Six, including actor Gregory Wong, have case to answer over Legco storming

A Hong Kong court has on Monday ruled that six people standing trial over the storming of the Legislative Council complex during pro-democracy protests in 2019 have a case to answer.

The six were among 13 people prosecuted on rioting charges in connection with the incident on July 1, 2019, when hundreds of protesters stormed the Legco building after a protest march against a proposed extradition bill that would have allowed authorities to send individuals to mainland China for trial.

The six, including actor Gregory Wong Chung-yiu and two reporters Wong Ka-ho and Ma Kai Chung, previously pleaded not guilty to their rioting charges.

These six face additional charges of unlawful entry into the legislature and criminal damage which carries a maximum life sentence.

The remaining seven have in May pleaded guilty to their rioting charges, they include the former president of the University of Hong Kong's student union, Althea Suen, and pro-democracy activist Ventus Lau.

The magistrate adjourned the case to Tuesday.

The court heard earlier that the protestors on July 1 that year repeatedly tried to smash the glass wall of the Legco building’s exterior using storage carts and metal rods.

Protesters entered the building using a public entrance just before 9 pm and proceeded to trash the interior for several hours, according to the prosecution’s case summary agreed upon by the seven defendants who pleaded guilty.

Once inside the chamber, protesters spray-painted the emblem of Hong Kong displayed on the wall behind the podium of Legco’s president. The protestors also smashed several monitors and tore cables inside the chamber.

Most protesters left the complex after midnight after police said it would clear the area. Officers entered the complex at around 1am the next day and found no demonstrators inside.

The city’s legislature eventually spent HK$36,284,116 on repairing the damage done by protesters, including replacing 45 panes of glass on the ground floor of the building, the prosecution said.