White-clad Yuen Long rioter gets over four years in jail

Henry Siu

A white-clad rioter who was involved in the attack on black-shirted protesters in Yuen Long on July 21, 2019 was sentenced yesterday to four years and one month imprisonment by the District Court.

Merchant Tang Ka-man, 46, was earlier convicted of rioting and conspiracy to wound with intent for his involvement in the attack.

In her written judgment, Deputy District Judge Amy Chan Wai-mun said that black-clad protesters "were not totally innocent" as they gathered in Yuen Long but Tang should not have settled the matter privately.

Chan said protesters gathered outside Ying Lung Wai village in Yuen Long on the day, dressed mostly in black and wearing masks to conceal their identities. They were also equipped with umbrellas - the commonly-used tool and symbol of the 2019 social unrest.

"In my view, a sudden influx of black tops in Yuen Long, especially at the entrance of a Yuen Long village, was not coincidental. They were not totally innocent," she said.

However, the white-clad people also "acted with premeditation" as they had prepared rattan sticks and wooden poles to use as weapons - a clear indication they had anticipated the arrival of the protesters, Chan said.

"The footage shows that the white tops attacked the black tops. Such conduct is indicative of hate, bullying, intimidation and silencing. They should not take justice into their own hands," the judge said.

She said the white-clad people should have called the police instead to deal with the situation.

"They cannot express their grievances through violence as this will lead to damage to society. In my view, the court shall take a serious approach to preserve public order to create a safe and stable society," she said.

"The court is not concerned with whether the behavior stemmed from the hostility between white tops and the black tops. The focus is on the degree of social peace [being] destroyed."

Chan said there was no evidence of Tang, who armed himself with a rattan stick and took part in the riot, causing injury to the black-clad men.

However, Tang's presence at the scene encouraged others to participate in the riot, she said.

In mitigation, the defense said Tang was enthusiastic about public welfare and often served the Yuen Long community, including donating and distributing masks during the pandemic and ensuring free lunch boxes were distributed to the elderly.

Chan said she considered all relevant circumstances in the case and set a starting point of four years and six months imprisonment.

Tang was given a five-month sentence reduction for his charitable work in Yuen Long and his cooperative attitude during the trial, which saved the court time and resources.

henry.siu@singtaonewscorp.com