HONG KONG — On Thursday, a judge in Hong Kong found seven individuals guilty of rioting, which included a former lawmaker known for advocating democracy. This verdict stems from violent clashes that erupted at a subway station during the peak of widespread anti-government protests in July 2019.
Prosecutors claimed that Lam Cheuk-ting, the former legislator, alongside six other co-defendants, incited a group of around 100 men who were armed with wooden sticks and metal rods. These assailants attacked both protesters and onlookers at the train station. The attackers, dressed in white shirts—uniquely contrasting with the black attire typically worn by protesters—asserted they were defending their locality in Yuen Long, a district located within Hong Kong’s New Territories.
The violent incident left many, including Lam himself, injured, marking a pivotal moment that exacerbated the ongoing protests as public sentiment grew increasingly critical of the police’s slow response. This significant ruling may influence how the events of that day are perceived in the broader historical context of Hong Kong’s political landscape.
Judge Stanley Chan expressed that Lam was not acting as a peacemaker, as he had claimed, but instead was leveraging the chaos for his own political ambitions. He stated that Lam’s comments directed towards the men in white effectively “fanned the flames” of the situation, escalating the conflict.
The seven individuals convicted are set to receive their sentences in February. The courtroom was filled with emotional responses from onlookers, many of whom wept after the verdict was announced, while others showed support for the defendants; one person shouted encouragement to Lam, saying, “Hang in there, Ting!” Lam, however, appeared composed amidst the unfolding emotions.
The prosecution argued that the defendants yelled at the white-clad men, made offensive gestures, and either threw objects at them or aimed a hosepipe to spray them with water. In response, the defendants entered a plea of not guilty to the charges of rioting.
During the proceedings, Lam defended his actions by explaining that he intended to use his legislative authority to urge the police to intervene promptly. He insisted that he could not abandon the scene while residents were in peril. Some co-defendants who used the hosepipe against the assailants contended that their intent was solely to prevent further aggression.
Judge Chan dismissed claims from certain defendants who argued they acted in self-defense during the confrontations.
These protests, which erupted in response to a proposed extradition law permitting the transfer of criminal suspects from Hong Kong to mainland China for trial, represented the most significant challenge to the Hong Kong government since its transition from British to Chinese governance in 1997. Although the administration eventually withdrew the contentious bill, the demands of the protesters expanded to include calls for direct elections for the city’s leadership and greater accountability from law enforcement.
As a consequence of these protests, which led to the rapid installation of a national security law by Beijing in 2020, many prominent activists were arrested, silenced, or forced into exile. In a separate ruling from November, Lam received a prison sentence of six years and nine months in what has been characterized as the largest national security case in the city to date.
In total, over 10,000 individuals were apprehended during the protests on various charges, including rioting and participating in unauthorized gatherings. Reports indicate that around ten men dressed in white have faced convictions in connection with the mob violence that transpired in July 2019.
