TOP Heung Yee Kuk officials yesterday rallied behind a member who appeared in court over a protest outside the Legislative Council last month.
Lai Kwok-yiu, 58, was charged with assaulting United Democrat legislator Lee Wing-tat.
The charge was laid under a provision - invoked for the first time - of the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.
Kuk members, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the Chinese characters for ''political persecution'', accompanied Lai to Western Court.
Lai pleaded not guilty. Magistrate Ian Candy fixed July 5 as the trial date and granted Lai bail of $10,000 on his own recognisance.
His supporters included kuk chairman Lau Wong-fat and vice-chairmen Lam Wai-keung and Liu Ching-leung, who said they were there to lend Lai moral support.