Edward Leung Cleared Of Second Rioting Charge

A nine-member jury has acquitted localist Edward Leung, by a vote of 7 to 2, of taking part in a riot on Portland Street in Mong Kok three years ago.

Violent clashes broke out during the Lunar New Year holiday in February 2016 after protesters prevented hygiene officers from clearing street hawkers.

Leung is already serving a six-year prison term for a separate rioting conviction, for taking part in disturbances on Argyle Street on the same evening.

Prosecutors had pressed a separate rioting charge against him relating to clashes on Portland Street nearby, but the jury in the original trial in June 2018 failed to reach a majority verdict, and a retrial was held.

This time, the jury came down squarely in Leung’s favour. Before the nine jurors began their deliberations on Monday afternoon, Justice Albert Wong had told them that the court would only accept a majority verdict of at least seven to two.

Two other co-defendants, Lee Nok-man and Lam Ngo-hin, were also acquitted of rioting.

But Yung Wai-ip was found guilty of two of four rioting charges he faced, and was also convicted of assaulting a police officer.

He was cleared of one charge of inciting others to take part in an illegal assembly, but the jury was split on a seventh charge of illegal assembly. Yung will be sentenced on April 4.

Justice Albert Wong thanked the jurors for their service, and exempted them from having to sit in another trial for six years.