Jimmy Lai denies inciting violence among ‘valiant’ Hong Kong protesters in 2019

Former media boss says Apple Daily op-ed that called for leadership team was simply to help radical protesters set basic principles

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A prosecutor has said Jimmy Lai tried to downplay the damage caused by the protesters who stormed the Legislative Council building on July 1, 2019. Photo: Reuters

Published: 7:02pm, 18 Feb 2025Updated: 10:11pm, 18 Feb 2025

Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has denied intending to incite violence among radical protesters when he urged them to set up a leadership team, saying he instead wanted the frontline faction to set out some basic principles for its actions.

Lai on Tuesday defended an opinion piece published in the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid newspaper in which he appealed to the “valiant” protester group to establish a leadership structure so it could filter out infiltrators who were keen to pursue violence in the 2019 social unrest.

Prosecutor Anthony Chau Tin-hang said Lai’s piece, which was titled “There is hope only if we persevere”, not only failed to condemn to violence but also suggested an arrangement that would help the protests against the government to continue.

Lai said Chau had misinterpreted the article, which was published on December 22, 2019.

“By saying they should choose a leadership group, [it means that] they should put down some principle or bottom line for the valiant acts which, basically, is for them to stop the violence,” the Apple Daily founder said.

Lai, 77, is contesting two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces and a third of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications.