick them up and failed to hold up tour group banners when they arrived at the Outer Harbor ferry terminal from Hong Kong before 9 a.m., a bit earlier than scheduled.
The statement said that a tour guide from another travel agency who attempted to mediate in the dispute at the ferry terminal was allegedly attacked by three members of the group. The incident was reported to the Public Security Police (PSP), who arrived at the scene and took statements by the three tourists for allegedly assault.
Local media reported that the injured tour guide, Cheng Mon Ton, was rushed to hospital at his own request. He is said to have sustained minor injuries in the face, chest, legs and head.
Later, dozens of local tour guides appeared outside a complex, at which the three alleged assailants were caught watching a show.
The guides surrounded the group's bus to demand an apology for the alleged attack, reports said, adding that relatives of the injured guide also demanded 200,000 patacas (25,000 U.S. dollars) for compensation by the tourists in the final mediation.
The statement by MGTO said initial investigation reveals no violation of regulation by the tour guide of this tour group and relevant travel agency. MGTO didn't have any comment on the mainland's tour group, only saying that it is up to the judicial department to deal with the dispute as the alleged attack is a matter of criminal issue.
However, MGTO said it will keep a close eye on the dispute and any incident that might affect Macao's image as a tourism city will be highly regarded by the government.
