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Stuart Lau

A radical pro-democracy activist was sentenced to three weeks in jail yesterday for throwing an egg at Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah at a political forum as part of a protest last year.
The activist, League of Social Democrats secretary general Derek Chan Tak-cheung was sentenced a day after another egg-tossing incident, targeting pro-democracy student leader Joshua Wong Chi-fung.
Magistrate So Wai-tak said in Eastern Court that there was "no room or justification for reduction" of the sentence for Chan, 25.
The defendant questioned the necessity of placing egg-throwers behind bars. His conviction was for one count of common assault on Tsang during the government forum in North Point in December.
"I'm afraid this decision sets a bad precedent," he said.
But Chan said he would not accept a lighter sentence of community service.
The magistrate ruled out a suspended sentence. He allowed Chan to be released on bail of HK$500 pending an appeal at the Court of First Instance. Chan was ordered not to leave Hong Kong during the bail period.
Early this month, the trial took a literary turn when Chan cited Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami's popular analogy portraying a country's citizens as eggs and the government and people in power as a high wall.
"Between a high, solid wall and an egg that breaks against it, I will always stand on the side of the egg," Murakami once said.
Egg-throwing, Chan argued at the time, was therefore political expression. Tsang, known for his good humour, refused in his testimony to accept this stance.
So acknowledged that Tsang was part of the "high wall" against which Chan had thrown the egg.
Chan had said Tsang was not his intended target. He had been aiming for Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.
On Thursday, a flying egg struck Scholarism convenor Wong in the head outside Kowloon City Court, moments after he was released on bail, charged with contempt of court for protesting at the Mong Kok Occupy zone, which police have since cleared. Two men were arrested for assaulting him.
 


Activist who threw egg at John Tsang sentenced to jail for three weeks

League of Social Democrats' Derek Chan Tak-cheung received his sentence at Eastern Court in Sai Wan Ho yesterday. Photo: Edward Wong

News

Hong Kong

Pro-democracy activist who pelted John Tsang said it was political speech


A radical pro-democracy activist was sentenced to three weeks in jail yesterday for throwing an egg at Financial Secretary John Tsang Chun-wah at a political forum as part of a protest last year.


Activist who threw egg at John Tsang sentenced to jail for three weeks

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Pro-democracy activist who pelted John Tsang said it was political speech

Pro-democracy activist who pelted John Tsang said it was political speech