A protester “prays” to the police line during last year’s pro-democracy protests. (Photo: Laurel Chor/Coconuts Media)
A pro-democracy protester was acquitted yesterday after being charged with obstructing a police officer, while another was found guilty of assaulting a police officer.
Wong Chi-kai, aged 35, was found guilty of assaulting a sergeant and fined HKD2000.
University student Ho Chi-sum, aged 22, was acquitted after police testimony was found “not credible”.
Ho was arrested for obstructing police on Jan. 25 during a pro-democracy protest in Mong Kok, reports Apple Daily.
In court, Constable Wan Chi-kong testified that Ho stopped an ambulance leaving the scene, shouted anti-police slogans, and attempted to incite a crowd to take over the road.
He also said that Ho had turned to run away as he was getting arrested.
However, the magistrate reviewed a video clip submitted as evidence and found the defendant has already left the scene when the arrest was made.
The magistrate criticised the policeman’s testimony as being “not credible”, and Ho was found not guilty.
In an earlier hearing, the prosecution had called Ho’s actions a form of “passive resistance”, after the deputy magistrate said the students had not obstructed the police’s actions overall, according to Apple Daily.
