Police fine activists marking protester’s death

Police officers fined several activists for violating social distancing rules on Tuesday, as the activists distributed white ribbons to commemorate an anti-government protester who fell to his death from the Pacific Place shopping mall two years ago.

The group “Hoi1 Zaam6 Si1” wrote on its social media page that officers fined them as they were wrapping up their activity at an exit of the Hung Hom MTR station on Tuesday morning.

They were handing out the ribbons in memory of protester Marco Leung, who was 35 at the time of his death on June 15, 2019 – days after the first major protest against a now-scrapped extradition bill.

Last month, a jury ruled that his death was the result of misadventure. His family left Hong Kong in August 2019 and were not present at the inquest.

Meanwhile, police officers gave verbal warnings to Yau Tsim Mong district councillor Derek Chu and several helpers as they handed out ribbons near the Mong Kok MTR station.

According to Chu’s social media page, a group of officers arrived at the scene at around 9am, and cordoned off the area. Officers gave them warnings and took down their information.

Separately, scores of people turned up at Pacific Place where Leung fell to his death to pay tribute to him.

As night fell, people queued up to lay flowers or lit candles near a tree outside the mall in Admiralty.

Many of them were dressed in black, with some also having white ribbons pinned onto their clothes.

A number of police officers stood guard nearby and told people not to gather.
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Last updated: 2021-06-15 HKT 21:46