Seven Hong Kong protesters charged for entering Legislative Council building in July – two others denied bail for alleged Tuen Mun assault

Seven protesters were charged on Monday for entering Hong Kong’s legislature in July, while two others were denied bail after allegedly attacking two men in Tuen Mun last week.

The protesters accused of unlawfully entering the Legislative Council chamber, including Althea Suen, a former University of Hong Kong student union president, made their first court appearance at Eastern Court. The two protesters charged with assault in Tuen Mun appeared in Fanling Court.

At Eastern Court, the protesters were each charged with one count of entering or “remaining in precincts of the chamber”, contravening an administrative order issued under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance.

The court listed the protesters as Suen, 23; student Wong Ka-ho, 20; cook Lo Lok-sang, 19; garage worker Chow Lok-him, 29; transport worker Ho Chun-yin, 21; and Amy Pat Wai-fun, 24, and Pun Ho-chiu, 31, both unemployed.

The members of the groups were accused of failing to behave in an orderly manner on July 1, although the exact details were not revealed in court on Monday.

Wong faced an extra count of criminal damage over a vandalised copy of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, which was found inside the Legco building.

Pun faced two additional counts of criminal damage and two more of taking part in an unlawful assembly.

It was said Pun damaged the gates of the Legco building and the adjacent central government complex and had hurled objects during two protests outside the buildings.

The July 1 protest started peacefully as demonstrators took aim at the now-withdrawn extradition bill.

But some protesters later turned aggressive and broke into the Legco building and chambers.

Prosecutors at Eastern Court said they had not ruled out charging more people over the Legco incident.

Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai on Monday granted bail to Suen, Wong, Lo, Chow and Ho, but ordered them to observe a curfew, not set foot in the vicinity of the Legco building and not to leave Hong Kong. They were also required to live at the address given to the court and report each week to a police station.

She rejected bail for Pat and Pun and adjourned their cases to December 13. The prosecutors did not require them to make a plea.

At Fanling Court, delivery man Cheung Yu-tai, 30, faced one count each of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage. He was accused of beating Li Tak-chung and breaking his mobile phone outside a light rail station on September 22, hours after a rally in Tuen Mun.

Lego Chan Lai-to, 25, was charged with wounding with intent and accused of kicking a man near the station.

Andy Lo Tin-wai, the acting senior public prosecutor, said the victim, Cheung Kwun-hung, was wearing white and was battered by protesters wielding rod-like weapons. He was hospitalised and received at least 17 stitches on his head.

Police said they would continue to pursue seven other suspects from the incident who were still at large. The prosecutors said the Department of Justice would consider transferring the case to a higher court.

Acting Principal Magistrate Don So Man-lung adjourned the case to December 20 pending further police investigations. He ordered the defendants be remanded into the custody of the Correctional Services Department.