Dozens More Charged With Rioting Over Protests

Police have charged 14 more people who were arrested during a siege of the Polytechnic University last November with rioting.

Officers rounded up the suspects, aged between 16 and 61, on Thursday. Most had stopped reporting to police after refusing bail.

They are to appear at Eastern Court on May 18, before the cases are transferred to the District Court for trial.

Meanwhile, 15 others – mostly students – were charged with rioting and weapons-related offences over a protest outside the Sham Shui Po police station last August.

They are to appear at Kowloon City court on June 16, before also being transferred to the District Court.

A crowd is alleged to have thrown bricks and aimed laser pointers at officers after ignoring police orders to disperse.

Three people had already been charged with rioting last August.

Acting superintendent Antony Lo said says the suspects are being charged now after the Department of Justice had concluded that there was enough evidence against them.

Of the more than 8,300 people arrested in connection with anti-government protests since last June, more than 1,600 have been prosecuted.