Hong Kong protests: man who claimed to be a voluntary paramedic convicted of rioting, remanded in custody

District Court judge acquits six others after refusing to convict based solely on ‘indirect” evidence, such as black attire and appearance near protest scene

Transport worker Chan Cho-ho, 25, is the first defendant to be found guilty of rioting over the violent clashes on the night of August 31, 2019

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The case centred on clashes near the Sogo department store in Causeway Bay on August 31 last year. Photo: SCMP

Published: 12:44am, 29 Dec 2020Updated: 1:28am, 29 Dec 2020

A man who claimed to be a voluntary paramedic after he was arrested during a major anti-government demonstration in Hong Kong last year has been convicted of rioting and remanded in custody ahead of sentencing.

But the District Court acquitted six other co-defendants on Monday after refusing to convict them based solely on “indirect” evidence, such as their black attire and appearance near the protest scene, when there was no other proof they had caused a disturbance.

Transport worker Chan Cho-ho, 25, is the first defendant to be found guilty of rioting over the violent clashes on the night of August 31, 2019, when an unauthorised rally from Wan Chai to Central descended into chaos across Hong Kong Island. He was also found guilty of carrying a walkie-talkie without the required licence.

Police use a water cannon on protesters on August 31 last year. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Chan is the second resident to be convicted at trial of rioting in relation to last year’s social unrest, which was sparked by a now-withdrawn extradition bill. Six others have pleaded guilty to rioting offences without going to trial. The offence is punishable by 10 years in prison.

A total of 17 defendants have been acquitted of rioting, including the six who were cleared on Monday: businessman King Kwan-hing, 34; students Lau Yu-hin, 23, Kwok Mei-kwan and Hui Chi-yui, both 22; renovation worker Chan Tse-yan, 41; and Chow Wing-lam, 25.