The eight defendants were accused of engaging in violent acts at a police station on Oct.1, 2019
An ambulance is pictured surrounded by thousands of protesters dressed in black during a new rally against a controversial extradition law proposal in Hong Kong on June 16, 2019. (Photo: Hector Retamal/AFP)
A court in Hong Kong handed jail terms to eight pro-democracy activists on charges of rioting and attacking a police station during the anti-extradition bills in 2019.
District Judge Kathie Cheung at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts delivered the verdict on Dec. 12, while noting that the defendants were aware of the law and had disregarded it, Hong Kong Free Press (HKFP) reported.
“[The protesters] disregarded the law, clashed with the police… and challenged the authority of the police and the rule of law – I think this constitutes the seriousness of this case,” Cheung said.
The judge ruled that all the eight defendants “came prepared” wearing similar attires and some were found carrying weapons and tools that could be used to damage property.
Lee Chui-ting, Ho Sin-hong, Yeung Yam-to, Fong Wing-man, Sung Chiu-pang, Lui Kin-cheong, Wong Yim Yuen, and Chan Man-chak were present in the court as the verdict was announced.
All the defendants received a five-year jail term except for Yuen and Yam who received four years and seven months respectively.
The judge noted that “the personal safety of police officers and members of the public was at risk as petrol bombs and other objects were thrown at the police station.”
The defendants were accused of rioting at Tsim Sha Tsui on Oct. 1, 2019, when pro-democracy protesters hurled petrol bombs and other objects at the district’s police station.
The police had confiscated from Ho, Fong, Sung, Lui, and Chan what they termed as “offensive weapons” which included telescopic sticks, modified iron rods, iron hammers, catapults and pellets, and laser pointers.
Judge Cheung also refuted the defense attorney’s request for a lighter sentence citing the inadequacy of evidence proving any of the defendants had engaged in violent acts.
“The sentencing of rioting charges should [be] based on the overall incident instead of individual behavior,” she said.
The judge added that there were around 1,000 people assembled outside of the Tsim Sha Tsui Police Station at that time of the incident.
“These people knew they had breached the law and intended to evade legal consequences,” she said adding that some of the protesters wore facial coverings and dark clothing.
Since Beijing imposed the National Security Law in June 2020 to crush pro-democracy protests in the former British colony, hundreds of politicians, activists, and supporters have been arrested and imprisoned.
Cardinal Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong, was arrested in May on charges of colluding with foreign forces for his association with the now-defunct humanitarian fund. However, he was released shortly following a global outrage.
On Dec. 10, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy Catholic media tycoon Jimmy Lai received a fresh jail sentence of five years and nine months after being found guilty of fraud in a contractual dispute.
Lai, 75, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, had recently completed a 20-month jail term resulting from multiple convictions for his part in protests and unauthorized assemblies.
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