‘I am not afraid’: Hong Kong Occupy leader Benny Tai holds rally in Tung Chung as verdict looms for role in 2014 protests
- Tai calls on Lantau Island residents to retake their community
- Activist returns to court on Tuesday with eight other Occupy leaders
“I have prepared for the worst scenario. I am not afraid,” Tai said. He added that he would spend Monday with his lawyers and family, and that the defendants were prepared to appeal should things not go their way.
On Sunday, Tai and 50 activists marched through Tung Chung on Lantau Island, and urged residents to vote against pro-government candidates in November’s district council elections.
Tai and his supporters called on locals to retake their community by supporting pro-democracy candidates, who they said would do a better job attending to their needs.
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Tai said he was encouraged by the “warm response” from Tung Chung residents.
“But merely showing support to our campaign is not enough,” Tai told the crowd. “Before you can vote and make change, you need to register as voters first.”
The march in Tung Chung was the second demonstration by Tai and other activists as part of the so-called Project Storm campaign to help pan-democrats prevail in the district elections.
The first rally was held on March 24 in Tai Po. Tai had planned to travel around Hong Kong and hold similar marches and rallies.
In Tai’s view, Project Storm could compel Beijing to restart Hong Kong’s stalled political reform. The pan-democrat camp intended to field district council candidates in constituencies where the movement has no foothold.
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Tai said on Sunday that about 30 such candidates had been found but 150 more were needed.
“I am not too pessimistic. There is still time. It is premature to say the campaign is not working,” he said.
The 2019 district council elections will be held on November 24.
The other defendants on Tuesday include Dr Chan Kin-man, Reverend Chu Yiu-ming. Also expected to receive a verdict are Civic Party lawmaker Tanya Chan, localist lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun, former student leaders Tommy Cheung Sau-yin and Eason Chung Yiu-wa, League of Social Democrats vice-chairman Raphael Wong Ho-ming and former Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Wing-tat.
