Court issues arrest warrants for PolyU siege accused

West Kowloon Magistracy has issued warrants for the arrest of three people charged with protest-related offences, after they failed to attend a hearing on Tuesday morning.

The trio are among 21 people aged between 17 and 41 who are accused of helping protesters escape 2019’s police siege of Polytechnic University, by driving them away from the area after they had abseiled down a footbridge.

The defendants’ cars were allegedly intercepted by the police around Ho Man Tin on November 18, 2019.

The 13 men and eight women are accused of perverting the course of justice.

Some of the defendants had refused to be bailed by the police and were arrested again last week.

Chief magistrate Victor So was considering a request from the prosecution to adjourn the case until June 21 for it to be transferred to the District Court, and for all the defendants to be denied bail in the meantime.