Student Protester Shot By Police Now 'in Exile'

A student who was shot with a live round by the police during last year's anti-government protests failed to show up in court on Tuesday and was said to have gone into exile.

Tsang Chi-kin, 19, is accused of rioting and assaulting the police in Tsuen Wan on National Day last year – the day he was shot in the chest by a policeman at close range.

Prosecutors told the District Court that Tsang, who had been on bail, had not reported to the police as he was supposed to since October 24 and officers were not able to locate him.

Judge Justin Ko issued an arrest warrant for Tsang and approved the defence’s request to adjourn the case until February 2.

Shortly after the hearing, Friends of Hong Kong – a UK-based group supporting the SAR's anti-government protesters – released a statement saying Tsang and “his teammates” were now "formally declaring that they are in exile".

“Like many brave young protesters, I did not simply want to tell the world more about China; the world knows about China. Rather, we are on the streets to fight for our Hong Kong not for the glory, but for the responsibility to Hong Kong. Hong Kong is our home, it is our duty to retake it from the usurpers,” Tsang is quoted as saying in the statement.

Friends of Hong Kong also said Tsang would never "surrender himself to face political persecution from the Beijing-controlled Hong Kong government".

The group said the student's partner was in the UK, but it didn't specify where Tsang is, only saying that he and his friends "do not worry about safety for now".

"They are glad their case has the attention of the United States government and multiple nations," the statement said.

In a video released by Apple Daily shortly after Tuesday’s hearing began, Tsang said he would not be appearing in court.

He said it was very likely that he would immediately be remanded into custody if he turned up, adding that he would like to avoid facing an "unfair" trial.

In the video, Tsang also said that he was one of five protesters who had attempted to seek asylum at the US consulate on October 27.

But an hour after arriving, he said, they were asked by staff to leave.

Tsang didn't reveal his location but said he and three other protesters are now safe.

Former Studentlocalism leader Tony Chung was arrested under the national security law near the US consulate on the morning of October 27.

Chung is one of four people charged under the new legislation so far and like the other three, he has been denied bail as he awaits trial.