Activist jailed for shoving policeman in the chest

Activist Julian Fung Ping-tak was jailed for 15 weeks yesterday after being found guilty of assaulting a policeman during a rally last year, and was ordered to pay the officer HK$8,000.

Forty supporters of Fung, who attended the hearing in Eastern Court yesterday, shouted at Magistrate William Lam Kui-po as he read the sentence, saying it was political persecution and calling for Mr Lam to step down.

Despite reading 39 letters from Fung's supporters requesting leniency, Mr Lam said he could not reduce the sentence because Fung had expressed no remorse, shown contempt for the decision of the court and had pleaded not guilty to the charge. He added that Fung, who is appealing against a separate conviction on a similar charge, for which he served two months in jail, was obviously not willing to accept the punishment he had received.

He said Fung could not attack the police as he pleased.

Fung, a part-time interior designer, was convicted two weeks ago of assaulting a police officer in the due execution of his duty. During a march in Wan Chai on January 13 calling for universal suffrage by 2012, he shoved policeman Lee Kwok-chu in the chest near Hennessey Road Government Primary School, causing him to fall and sustain minor injuries.

Fung's lawyer, Erik Shum, yesterday filed reasons for an appeal against the verdict to Mr Lam and asked him to consider bail so that Fung would not have to serve his sentence while he awaited the appeal. Mr Lam refused both requests.