Don’t be an ‘otaku’, magistrate tells student who threatened policeman’s daughter during Occupy

A student was given 180 hours of community service today for posting a threatening message about a police sergeant's daughter online during last year’s Occupy protests, after a magistrate warned him not to be an otaku.

Deputy magistrate Winston Leung Wing-chung cited the Japanese term – generally referring to anime fanatics who are too socially inept to leave home – when he sentenced Tong Wai-leung, 20, at Eastern Court.

“Don’t be the so-called otaku,” Leung told Tong, who previously pleaded guilty to one count of criminal intimidation.

“Socialise more with others in society, and through hard work, you would grasp the meaning of living in this world,” the magistrate added.

Tong admitted earlier that he posted the threatening message on Golden Forum, a popular online portal among local youngsters, after he grew angry reading about the sergeant’s mistreatment of protesters.

The message, which Tong took from another post and altered before reposting, claimed that triads were willing to pay HK$600,000 for the policeman’s daughter’s arm and leg. The message, which at the bottom said it was not real, was removed within 12 hours upon Tong’s request.

Before sentencing Tong, Leung called the offence serious, saying that “the confidence and efficiency police have are the cornerstone of a prosperous society” and that no one should attack the cornerstone.