Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa used to point to the fact that more demonstrations were being held after 1997 than under British colonial rule as proof that freedom of expression continues to flourish under Chinese sovereignty.
But what happens when the exercise of such a cherished right comes into conflict with a pillar of Hong Kong's free and open society - an independent judiciary?
That is the situation in the case of Amina Bokhary, a member of a prominent family who was convicted of slapping a police officer - the third time she had been convicted of assaulting an officer - but who has never been jailed. The magistrate placed her on probation for a year, fined her HK$5,000 for refusing to give a breath sample and an additional HK$3,000 for careless driving.
Some of the local media played up the fact that she is the niece of Mr Justice Kemal Bokhary, who sits on the Court of Final Appeal.
Last week, several hundred people dressed in black marched in protest against what they saw as an overly lenient sentence. Tens of thousands of other people signified on Facebook their dissatisfaction with the way the case was handled.
Demonstrations are part of Hong Kong's culture but protests against the judiciary are rare. Most are against the executive arm of government. That is as it should be.
Outside Hong Kong, there are occasional protests against the legislature, such as those against new legislation to deal with illegal immigrants in the US state of Arizona. In Hong Kong, where the legislature cannot initiate legislation, protests against unpopular measures, such as the 2003 national security bill, are also directed against the executive.