Hong Kong protester who desecrated Chinese flag ‘out of fun’ gets 200 hours’ community service
- Law Man-chung threw the flag into the air, trampled on it and then threw it into a rubbish bin that was later pushed into a pool
- His case was one of nine that police have investigated since anti-government protests erupted in June
Sha Tin Court heard Law Man-chung, 21, on September 22 threw a Chinese flag into the air, trampled on it and then threw it into a rubbish bin that was later pushed into a pool.
The air-conditioning apprentice pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of desecrating the national flag, an offence punishable by up to three years jail and a HK$50,000 fine.
Pre-sentencing reports said it was Law’s first offence, and depicted him as a responsible worker supported by his family and employer. The probation officer subsequently recommended Law do 80 to 160 hours of unpaid community service to give back to society and strengthen his civic awareness.
Magistrate Li Chi-ho said the offence was serious, but it was fortunate Law’s case did not involve more dangerous antics such as burning the flag.
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Li adopted the recommendation for community service but increased it to 200 hours to reflect the seriousness of offence.
The flag in question had been removed from the flagpole at Sha Tin Town Hall earlier on September 22 by unknown protesters, who together with the defendant, gathered in Sha Tin to protest against the government.
Some protesters sprayed the flag with black paint and unknown liquid.
Law and the others then displayed it in the outdoor area of the shopping centre’s third floor before dropping it to the ground. They then threw it into a rubbish bin that was later pushed into a pool at Sha Tin Park. The flag was later thrown into Shing Mun River before finally being recovered.
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Upon his arrest that night, Law admitted to desecrating the flag “out of fun”, the court heard.
Police said they were investigating nine cases of flag desecration. The first took place on July 1 when protesters replaced the Chinese flag outside the Legislative Council with a black version of Hong Kong’s bauhinia flag.
A month later, four men and a woman were arrested for throwing a Chinese flag – taken from one of the five flagpoles outside Harbour City shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui – into Victoria Harbour on August 3. A similar episode took place two days later.
On August 25, protesters removed a Chinese flag from Kwai Chung Sports Ground and left it on the floor for others to trample on. Two weeks later, solar panel technician Wong Cheuk-lai, 22, was charged for allegedly burning a Chinese flag taken from Tung Chung Swimming Pool on September 1.
Four more incidents took place in the three weeks following, resulting in three arrests, all of which were brought to court, with the youngest defendant being a 13-year-old girl.
