In Hong Kong, a court has sentenced former pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting to three years and one month in prison following his conviction for riot charges stemming from an incident during the city’s 2019 anti-government protests. The case involved a violent episode at the Yuen Long train station, where Lam and others were attacked by men wielding wooden poles and metal rods. This group of attackers, clad in white shirts as opposed to the protesters’ black attire, claimed they were defending their community in Yuen Long, a district located in the New Territories.
The landmark decision, delivered by district court judge Stanley Chan last December, found Lam guilty of inciting the crowd instead of mediating or safeguarding the residents, contrary to his assertions. The judge accused Lam of exploiting the situation for political benefit, casting doubt on Lam’s defense that he was undertaking a lawmaker’s duty during the clash. This incident remains pivotal in shaping the public memory of Hong Kong’s protest movement, which escalated significantly after widespread criticism of the police’s delayed reaction to the violence.
During the sentencing, Chan noted that Lam had not committed violence but, as a lawmaker, his involvement exacerbated the tense atmosphere. Lam failed to express remorse in his appeal for leniency, the judge observed. In Lam’s personal letter to Chan, he reflected on how actions he once deemed just had now become criminal, expressing remorse for the distress caused to his loved ones.
In addition to Lam’s sentence, six other individuals involved in the riot received prison terms ranging from two years and one month to two years and seven months. This included individuals accused of aggression, like throwing objects and using a hosepipe to spray water at the white-shirted attackers. The judge dismissed self-defense arguments brought forth during earlier stages of the trial.
Emotional scenes unfolded in the courtroom as the sentences were pronounced, with tears among some spectators. Prior to the session, supporters of the defendants showed solidarity by waving at the prison vans and chanting “ga yau,” a phrase offering encouragement in Cantonese.
The 2019 protests erupted initially due to a controversial extradition bill, which could have allowed suspects in Hong Kong to be extradited to mainland China for trial. Although the bill was eventually withdrawn, protestors broadened their demands to include full democratic elections and greater police accountability. This civil unrest posed the most substantial challenge to the local government since the territory’s handover to China in 1997.
Responding to the upheaval, China’s central government introduced a national security law in 2020, leading to widespread arrests of activists, silencing dissent, and prompting some to flee abroad. Lam is currently serving another sentence of six years and nine months related to a separate national security case; three months of his latest sentence will overlap with his ongoing punishment.
Amid these political tremors, the political party formerly associated with Lam has begun steps towards dissolution, symbolizing the sweeping changes in Hong Kong’s political landscape following the enactment of the national security legislation, which China claims was essential to restoring stability in the region.
