Lam convicted over Yuen Long MTR riot

Eunice Lam

Former lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting was among seven defendants convicted of rioting related to the Yuen Long station incident on July 21, 2019.

District court judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi criticized Lam for inciting hatred during the trial.

A total of 22 people faced charges over the attack -14 in white T-shirts, who assaulted passengers at the station, and eight others. One of those defendants received a 33-month prison sentence in April.

The seven defendants identified as "non-white T-shirt men" - Lam, 45, Yu Ka-ho, 35, Jason Chan Wing-hei, 37, Yip Kam-sing, 31, Kwong Ho-lam, 26, Wan Chung-ming, 48, and Marco Yeung Long, 26 - denied rioting.

Apart from Lam, who is currently serving a sentence for the "35+ subversion case," the remaining six were held in custody.

The case is adjourned until January 22 for mitigation, with sentencing scheduled for February 27.

In delivering the verdict, Chan said the focus should not solely be on the group of "white T-shirt men" but also on the political climate of 2019.

"This incident occurred by coincidence, yet it was an inevitable part of history," he said, as Lam, dressed in a navy suit, appeared visibly shocked.

Chan clarified that the riot in the paid area of the station was not premeditated but rather arose when Lam sought to verify rumors and confront the "men in white T-shirts."

The ensuing confrontation and verbal altercations, he said, made the riot "inevitable."

He rejected Lam's claim that he went to station as a lawmaker to scrutinize police actions and protect citizens, arguing that Lam's social media posts instead incited more individuals to gather in Yuen Long.

He questioned Lam's decision to have his assistant begin livestreaming after he was attacked, accusing him of exploiting the incident for political gain.

Chan also said that instead of urging people to disperse, Lam encouraged them to "hang in there" and called on those who were still gathered on a nearby staircase for assistance.

"One can tell whether these statements were aimed at de-escalating the situation or inciting hatred," he said.

Regarding the other defendants, Chan dismissed their claims of self-defense, saying that their actions in confronting the white-shirted people and spraying water on them were equivalent to provocation and aggression.

He referenced testimonies indicating that several defendants believed that the police had failed to arrive promptly at the MTR station.

Chan defended the police, saying the prevalence of protests and riots in July 2019 had resulted in numerous calls to the emergency hotline.

He concluded that this could not justify the use of violence.

"Without detailed information, no one should speculate on or view the police's deployment through the lens of conspiracy theories," Chan said.