Hong Kong protests: youth pleads guilty to rioting, admits he was part of group that attacked police officer in Mong Kok last year
- Nou Jeffrey, 20, admits his role in incident on February 29, 2020, when he joined protesters in hurling a bottle and two bamboo sticks at an officer
- Judge Frankie Yiu will hear mitigation on May 24, pending the convict’s background report
A young Hongkonger on Monday pleaded guilty to rioting, admitting he was part of a group that attacked a police officer who then drew his gun in self-defence.
Nou Jeffrey, 20, confessed to his role in the February 29 incident last year, when crowds gathered in Mong Kok and its surrounding areas six months after the mass arrest of protesters at Prince Edward MTR station on August 31, 2019.
Among those policing the unrest was a plain-clothes detective constable, identified only by his number – 34731 – who had split off from his convoy just before 11pm, when he found about 10 individuals in black shirts setting up a roadblock at the junction of Nathan Road and Shantung Street.
The District Court heard the constable chased the gang towards the Yau Ma Tei area, only to find himself left behind and confronting another group of protesters on Soy Street. The protesters snatched his police helmet, threw objects at him, and punched and kicked him to the ground.
The officer then pulled out his gun in self-defence and retreated back to Nathan Road, according to prosecutors, who said his attackers gave chase, hurled objects and jeered at him.
Footage played in court showed Nou was among the attackers, hurling objects at the officer on three separate occasions before he was arrested.
Under caution, Nou admitted he had gone to Mong Kok by himself that night and followed those already there in hurling a bottle and two bamboo sticks at the officer.