Govt sues convicted rioter for police injury compensation six years after 2020 protest

The Department of Justice has filed a civil claim in the District Court against a man convicted of rioting during a 2020 protest, seeking recovery of employee compensation paid to four injured police officers.

The plaintiff is the Secretary for Justice, and the defendant, surnamed Lee, is now in his mid-20s and was sentenced to 58 months in prison after being found guilty of rioting in connection with the incident.

The writ alleges that on January 19, 2020, during a rally organized by the disbanded Hong Kong Civil Assembly Team at Chater Garden, police ordered the gathering to stop.

Dozens of protesters became upset, gathered, and chased and attacked officers.

Lee's actions led to injuries sustained by four officers—a senior inspector, a sergeant, a female sergeant, and a constable—while on duty.

Under the Employees' Compensation Ordinance, the government seeks reimbursement for amounts already paid to the officers, plus interest and legal costs.

The claim does not specify the exact amount sought.

Court records from the criminal trial showed Li surrounded officers outside Cheung Kong Center and threw bricks at them.

He was acquitted of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

The injured officers required hospital treatment: the senior inspector needed stitches to the head and suffered a fractured finger; the sergeant sustained injuries to hands, back, and head; the female sergeant received stitches to the forehead and back of the head with two fractured fingers; and the constable had six stitches to the head plus abrasions to both hands.