Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai wanted to convince radical protesters to show restraint as chaos, damage had ‘ruined picture’, court told

Media mogul had proposed a ‘purification scheme’ seeking to de-escalate violence that had gripped the city, prosecution witness Wayland Chan says

Prosecutors alleged that Lai gave instructions to activists of a global lobbying group via Chan to instigate economic sanctions and other hostile acts from the West

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Jimmy Lai’s trial is being heard at West Kowloon Court. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 9:20pm, 15 Apr 2024Updated: 10:14am, 16 Apr 2024

Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying tried to convince radical protesters to exercise restraint, fearing the damage and chaos caused during the 2019 social unrest would dampen US support, a court heard on Monday.

Paralegal Wayland Chan Tsz-wah recounted his first face-to-face encounter with Lai during a lunch meeting in July 2019, saying the mogul proposed a “purification scheme” seeking to de-escalate violence that had gripped the city over a now-withdrawn extradition bill since June.

Chan turned prosecution witness after pleading guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign forces in 2021.

Prosecutors alleged that Lai gave instructions to activists of a global lobbying group via Chan to instigate economic sanctions and other hostile acts from the West against Hong Kong and mainland China.

The 76-year-old tycoon has pleaded not guilty to two conspiracy charges of collusion with foreign forces under the Beijing-decreed national security law, and a third of conspiracy to print and distribute seditious publications.

West Kowloon Court heard Lai sought a dialogue with frontline protesters and told Chan during the meeting to put him through to them.

“He specifically asked me to see whether I could get in touch with ‘valiant’ leaders, as [he felt] the valiant camp had ruined the picture,” Chan recalled.

He said he believed Lai was referring to the widespread damage caused to public facilities during the unrest, adding the mogul feared Hong Kong was losing international support, particularly from Washington, because of the radicals.

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