Nineteen found guilty over unlawful assembly in Tsim Sha Tsui

Nineteen people were found guilty of participating in an unlawful assembly in Tsim Sha Tsui outside the Polytechnic University during the peak of the social unrest in 2019. 

The 19 defendants are Ng Siu-to, Ho Siu-chuen, Chan Sze-sun, Ko King-hei, Chan Yee-man, Wong Wing-tung, Hui Hau-ching, Hung Miu-yin, Chan Tung-shing, Tang Yiu-hung, Cheng Siu-ki, Sze Hung-kwok, Suki Cheng Sui-ki, Chan Ching-man, Choi Sin-ying, Ching Hiu-kwan, Chung Ching-shun, Gloria Kong Lai-wa, and Evangeline Lau Chung-ki. 

They all pleaded not guilty to taking part in the unlawful assembly that took place at Chinachem Golden Plaza in Tsim Sha Tsui on November 18, 2019. 

The District Court case was heard at West Kowloon Court on Saturday before deputy district judge Ada Yim Shun-yee. 

Announcing the verdict, Yim said the prosecution had proved their offense beyond reasonable doubt and arrived at the unrefusable deduction that the defendants were in the area of the unlawful assembly before the police pushed forward. 

Regardless of when they arrived at the scene, they must have known about the assembly that was happening at the time, and they chose to stay and join the protesters to encourage them in disrupting social order, Yim noted. 

The judge also pointed out that the defendants were caught carrying masks and saline water, indicating their intention of participating in that assembly. 

Yim also rejected the testimonies of the defendants, including Hui saying she was trying to take some shots in Tsim Sha Tsui for her protest-themed school project and had no plan to enter PolyU; and Sze claiming he was searching for a bus in East Tsim Sha Tsui to take home. 

All 10 were remanded in custody. The sentencing for Ng, Hung, Tang and Chan Ching-man will proceed on December 8, and December 9 for the remaining defendants. 

Co-defendant Tsang Hiu-lam, a 23-year-old female student, earlier pleaded guilty to the charge and was jailed for 9.5 months.