Civil service retiree jailed over anti-cop chants

A retired civil servant was yesterday sentenced to 40 days in jail for leading chants of anti-police slogans, including one asking officers to shoot themselves.

To Wing-cheung, 60, pleaded guilty to behaving in a disorderly manner at a Mong Kok protest on June 12 in a West Kowloon magistrates' court yesterday.

To, who served the administration for 26 years, risks losing part or all of his pension.

He chanted the slogans outside the E1 exit of the MTR station with the intent to provoke or cause a breach of peace. More than 200 protesters gathered around outside the station exit that night, but when the number dwindled to around 50, they began chanting slogans demanding the police disband.

To took the lead shouting "Support the police," followed by the crowd telling them "To shoot themselves."

Police raised flags and issued verbal warnings asking the crowd to disperse but To remained defiant and tried to flee when officers approached him.

In mitigation, To's defense said he committed the offense out of impulse, affected by the social atmosphere.

That came on the same day that a female barista was sentenced by a district court to 4 years in prison for rioting in Mong Kok two years ago.

Siu Lok-ting, 27, was found guilty of two counts of arson and one of rioting.

Siu threw debris into a fire in a protest outside Mong Kok police station on September 22, 2019.

Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che said the riot was not planned according to footage, yet hundreds participated in an illegal assembly outside the station. Many even threw bricks and shot lasers at the officers.

Yiu said Siu's throwing debris into the fire, causing it to burn even more fiercely, could have caused serious harm to people nearby, constituting a serious offense of rioting.

Siu's defense said she had to undergo regular medical consultations for depression and anxiety disorder.

After the sentencing, her boyfriend shouted, "Time passes quickly. I will wait for your release so we can get married."

Her father broke down in tears, saying "the government killed youngsters" and "society is without mercy." He was consoled by others.