District Court convicts trio of rioting near PolyU

The District Court on Saturday convicted three people of rioting in the vicinity of the Polytechnic University in 2019, at a time when hundreds of protesters inside the campus were surrounded by police.

Kwok Chun-ming, Ting Pui-kei and Choi Yun-ting had been charged with rioting in Jordan on November 18, 2019.

Deputy District Judge Lily Wong rejected the defendants’ explanations of why they were at the scene, saying the reasons given were ridiculous.

The defendants had told the court that they were observing the situation, staying out of curiosity or heading to rescue a sister who was trapped in the university campus.

One of the three, Kwong Chun-ming, and a 35-year-old tutor named Yiu Chun-fai, were also convicted of possessing instruments fit for unlawful purposes – namely cable ties.

However, the tutor and another 32-year-old man were cleared of rioting.

Sentencing has been adjourned to September 25, with the four defendants remanded in custody.