Betraying the upstanding righteous symbolism of his famed shield, Yung Wai-yip — the activist known as “Captain America” for wielding the Marvel hero’s iconic vibranium* armour — hurled bricks at police during the 2016 Lunar New Year riots, a court has heard.
Yung hit at least one officer with the projectiles during what became known as the “Fishball Revolution,” a confrontation in Mong Kok between police and protesters upset with a crackdown by authorities on unlicensed street hawkers, who had traditionally been tolerated during the holiday period.
According to Apple Daily, the act was caught on footage shown during the opening of the trial of Yung and three co-defendants including localist leader Edward Leung Tin-keo, 26 and two others: Lee Nok-man, 21, and Lam Ngo-hin, 23.
The group faces charges over their roles in the events of February 8 and 9 of that year. All have pleaded not guilty.
Footage from TV stations and police played to the court, however, appears to show several instances of the defendants engaging in violence or encouraging other protesters to confront police, reported Ming Pao.
It shows Yung tossing bricks at police — including one that hit an officer on Soy Street — Leung charging toward officers, and another localist leader Ray Wong Toi-yeung yell at the crowd “three, two, one, charge!”
Protesters can be seen throwing rocks and glass bottles, while clips also show Lee and Lam running toward officers.
According to The Standard, multiple videos also showed Lee holding weapons and shouting “let’s make a splash.”
Lam, meanwhile, was filmed instructing citizens how to use shields, according to the newspaper.
Prosecutor Eric Kwok Tung-ming also showed screen shots from the Facebook page of localist group Hong Kong Indigenous, of which Leung was the spokesman, asking people to head to Portland Street, where much of the rioting took place in the early hours of February 9.
Leung, Lee and Lam have denied charges of rioting on Portland Street. Yung, meanwhile, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of rioting, one count of inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly, one of taking part in an unlawful assembly, and one count of assaulting a police officer, according to The Standard.
The trial continues.
*CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated, incorrectly, that Captain America’s shield was constructed of adamantium. Steve Rogers’ shield is, in fact, made of vibranium, a metal commonly found in the African country Wakanda that absorbs energy. Coconuts apologizes for any offense caused.
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