HONG KONG (AP) — A Macau lawyer assaulted in broad daylight in the Chinese gambling haven said Monday the attack was an attempt to intimidate him.

Jorge Menezes said the two assailants used bricks to bash him on the head before fleeing in last week’s attack, which recalled the former Portuguese colony’s shady past when Chinese organized crime gangs known as “triads” fought for control of lucrative casino VIP rooms. Macau largely shed its reputation for triad violence as it grew into the world’s biggest gambling market.