Democracy activist Avery Ng and five others found guilty over role in 2016 rally outside Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong
- The rally was held to protest the central government’s interpretation of the Basic Law
- The six had been charged with unlawful assembly, obstructing police and inciting others to join the illegal gathering
Six pro-democracy activists were on Wednesday found guilty of unlawful assembly, obstructing police and incitement charges arising from a 2016 protest against news of Beijing’s plan to interpret Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.
Facing the bulk of the charges was League of Social Democrats chairman Avery Ng Man-yuen, 42, who quickly announced his intention to appeal after he was convicted of two counts of inciting others to take part in an unlawful assembly.
“We were lawfully trying to host a peaceful protest,” Ng told reporters outside the court. “It was solely due to the unreasonable coordination and unlawful action by individual policemen that caused the chaos.”
His case at West Kowloon Court centred on a rally organised by the Civil Human Rights Front on November 6, 2016, during which protesters marched to the central government’s liaison office in Sheung Wan in protest against the rumoured interpretation of the Basic Law.
Beijing’s plan was triggered by the oath-taking antics of two lawmakers – Yau Wai-ching and Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang – during their swearing-in ceremony on October 12 at the Legislative Council.