Five Plead Guilty Over Banned June 4 Vigil

Five people pleaded guilty on Monday to organising, joining, or inciting others to join a banned June 4 vigil in Victoria Park last year, while three other defendants denied the charges.

Just before their trial was to begin at the District Court, Lee Cheuk-yan, Richard Tsoi, Leung Yiu-chung, Leung Kam-wai and Wu Chi-wai admitted to the charges against them.

“Mourning June Fourth is the right thing to do. It is one’s duty. I have no regrets,” said Lee, the former chairman of the now defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.

Three others involved in the case, Jimmy Lai, Gwyneth Ho and Chow Hang-tung, pleaded not guilty.

“I understand every word in the charge but I don’t understand why that would constitute a crime. I plead not guilty.” Chow said.

“Understanding the charge or not, I plead not guilty. Even if remembrance is guilty, truth cannot stay silent,” Ho said in Cantonese.

A court clerk paused when she was half way through translating Ho’s statement. Ho then said: “please translate”.

But judge Amanda Woodcook interrupted, saying she only needed to know whether the defendant had pleaded guilty or not, telling the clerk she did not have to translate the rest of Ho’s statement.

Woodcock adjourned proceedings for the five pleading guilty until November 12, for mitigation pleas and sentencing.

Tsoi and Leung Yiu-chung were granted bail in the meantime. But Leung Kam-wai was remanded in custody, while Lee and Wu were taken back to prison in connection with other offences.

Sixteen other defendants pleaded guilty earlier on, including Joshua Wong, Lester Shum and Albert Ho. Some were given suspended prisons terms and others jailed for up to 10 months.