Police arrest woman for assault after champagne celebration sprays liaison office guard

A woman celebrating Liu Xiaobo's winning of the Nobel Peace Prize with 19 other activists outside the central government liaison office yesterday was arrested after spraying a security guard with champagne.

Ip Ho-yee, 22, said: 'Champagne splashed everywhere - it was a celebration. But a security guard complained to the police that he got wet with our champagne.'

Police said Ip (pictured) was arrested for common assault. She was granted HK$500 bail and told to report to the police next month.

'I can't believe the liaison office is so fragile that it will not allow people to open champagne outside. It is ridiculous ... it shows that human rights in China are at a very critical stage at the moment,' Ip said.

Legislator James To Kun-sun said it was absurd to accuse someone of using champagne in an act of assault.

Human Rights Monitor director Law Yuk-kai said the police acted solely on the guard's version of events without gathering more information. He said the police had no reason to take spilling liquid on someone as a criminal case.