People should have right to protest in public places to get message across to authorities, defence lawyers tell Occupy trial in Hong Kong

In their closing remarks, the lawyers cited rulings from courts around the world endorsing such a right, in their bid to convince the Hong Kong court that the activists they represented should not be held criminally liable for their fight for democracy.

The nine – including the three Occupy founders, Benny Tai Yiu-ting, Dr Chan Kin-man and Reverend Chu Yiu-ming – have been on trial since last month at West Kowloon Court for their roles in the Occupy protests that brought the heart of the city to a standstill four years ago.

They and many others who joined the 79-day protests that began on September 28, 2014, were upset about Beijing’s restrictive proposal for the city’s leadership election, despite their continued pleas to both the local and central government for more democratic elements.

On Thursday, barrister Philip Dykes SC, for Eason Chung Yiu-wa, one of the Occupy leaders, reminded the court how the law should stand on their side, with the trial, based largely on the reasonableness of the protesters’ action, drawing towards its end.