Hong Kong protests: student denies rioting, firearms charges linked to demonstration at Sheung Shui shopping centre

Chan Chun-hin, 18, was hit with four charges over the incident on December 28, 2019, at the Landmark North shopping centre in Sheung Shui, where protesters had gathered to demonstrate against mainland Chinese parallel traders and shoppers in the neighbouring district.

Chan on Monday pleaded guilty at the District Court to two counts of resisting a police officer, but maintained his innocence on the charges of rioting, assaulting an officer and attempted possession of firearms without licence.

In relation to the riot charge, defence counsel Pauline Leung Po-lam said she did not dispute that a riot had taken place that day, but argued her client had been mistaken for a participant.

Opening the justice department’s case, on-fiat prosecutor Judy Ma Cho-yuh said Chan joined a crowd of about 50 people who chanted slogans and obstructed a footbridge leading to the shopping centre at around 5.30pm on the day in question.

Some protesters later surrounded a man who took a video of the gathering, snatching his mobile phone and beating him on the ground. The HK$9,000 (US$1,158) phone was never recovered.

Ma alleged Chan had taken part in the riot by choking the man and opening a brown umbrella to shield his accomplices’ assault from the public eye.