Although Wong was only present at the complex for less than five minutes, it did not mitigate the fact that every participant at the scene was involved in the protest, the judge added.
“Whether Wong is a celebrity or not, his presence had made it known to protesters that someone was supporting and encouraging the act,” Li said as he handed down the sentence.
Hong Kong protests: 7 plead guilty to rioting as case over Legco storming begins
Hong Kong protests: 7 plead guilty to rioting as case over Legco storming begins
The judge said the actor’s role was not the most serious, but he had still “actively participated”.
The court earlier heard that Wong went to the Legco building because he wanted to give charging equipment to reporters who asked him for help. Footage shows he briefly stayed inside the complex’s chamber and also hugged a protester.
Li on Saturday set the starting point for the actor’s sentence at 6½ years, but reduced the jail term as Wong had no past convictions, and for the most part, had not argued against the prosecution’s case.
He also handed down a two-month jail term after Wong admitted to breaching the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance, with the sentence to be served concurrently with the rioting charge.
Other defendants at the trial included activist Ventus Lau Wing-hong, 30, and Owen Chow Ka-shing, 27, with the judge saying the pair had taken part in the most serious acts of rioting during that day in 2019.
Li said Lau had played a leading role in encouraging protesters to stand their ground at the building and resist efforts to have them removed until the very last moment.
“Every element of [Chow’s] actions was an insult to the Hong Kong government and China,” Li said.
Chow received five years and one month in prison, while Lau was given four years and five months. The court adjusted their sentences to reflect the pair’s guilty pleas before trial.
Former University of Hong Kong student union president Althea Suen, 27, was also among those sentenced, receiving four years and eight months in jail.
The registered social worker had her sentence reduced for her minor role in the event, but the discount also reflected her decision to only plead guilty just before the trial began.
Judge Li said Saturday’s case covered the “most serious” offences among those that involved rioting throughout the anti-government protests, as the event focused on a government building of “constitutional significance”.
Chief Inspector Wong Chi-tang of the organised crime and triad bureau said police defined the storming as “premeditated” as video footage that night showed protesters had been assigned different roles. Some chanted while others destroyed security cameras.
“Police poured in a lot of effort and manpower to collect video evidence to analyse who was involved in the riot,” Wong said. “It involved more than 1,000 rioters, so we do not rule out the possibility of apprehending more [suspects] if new evidence emerged.”
He added that the Legco complex was severely damaged and that more than HK$30 million in taxpayers’ money was spent on repairs.
Source: scmp.com
