12-year-old boy becomes youngest person to be convicted over Hong Kong protests

West Kowloon Law Courts, where the case was heard. Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Wpcpey.
West Kowloon Law Courts, where the case was heard. Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Wpcpey.

A 12-year-old boy has become the youngest person to be convicted over Hong Kong’s ongoing anti-government protest movement after he pleaded guilty to vandalizing a police station and train station in October.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Oct. 3, a day after he was caught spraying graffiti outside Mong Kok police station and on one of the exits at Prince Edward MTR station as protests took off across the city.

Stand News reports that he pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court.

The words he graffitied were “Damn Corrupt Cops,” along with an apparent obscenity about police families, on the police station, and “Divine Annihilation, Free HK” outside the MTR station.

The outlet reported that he was followed home by a police officer, and that the following day as he went downstairs to go to school, he was arrested by police officers waiting outside. A search of his home turned up black paints and clothing.

The defendant’s father, grandparents, and high school principal were in court today.

In a mitigating statement, the boy’s attorney asked for leniency, saying that her client was only in his second year of high school, and that his parents divorced when he was young.

She added that although his academic performance wasn’t great, his teachers had nothing but positive comments about him, describing him as a helpful and serious student.

As for why he committed the crime, she said, the boy was troubled by the situation in Hong Kong, had acted out of impulse, and was remorseful for what he did.

Sentencing has been adjourned for Dec. 19, pending a report from a probation officer.



Reader Interactions

Leave A Reply


BECOME A COCO+ MEMBER

Support local news and join a community of like-minded
“Coconauts” across Southeast Asia and Hong Kong.

Join Now
Coconuts TV
Our latest and greatest original videos
Subscribe on