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(From left) lawmaker Albert Chan, Raphael Wong, Joshua Wong and Nathan Law outside court. Photo: Nora Tam

Don’t blame Hong Kong activist for actions of ‘star-struck’ fans, court told

Defence lawyer compares well-known protester to singer Leon Lai Ming and says he should not be held responsible for obstruction caused by people rushing up to him as he addressed policeman

A lawyer for Joshua Wong Chi-fung compared the well-known democracy activist to a Canto-pop star in court on Friday while arguing that he should not be blamed for supporters overreacting to his presence.

Wong, 19, denies two obstruction charges over a protest in which Beijing’s controversial white paper, spelling out the central government’s “complete jurisdiction” over Hong Kong, was set alight on June 11, 2014.

Prosecutors argued in Eastern Court that since Wong was a public figure, he must have known he would stir up chaos when he conversed with a police officer.

But Lawrence Lok Ying-kam SC replied that his client should not be held to a different standard – just as Leon Lai Ming, who recently held comeback concerts in Hong Kong, should not be responsible for the actions of his fans.

“Everyone is equal before the law,” Lok said.

Did Leon Lai commit a crime just by being a public figure?
Lawrence Lok Ying-kam SC

The court heard earlier that Wong, convenor of then-student activist group Scholarism, allegedly seized an empty water bottle from Sergeant Lai Kin-man, constituting an obstruction.

Lai had said that when the activist addressed him after seizing his bottle, a crowd poured in their direction.

Lok postulated what would happen if the popular Canto-pop singer ever had a brush with the law. Would the singer be liable if his fans rushed up to police officers to start trouble?

“Did Leon Lai commit a crime just by being a public figure?” he asked.

Wong’s co-defendants are League of Social Democrats vice-chairman Raphael Wong Ho-ming, 27, and Nathan Law Kwun-chung, 23, with whom Wong co-founded a new political party, Demosisto. They both deny one count of obstruction.

Radical lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip, 61, originally faced two charges, but magistrate Lee Siu-ho ruled he only had to answer to one. Lee adjourned the case to May 23 for verdict.

Meanwhile, the High Court on Friday allowed contempt of court actions brought against 10 Occupy activists to go ahead. The activists allegedly obstructed bailiffs clearing roads in Mong Kok on

November 25, 2014, resulting in the issue of a batch of summonses against them for contempt in March last year.

The Department of Justice had not, as stipulated by requirements, requested a trial date within 14 days of the orders being served, giving grounds for a legal challenge by the activists.

The activists argued that the summonses had lapsed and should be discharged, but this was rejected by the court.

The department will now fix a date for a hearing, according to a judgment handed down on Friday.

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