Hong Kong protests: freelance photographer cleared of charges after being accused of enabling assault on mainland Chinese bank worker
- Swiss-born Marc Gerard Progin acquitted of aiding and abetting disorder after he says he was at the protest site only to take pictures
- Magistrate Stephanie Tsui at Eastern Court says there is no evidence Progin was in contact with anyone in the crowd or attacked the victim
A freelance photographer accused of enabling an assault on a mainland Chinese banking consultant during an anti-government protest in Hong Kong last year has been cleared of the charge, as a magistrate found he might have simply been observing the demonstration.
Swiss-born Marc Gerard Progin left Eastern Court on Friday after being acquitted of aiding and abetting disorder during a lunchtime demonstration in Central on October 4.
The 75-year-old freelance photographer was accused of instigating the attack on JPMorgan Chase employee Lin Nan – who had earlier had a brief altercation with protesters – by closing the door to the latter’s office tower, standing in front of him and preventing him from leaving.
The prosecution alleged Progin’s move had enabled a radical demonstrator to punch 30-year-old Lin seconds later, before another protester hurled an umbrella at him.
Progin said he had simply wanted to take pictures of the Xi’an-born man from the front.
The two protesters who attacked Lin have not been arrested.