Hong Kong localists face extra charges over Mong Kok riot
Ray Wong and Edward Leung are now accused of inciting Lunar New Year violence
Prosecutors have brought extra charges against two members of the radical localist movement Hong Kong Indigenous, Ray Wong Toi-yeung and Edward Leung Tin-kei, for their alleged role in the Mong Kok riot on February 9.
They were originally each charged with one count of rioting. But in Kowloon City Court on Tuesday, Wong, 22, was additionally charged with one count of incitement to unlawful assembly and one of incitement to riot.
Leung, 24, was charged with an extra count of rioting and one of incitement to riot.
They will be tried in the High Court alongside eight others, including two new defendants – student Li Tung-sing, 24, and construction worker Lam Lun-hing, 24 – who were freed on bail after a first appearance in Kowloon City Court.
They were not required to enter a plea on a total of 11 charges.
Delivery worker Yung Wai-yip, 32, faces the bulk of the charges – three counts of rioting, one of unlawful assembly, incitement to unlawful assembly and assaulting a police officer.
Three defendants are expected to have their case heard in the District Court, where the maximum penalty is seven years, as prosecutors are planning to make a transfer application when they return on August 9.
The three – cook Sit Tat-wing, 33, and students Hui Ka-ki, 22 and Mak Tsz-hei, 19 – are charged with one joint count of rioting.
Also on Tuesday, prosecutors dropped rioting charges against five defendants, bringing the total number of discharged defendants to 16.
Three among them were granted legal costs ranging from HK$500 to HK$30,000.
The court also made progress in taking pleas from three defendants over non-rioting offences that allegedly took place in the Lunar New Year disturbances.
Waiter Chak Pak-yung, 30, denied one count of assaulting a police officer and another of resisting police in Nathan Road. His case was adjourned until July 26 for a pretrial review in the same court.
Chef Chan Cheuk-hin, 27 denied one count of behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place, and tutor Chan Yuk-kei, 20, pleaded not guilty to two counts of assaulting police in a consolidated case scheduled for pretrial review on August 2.
The remaining 21 defendants will return to Kowloon City Court on August 9 for another mention hearing, pending further police investigation and consultation of legal advice.
Rioting is liable to a maximum sentence of 10 years upon conviction.
Police have so far made 82 arrests in relation to events in Mong Kok on February 8 and 9. All defendants have been barred from entering the area since they were brought to court.
