Court Clears Six Of Rioting, But One Man Convicted

The District Court on Monday cleared six people of rioting during a protest in Causeway Bay on August 31 last year, but convicted one man of the charge after noting that he had tried to run away from the police.

Handing down the not-guilty verdicts, judge Frankie Yiu said although the six defendants had been wearing similar outfits to rioters at the scene, the prosecution had failed to prove their involvement beyond all reasonable doubt.

The judge pointed out that some of them had run towards the police, rather than away from them, and that two were arrested some time after their alleged offences.

But Chan Cho-ho, 24, was convicted of rioting and possessing radio communication devices without a licence.

Yiu said Chan was equipped with full protest gear and had attempted to run away from the police, while his companion had also tried to attack officers as they fled.

The judge said it was unacceptable of Chan to try to defend himself by saying he was at the scene of the riot as a first-aider.

Chan was remanded in custody until sentencing next month.

Dozens of people were in the courtroom to support the defendants, and some broke down in tears as the ruling came.

The six defendants who were cleared exchanged hugs with Chan before they left the dock.